Trader Joe’s starts construction

Looks like Trader Joe’s may actually happen sooner than expected. Sue Stock, over at the N&O reports the following:

Work has finally begun on the Trader Joe’s store in Raleigh, in the Holly Springs shopping center at Wake Forest Road and Interstate 440.

There is still no official word on when that store will open, and some of the timing will depend on how quickly the construction can be completed. But for Joe’s fans out there, take heart. The store is finally under way.

The Goode Family would be proud.

km05/29 01:05 PM

Woohoo!

Smitty05/29 01:14 PM

Rock on! That’ll get all you crazy kids out of “our” Cary store. It’s hard to weave my bike in there, what with all the N. Raleigh BMW’s and the Chapel Hill Prius’.

:: running, ducking ::

RaleighRob05/29 01:28 PM

^Chapel Hill has a store, silly.

Jenna05/29 01:58 PM

Finally!!

Matt W05/29 02:24 PM

Like that intersection doesn’t have enough traffic issues as it is.

Betsy05/29 03:18 PM

I swear there are more *elbows* in that Cary store than any other retail outlet I’ve been in.

arthurb305/29 03:34 PM

What’s the big deal? They can’t be any more over priced or have a better selection than Whole Foods?

Thomas05/29 03:34 PM

I thought it was called Holly Park.

arthurb305/29 03:36 PM

It is.

Matt W05/29 05:53 PM

As someone that used to frequent Trader Joe’s when he lived in Charlotte, I can attest that Trader Joe’s is most certainly not overpriced, at least for this Harris Teeter shopper.

spookyjon05/29 11:06 PM

Thank god, this is way closer to my house.

@arthurb3: less selection, MUCH better prices than Whole Foods.

LC05/30 11:53 AM

I can’t wait…I’m tried of driving all the way to Cary for my TJ items! Thanks for the update.

brian_M05/30 01:44 PM

I’ll 2nd and 3rd that…I’m so tired of having to go to Chapel Hill or Cary for my TJ’s fix. This is going to be amazingly convenient.

RaleighRob05/30 02:58 PM

I wouldn’t worry about traffic that much. The DOT has already redone the block between there, 440, and up towards Dennys. So far I see improvement.
The shopping center has had stoplight access for years (sharing with hotels across the street) and I’m thinking it can handle the new customers, with some tweaking of the timers.

JeffS05/30 09:11 PM

Might have to check it out now. I’ve refused to go to Cary just for groceries, or anywhere else that isn’t within a reasonable biking distance.

hackles1005/31 09:06 AM

Awesome, can’t wait. That shopping center has been “on hold” since they made the initial improvements to the facade months ago.

While we are on the topic…anybody know whats going in the new building that they constructed in the back right area of the shopping center? (They really threw that up quick, and I guess I figured that they had a tenant all ready to move in)

Ashley05/31 08:29 PM

Yipee! Glad it’s finally underway. That’ll bring some life to that shopping center!

macK06/01 08:46 AM

You can get much better produce at any of the many Raleigh Farmers Markets than you can at Traders Joes. We should be encouraging our local economy not big box retail from California.

JT06/01 10:25 AM

Trader Joes is more like a Target style food store than something that would compete with Whole Foods. Most of their products are boxed and or frozen. A lot of what you would by there would replace your traditional microwave fair made with super refined flour and corn syrup with natural/organic frozen food, but definitely not for a Farmer’s Market replacement.

TheWaveLife06/01 11:02 AM

Fan-freaking-tastic!

No06/01 11:19 AM

Now, if only we could get Publix to start opening stores in North Carolina…

miamiblue06/01 12:18 PM

I really don’t think that Publix would be that novel of an addition to this area. I grew up with very few alternatives to Publix (because the other companies eventually died off), and was completely impressed by the variety of choices in this area. Publix is basically on the same price level as Harris Teeter, but not as nice IMHO. The only thing I miss about Publix is the store brand yogurts, but that’s about it. HT covers everyting else just fine.

