Trader Joe's and Whole Foods Take Stock Before Opening
Residents want to see one of the grocery chains open in East Brunswick. But each company has its reasons for when and where they open.
There are more than a few vacant storefronts along East Brunswick, and when asked, more than a few residents say they want a Trader Joe’s or a Whole Foods to fill the void.
But it’s not always that simple. Each company has it’s own standards and requirements that have to be met before they expand into an area, and even then, meeting those standards doesn’t necessarily mean the companies will come.
“It’s all laid out on the web,” said Whole Foods spokesman Michael Sinatra. “People always think it’s financially driven, they think it’s about income. But one thing we do look at is the number of college educated people in an area.”
Sinatra said that shoppers with college degrees are often more interested in the type of food they’re putting into their body, creating a demand for natural or organic foods.
Both Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s invite people to visit their websites and suggest areas for new stores. According to the Whole Food’s site, some requirements include: having 200,000 or more people within a 20-minute drive time; a location that’s between 25,000 and 50,000 square feet; that there be a large number of college-educated residents; ample parking for the store’s exclusive use; a stand alone location preferably; easy access from roadways, lighted intersection; excellent visibility directly off the street; and that the location be in a high traffic area either by foot or vehicle.
But even if an area meets all those requirements, Whole Foods may still not come, said Sinatra. The small company is just a little over 30 years old, and only has been in the Northeast for 10 years. The slowly expanding grocery chain expects to open just 20 to 35 new locations nationwide this year—with an eventual goal of 1,000 stores nationwide—with only one to four of those sites in the Tri-State area.
Sinatra said the company could consider opening a location in the area, but not necessarily in East Brunswick, and for now the company is content with its locations in Princeton and the one in development in Marlboro.
“We’re very selective in what we do. We don’t grow fast in that every store is custom built for the community,” said Sinatra.
Like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s also encourages residents to suggest particular locations for new stores. The grocery chain did not return several calls from the East Brunswick Patch. In addition, several real estate professionals in the area who have worked with Trader Joe's say they are forbidden to speak to the press about the grocery story chain.
However the store has responded to residents in the past. In a letter sent to an East Brunswick resident in 2004, Brandt Sharrock, vice president of real estate for Trader Joe’s, said: “We are currently focusing on more densely populated areas. We only open 12-14 stores per year in the Midwest and East Coast combined, and therefore need to focus on our target markets.
“As we continue to open more stores nationwide, I will continue to track the census data in your area and reevaluate East Brunswick as we determine the need for infill stores in the New Jersey suburbs.”
The chain has about 375 stores and was founded in in the late 1950s. Supermarket Weekly, ranked the chain No. 22 in its list of Top 75 food retailers in North America that achieved annual sales in excess of $1 billion.
Trader Joe’s also has been described by CNN Money as “an offbeat, fun discovery zone that elevates food shopping from a chore to a cultural experience. It stocks its shelves with a winning combination of low-cost, yuppie-friendly staples (cage-free eggs and organic blue agave sweetener) and exotic, affordable luxuries—Belgian butter waffle cookies or Thai lime-and-chili cashews—that you simply can't find anyplace else.
“Employees dress in goofy trademark Hawaiian shirts, hand stickers out to your squirming kids, and cheerfully refund your money if you're unhappy with a purchase—no questions asked.”
In addition, its Trader Joe’s line of foods is sought after by many shoppers, with the coffee, wine, chocolate and veggie burgers among the favorite purchases.
In a story titled Center 18 Business Owners Seek Anchor Store, resident Liti Haramaty and others said they would like to see either chain—Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s—open in East Brunswick.
“Both chains sell high quality food, lots of it 'organic.' Apparently EB residents miss having a high quality food store close to home. Many of us travel to Princeton or Westfield to shop at these chains. Whole Foods is very expensive and would not be my first choice, now that local supermarkets carry a large selection of 'organic' foods. Trader Joe’s has a great selection of prepared foods that don't contain additives such as food coloring and preservatives.”
Despite the reluctance of each chain to move into East Brunswick, residents are not discouraged, with some encouraging others to log on to the companies' websites and request that they move into town.
If you want to do so, click HERE for Whole Foods, and HERE for Trader Joe’s.
Theresa Lam
7:53 am on Monday, March 19, 2012
Yes, I will contact Whole Foods and send them a copy of this article: http://eb.gmnews.com/news/2012-03-15/Front_Page/Cornering_the_market_in_E_Bruns.html Which proves that we are willing to pay more for REAL food in our town.
