Trader Joe's coming to Warwick

Published Apr 26 2008, 05:29 PM by Ian Donnis

Yes, the budget stuff is a lot more important, but Trader Joe's will be in the house (this fall), and I'd been meaning to do a related post for some time.

It's been something of a parlor game in Providence to ponder the question of when Trader Joe's might come to the area. Some perceived such a development as an ultimate sign of end-game gentrification, while others who've shopped at the distinctive, reasonably priced grocery store, N4N included, felt like it couldn't arrive soon enough.

There are anecdotal accounts, perhaps apocryphal, that Whole Foods has maintained its Wayland Square location to keep Trader Joe's from coming into the space. And while some might have hoped for TJ to occupy the former Shaw's in Eagle Square, the chain is said to be very, very precise in where and how it sets up. That explains why it's going for as traffic-intense an area as Bald Hill Road in Warwick.

Jen comments:

This has got to be the worst location in RI. Anyone who has half a brain stays away from Bald Hill Road. The demographics HAVE to be better in Seekonk where they can draw from RI, East Bay and SE Mass. Are folks from Barrington and Bristol and Aquidneck Island going to go to Bald Hill Road? Doubtful. But folks from Warwick and East G might go to Seekonk. The whole thing is very strange! And I think TJs will rue the day they opened in RI when they try to conduct business in the state--my friend who manages REI says that it was a nightmare because of the laws around retail (ie., employees have to be paid weekly, which screwed up the company's payroll which is biweekly everywhere else in the country).

And who knew they were owned by the ALDI people? I didn't. And Scott Avedesian can totally be governor now if he wants. He can just glide into the statehouse on the "i brought Trader Joe's to town" ticket.

Anyway, the food fanatics among us will welcome TJ, but Route 2 is unlikely to generate the sexual frisson of a certain Trader Joe's in lower Manhattan. I can't find the link, but New York Magazine has a piece last year on how it's the hip place to work for a lot of young artist types.

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6 Comments

JoeO said:

Jen, You're totally wrong on this one. Warwick is closer to my house. -Joe

April 26, 2008 10:00 PM
Jef Nickerson said:

Well, I live in Providence and don't own a car. Google Transit tells me it will take me 38 minutes to take bus 22 from Empire and Westminster to the Rhode Island Mall, from which I must walk 18 minutes (on streets without sidewalks) to Bald Hill Road. Not knowing exactly where on Bald Hill Road this Trader Joe's is going, my walk could be further or less. Bus 22 runs approximately once an hour. Guess who will not be shopping at Trader Joe's.

April 27, 2008 3:57 AM
Mike said:

Typical leftist nonesense-"Route 2 is the worst place for a business". Yeah right. That's why there's so many of them. Better locations would have been in the Third World infested shitholes of Prov/Pawt/CF? Guess they were just to stupid to pass up ythose better spots? LOL.

April 27, 2008 12:46 PM
rhody said:

I didn't realize the desire to avoid massive traffic jams was leftist nonsense. Silly me.

April 27, 2008 6:44 PM
patty said:

I live in Barrington and have been doing the major portion of my food shopping at TJ's for years (I moved from TJ's invested state of MD) After 1 1/2 yrs in RI, I am NOT at all happy with the high prices at WFoods and organic wannabees (Shaw's, S&S). Yes I'll be driving down to Warwick once a month and loading my pantry with their products once again (and I'll be shuttling my car-less nephew from Providence with me). They have the whole kinds of foods I eat at a great price---it's worth the trip!!

October 30, 2008 11:14 AM
star said:

Third world infested shitholes of Prov/Pawt/CF?

Hummm somebody is a right wing nutjob

November 15, 2008 2:38 PM

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Trader Joe's coming to Warwick

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Mike said:

rhody said:

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