Trader Joe's announced today that they will be building their second location in East City Center in Boca Raton.
Though rumors swirled on social media sites about where a Trader Joe's might open if it came here - heavy money was on Delray Beach's South Federal Highway corridor - the speculation amounted to naught as the California-based chain finally broke the news.
The 12,500 square foot store will be located at 855 S. Federal Highway in a city that is well known for its affluent shoppers and foodie conscious diners. While Boca might seem like the most logical spot for a Trader Joe's they certainly won't be the only organic grocery store vying for shoppers' attention and dollars.
Trader Joe's media spokesperson, Allison Mochizuki told the Palm Beach Post, "We love Boca Raton. It's a great community filled with lots of foodies. We've been looking to having a presence in this neighborhood."
It certainly is, but the new store -- set to open in 2014 -- will be located less than five miles from a Publix Greenwise Market, three and half miles from a massive Whole Foods, and only a half mile from a Fresh Market.
That's a quite a bit of competition, even for a foodie town like Boca.
Still, Trader Joe's enjoys a popularity bordering on cult-like. Perhaps it's because the store aims to be more than just foodie or just eco-conscious. They attempt to create an entire community around their stores from their Hawaiian-shirted "crewmembers" to their Fearless Flyer newsletter, which will start arriving in residents' mailboxes as soon as the store opens.
From the press release:
The Fearless Flyer is a somewhat irreverent description of a timely selection of Trader Joe's products. It's been called a cross between Consumer Reports and Mad Magazine. Each edition highlights a selection of Trader Joe's products that the company buyers believe are worthy of customer interest, including comfort foods and items that are organic or have other special attributes.
Trader Joe's offers many products in its own brand so that they can be assured the products meet their quality standards regarding preservatives, colorings, and ingredients.
The competition will hopefully be good for one thing - prices. With so many "green" grocery stores jockeying for attention - and Trader Joe's claim of always low prices and no sales - those of us on this side of the cash register can hope to see a smaller number on the receipt.
Trader Joe's is scheduled to open in 2014 at 855 S. Federal Highway in Boca Raton. Visit traderjoes.com and check back with Clean Plate Charlie for updates.
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