Trader Joe's plans to move its Pleasanton store now on Pimlico Drive to the space vacated when Fresh and Easy closed at 3903 Santa Rita Road in the Rose Pavilion shopping center.
The relocation into a larger store with more than 1,250 shared parking spaces is scheduled to take place early next year.
Trader Joe representative Alison Mochizuki said the new site will have approximately 13,000 square feet of floor space, compared to 10,500 square feet at its current location. The larger, better designed parking area in Rosewood also will come as a relief to Trader Joe's shoppers crammed into its Pimlico Drive location.
The existing Pleasanton location will operate on regular trading hours until the night before the new one opens, Mochizuki said
The new store will feature a festive décor mixing traditional Trader Joe’s cedar covered walls with Hawaiian-inspired elements throughout the store, combined with a local flare including art that celebrates the neighborhood, she added.
She said that the "Trader" in Trader Joe’s refers to the way the company offers a "distinct trail" in the grocery industry as it searches globally for distinctive products.
"Store employees, dubbed 'Crew Members,' consider themselves traders on the culinary high seas," she added. "They sport brightly colored Hawaiian-themed shirts, adding to the friendly and light-hearted air of the store."
Many area residents can expect to receive a copy of the Trader Joe’s “Fearless Flyer” in their mailboxes after the store opens.
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, from comfort foods to items that are organic or boast other special attributes.
"Trader Joe’s is truly a grocery store unlike any other," Mochizuki said. "It's 'store of stories,' meaning that every item in the store has its own virtues – high quality ingredients, great flavor, or simply an extraordinary price – and many items often feature all of those qualities."
"Another significant point of difference is that all of Trader Joe’s prices are everyday prices," she added. "Trader Joe’s doesn’t have 'sales' for a few days only to hike the prices back up again. Trader Joe’s prices change only when costs change. There are no fancy promotions, discount cards or couponing wars."
Trader Joe’s (www.traderjoes.com) began in 1958 in the Los Angeles area. Since then, it has expanded to 460 stores in 41 states.