Matt W06/01 12:30 PM

macK, if you think all of that produce at the Farmers’ Market is locally grown, you are mistaken. A very large portion of the groceries for sale there are bought wholesale from local food service distributors that get their product from god knows where, and then resold. I still love the Farmers’ Market though, as the prices are far better than Harris Teeter, for comparable quality.

tc06/01 02:39 PM

Matt W,

According to the State Farmers Market’s Rules & Regulations, that’s not true at all. Farmers cannot sell produce that has not been grown in North Carolina, and they must have grown a majority of what they sell themselves. They can sell their surplus to wholesalers, but that cannot sell something bought from a wholesaler.

With the Carrboro Farmers Market you’re only allowed to sell produce and products made by the seller, and made within a 50 mile radius of Chapel Hill or Carrboro.

Produce from Harris Teeter and probably Trader Joe’s is more often than not from California, and retains maybe 20% of it’s original nutrients. The quality is far from comparable.

smitty06/01 02:58 PM

Ok, I gotta call BS on the produce losing 80% of their nutrients coming from California.

Betsy06/01 03:10 PM

@ JT: Agreed. Trader Joe’s is basically a grocery store for people who can’t cook.

It’s still a great deal on organic foods.

tc06/01 03:38 PM

“Ok, I gotta call BS on the produce losing 80% of their nutrients coming from California.”

I don’t have any sources to back this up, on hand, but I was told by a horticulture professor at NC State that produce we buy in NC at grocery stores, that comes from California, is usually about 2 weeks old. He was probably giving a worst case scenario, not sure, but he said after 2 weeks, produce can have as little as 20% of the nutrients it had on the day it was picked.

brian_M06/01 06:59 PM

I’ve always heard the rules regarding the State Farmer’s Market is only NC-grown produce in the first building, otherwise it can come from anywhere. I’ve been told that by the vendors, as well.

Trader Joe’s is great for party food that is made with good ingredients and inexpensive…they also have good dog food with no crap in it at a good price, and great Grade B maple syrup, also at a good price. I’m probably mistaken, but you can’t get either of these things that are produced in NC. And it is a good source of inexpensive organic goods (not just produce). Everybody can’t afford to do the locavore thing 365 days a year.

tc06/02 08:43 AM

Wasn’t meaning to knock Trader Joes. I shop there on occasion. Good frozen foods and cheap prices. (love the penne arabbiatta)

I was talking about the farmer’s area (first building), isn’t that pretty much the only place you can find produce? (or at least, the only place that claims being grown in NC) The 2nd building is more meats, cheeses, products, right?

Betsy06/02 10:30 AM

The 2nd building (up the hill somewhat, other side of the ATM) is:

- non-local produce, lot of it from Fla.
- prepared products (ice cream, cakes, jams, wines, pies, etc.)

AND

- locally grown, pastured meat and eggs and goat cheese, from 3 or 4 producers (In The Red, Rainbow Meadow Farm, and others)

Sadly, the NC Dept of Ag has pushed the locally raised meat-and-eggs people into the *non-local* building, which hurts their trade since many people don’t see them, or assume that their products are not local.

Karen A.06/03 08:03 AM

Now all we need is another Aldi, this one in South Raleigh.

JT06/03 08:25 AM

@Everybody can’t afford to do the locavore thing 365 days a year.

Why not? Tomatoes at Harris Teeter are like 2.65 - 4.00 a lbs. I’ve never seen them more than $2 a lbs at the farmers market and usually less than $1/lbs in the summer. The meat is the same price or less than Harris Teeter (unless you are talking week old discount stuff). The winter offerings aren’t that bad either.

You can also can enough stuff for a year’s supply if you plan right.

Betsy06/03 09:07 AM

Yeah, but who said it’s all or nothing? Just do local when you can, no need to raise this straw-man issue of “365days/year”.

It’s cheaper anyway. I’ve been comparing my weekly farmshare to store prices, and it’s been the same or cheaper—plus the store doesn’t always have organic equivalents.

Now, I don’t disagree that Trader Joe’s is a massive good deal on good ingredients. Wild salmon at 5.99 / pound? Almond meal at one-third the price of a regular supermarket? Holy smoke!

It’ll be so good not to have to go all the way to C.A.R.Y.

TeresaBee06/12 11:30 AM

I agree about the “elbows”. I found the store to small for too many people and too many shopping carts. Maybe the store in Raleigh will be better and hopefully bigger.

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Jedidiah Friday, May 29, 2009