Which leads me to wonder, why hasn’t Grand Rapids gotten the attention from Trader Joes? Obviously, being a metropolitan area with quite a number of Aldi Stores (also owned by the German based Albrecht Family), Trader Joes has to know they would have a customer base, wouldn’t they? A few months back, there was rumor that Trader Joes was scouting the area for a store location…only quickly to have that rumor squashed by their corporate office. However, the stir online went crazy! Again, why can’t Grand Rapids feel the love? We are a fun town, and obviously a destination point (Grandville now has a Cabalas…a destination point for hunting enthusiasts), so where’s the hold up?
Grand Rapids isn’t in the plan, according to Trader Joe’s. No explanation given. And, well, they don’t have to. Thankfully, Grand Rapids doesn’t need Trader Joes. We do very well with the locally harvested crops, small businesses providing new and fun items, and larger stores providing more international items that aren’t produced locally. There are farmers markets all over the city every day, locally based companies like Meijer, Horrocks, and Family Fare, that have large international sections for more diverse items, and home based businesses providing anything from honey to handmade soap.
Would adding another destination shop to the offerings of Grand Rapids be an excellent opportunity for Trader Joes? Absolutely! However, it’s their loss. Grand Rapids may not seem, to certain companies, like a huge opportunity, but to the people of Grand Rapids, we are a community on the fast track. Grand Rapids is growing in leaps and bounds, adding commerce, realty, entertainment, and festivals every day. If a popular company doesn’t see a future in Grand Rapids, that’s okay. There are many other companies who do see opportunity and are benefiting from their addition to the city.
Blog post by GRAPE Social Media Contributor Ryan Elwell
Cascade couldn’t/ didn’t sustain a Fresh Market a few years back. Being that FM is less expensive, there’s no way a Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods is going to consider GR for a long time.
Spot on Ryan! TJ will eventually find Grand Rapids; until then it is there loss and ours,
Tom Mejeur
With the new downtown market and the focus on buying local, I’m quite happy Trader Joes is not interested. Grand Rapids is in the midst of reinventing itself and we don’t need a TJ’s to do it.
Michelle,
Actually the Fresh Market was at a higher price point than Trader Joe’s and tried to operate during a depressed economy.
While I do love Trader Joe’s, I agree with Stacey. G-Rap is finding its stride just fine without it.
I just read an article on TJ and how the carry an abundance of vegan foods. I wish the would come to Grand Rapids!