Liti Haramaty
10:03 pm on Monday, March 19, 2012
I heard that a Trader Joes official told a developer who bought commercial property in our town, that 'East Brunswick is not the demographic TJ is looking for'. The letter from 2004 said "“We are currently focusing on more densely populated areas.". Interestingly, 2009 TJ opened a store near Princeton, an area much less densely populated than our area (Persons per square mile:2,621.6 In Middlesex county, 1,632.2 in Mercer. East Brunswick - 2,099.21, Princeton 819.52, Princeton Junction 963.82). A friend who lives in Princeton mentioned that area residents got together via Facebook and contacted TJ, which they believe resulted in opening the store on rt. 1. If they can do it we can do it! Let's show TJ how many people in our area would shop TJ in East Brunswick! If you want them to open in EB 'like' - 'Trader Joes in East Brunswick' Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TraderJoesInEastBrunswick.
Joanna Barouch
12:32 am on Thursday, March 22, 2012
There's a Whole Foods on almost every corner in Manhattan. It's absurd that there isn't one here in EB. We have a very well educated population, an exceptional high school (and I'm saying this as a taxpayer because my child didn't go to school here), and lots of people who love our little farmer's markets. What more could they ask for? Same with TJ. I prefer Whole Foods only because they sell a variety of brands along with their own and have fantastic organic produce. TJ's is, however, definitely high quality and lots of fun. The only decent market here is the ShopRite on 18, but the lack of good customer service gives it a black eye in my book. Acme and Stop/Shop are even worse. I drive out of my way to go to WF in Princeton. It would be wonderful to be able to go to one here in town. I've signed up for both markets. Even though WF is planning a store in Marlboro, it's still kind of far for us.
John Romano
12:43 pm on Thursday, March 22, 2012
Trader Joe's (or any other successful retailer) cannot be "lured" to a market simply based on a single town's demographic, education, income levels, and "desire" to have them there. As much as I like TJ's...I don't think the +45,000 person East Brunswick population will support a standard 15K-20K sf store store all by itself. TJ's is not a "local market"...it's a regional destination market. They need to (and will) look at the surrounding towns to see what the potential patron draw will be from those areas. Demographics will be the key. The median income level of the surrounding towns, South River, Sayreville, Spotswood, Old Bridge is not on a level with East Brunswick.
I also think that when it comes to prices.....people are looking hard to find the best ones. With the competition from establishments like the Hong Kong market on Rte 18...it'll be difficult to lure those with more limited financial means (who often shop there) to shop for produce on an every day basis at a Trader Joe's (and certainly not at a Whole Foods with their ridiculous prices!)...just because they have organic produce, meats,etc. I feel that those patrons, and their potential to frequent a TJ's (on a regular basis)..will be key to any decision that their store planning division makes.
Liti Haramaty
1:27 pm on Saturday, March 24, 2012
I agree with you John, it's not just the demographic of EB, but the surrounding area as well. This is why we are getting a huge cheap retailer to open soon on rt. 18. I'm sure they did a detailed market analysis, and our area is more a Wal Mart than a WF or TJ. And i am wondering if very many people want a TJ close by, or just the few of us who commented here. Only 26 people joined the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TraderJoesInEastBrunswick,,,
John Romano
8:55 am on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
....Liti......I'm not completely sure about a WalMart being put on the "Golden Boondoggle" site...given the fact that there is one in North Brunswick on Rte 1.....and another in Edison on Rte 27....they could possibly cannibalize sales from those existing stores. However...stranger things have happened....and I have seen first hand the over-growth of some other big-box retailers. What is worse than just getting some unwanted store...is getting one that opens and flounders....adding to the almost ghost-town appearance of much of Rte 18 retail space.
Liti Haramaty
9:57 am on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
did i say walmart? just as an example. i don't know what going in there, i just heard it's going to be a huge department store, and i;m pretty sure it's not going to be Nordstrom :). My point is that all these companies do market research and clearly neither WF nor TJ (and not other up-scale retailers) find EB to be a good location for them. When the property on rt. 18S was bought by a developer a few years ago, we were promised an up-scale shopping center. That's where we now have ToysRus and 5 Below.
John Romano
10:16 am on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
...yes....I do recall the "conceptual artist rendering" of the building facades in that (former Meyer's shopping center). There was supposed to be all of these "boutique" type shops...with an almost "victorian" styling (I'm an engineer not an architect....so I could be wrong regarding the "style" type of architecture)...and...with a pedestrian mall feel to it. Now...it's a collection of typical buildings with less than impressive tenants..............
Liti Haramaty
10:36 pm on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
When we reach 500 'likes' on the Facebook page we will send TJ another letter.... 94 likes as of Tuesday night... https://www.facebook.com/TraderJoesInEastBrunswick
catherine
1:43 pm on Sunday, May 13, 2012
Way to go Whole Foods spokesman, with your ignorant comments on "college educated people" in the area! What do you think Rutgers is, really? And the rest of us, were we raised in a barn or something according to you? I for one am sick and tired of driving to Princeton to purchase your products, and any more comments on not opening one in East Brunswick, I will stop patronizing you altogther! East Brunswick has the means to buy your products and MORE thank you very much!