April 15, 2004

Trader Joe's on the move

By Lorraine Gabbert
Staff Writer

The fragrant scent of flowers gives way to the aroma of freshly baked breads and coffee, as customers browse over delectable assortments of cheeses, chocolates and wines, stopping to taste tantalizing food samples along the way. This is the world of specialty food store, Trader Joe's, which will be relocating to Almaden Plaza this summer.

Manager, or ‘Captain' John McLeod has been with Trader Joe's for 10 years. McLeod appreciates Trader Joe's constant variety of products, and commitment to quality and fun.

“We carry high-quality items at low cost,” he says. “You can get things here you just can't find anywhere else.”

In fact, Trader Joe's carries over 2,000 grocery items, many exclusive to the store. Noted customers' favorites include Trader Joe's quick and easy stir-frys, shrimp and fish. “If something sells well, we expand upon it. For instance, we now carry a wide variety of organic products,” comments McLeod. “In the new store, we'll be able to carry more ‘slow sellers,' he adds. “We carry good, fun stuff, and something new always pops up.”

Trader Joe's, known for featuring smaller California vineyards, is also expanding its regional wine selections. Last year they began carrying Bonny Doon wines, a personal favorite of McLeod's, from its vineyard in Santa Cruz. Due to their customer appeal, produce and fresh meats have also been fast-growing store sections.

Assistant manager, or ‘First Mate,' Jonathan Thomson, known as ‘Jonah,' has been with Trader Joe's about 14 years. He enjoys its atmosphere.

“It's a fun environment and I like working with the people--employees and customers alike,” he says. “We hire the staff for their personality, and it shows. We're unique in what we offer. Customers come here for things they want, rather than just things they need, so their whole mind-set is different when they walk in the door. If you shop for things you need, it's a chore, but if you come for things you want, it's fun.”

The way Trader Joe's describes its products in its Fearless Flyer mailer alone is alluring and enticing. Readers often rush right out and purchase the objects of their desire.

The Almaden branch of Trader Joe's was their first store in the South Bay, opening in 1989, notes Thomson. “We signed a 15 year lease, and it's expiring, which is one of the reasons we're moving,” he adds. Today there are several stores in the South Bay, including a store at Westgate in Saratoga, the Pruneyard in Campbell, Los Gatos,and Sunnyvale. There are also stores in Mountain View and Los Altos.

Thomson expects the new store to open this summer. “The lease has been signed and construction has begun,” he says. “We want to be there as soon as possible.”

Although Thomson realizes Almaden Valley residents are sorry to see the move, he believes by relocating they'll be better able to accommodate customers. “As soon as they walk in the door, they'll understand it was a smart move,” he says. “They may have to fight for a space in the parking lot, but they won't have to fight once they come into the store, which is the way it is now. We will also have the room to make it more fun for them to shop, perhaps with shopping carts for the kids, and balloons, and of course stickers, a Trader Joe's staple.”

The current store is 7,400 square feet, while the new location will be about 12,000 square feet. “We're going to have a lot more room for products, and to work more efficiently,” Thomson notes. “Our smallest aisle in our new store will be 7-feet wide, while our largest aisle right now is about 4-feet wide. At the new store, there will be a 29 foot area for fresh flowers, as opposed to having them overflow into the parking lot, as they do now. We'll be able to carry 100 percent of the Trader Joe's product line–there are currently products we don't carry because we don't have the space–and we'll have more items in stock.

“ Our freezers are currently 10 years too small,” he says. In their new locale, the freezer will be much larger, and their cheese and deli space will double in size. They will start with nine check stands, as opposed to the six they have now.

The staff is also looking forward to the move. “Our demo center will be centralized in the rear of the store, within easy access of their prep area,” says Thomson, “and with more room for customers around it. Our back room is presently overcrowded; it's our office, break-room and storage area. There, we'll have storage facilities, a covered loading dock, a dressing room, a break room and an office.”

To create the feel of a neighborhood store, they plan to include regional elements in their design, says Thomson, like photographs from Almaden's Quicksilver Mining Museum and artwork by local artists.

At the new locale, Trader Joe's management anticipates a 30 to 40 percent increase in business, and plans to hire 15 to 20 new employees. “Almaden Plaza offers additional draws with Costco, Circuit City, Bed, Bath and Beyond and Barnes & Noble,” notes Thomson, “plus, it's located at a major intersection.”

Trader Joe's began in 1958, as a chain of convenience stores called ‘Pronto Markets' in Southern California. In 1967, when the company decided to disband, a group of employees, including namesake Joe Coulombe, bought the market and created a new type of grocery store which offered domestic and imported wines and gourmet food items at reasonable prices.

Their vision conjured up the romance of traveling the seven seas by offering international specialty items, and transported the customer to the tropics through their nautical decor, Hawaiian shirts and exotic music. “We try to create the experience of traveling the culinary seas,” reflects Thomson. “We travel the equator looking for new food items. You don't have to travel the world--we'll do it for you.”

In 1967, the first ‘Trader Joe's,' founded by Coulombe, opened in Pasadena. Although record albums didn't sell well, its lesser-known California wines were extremely successful. In 1971, it began carrying organic and health foods, and it has become an outstanding retailer of cheese, frozen foods, fresh products, nuts, dried fruit and unique grocery products.

In 1988, the first Northern California stores opened in Concord and San Rafael. Today, Trader Joe's has expanded to about 200 stores in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, becoming a national retailer, while keeping a neighborhood feel.

“We're a well-respected company from the inside out,” asserts Thomson, “because employees are treated and compensated fairly. We like to have fun too, and hopefully this transfers over to the shopping experience.”

Trader Joe's prides itself on having friendly and knowledgeable crew members, being a part of the neighborhood and knowing its customers. At this company, even CEO Dan Bane gets in on the fun, wearing Hawaiian shirts and a name badge declaring himself “Chief Cart Runner.”

‘Crew member' Vanessa Rivera has been with Trader Joe's for a year and a half. “I like working here because as an employee, you have the ability to grow as a person,” she says. “The managers are your friends, and we're like a family here. Most of the staff will be transferring to the new store. We're going to be closing this store one night, and opening the new one the next day!” she shares, “It's going to be awesome.”

A varied selection and great prices bring customer Mary French to Trader Joe's. “I like seeing what's on special in their Fearless Flyer circular,” she says. French is looking forward to having more space at their new location. “Having two little ones, trying to push a cart around here is quite difficult,” she laughs. “It will also give me more time to browse and see what is in the store.”

“Trader Joe's carries unique foods that you can't get at Safeway,” comments customer Joan Brackett, “like their variety of Mochi ice-creams, including Green Tea and Mango. They have very interesting and healthy foods with taste appeal.” Brackett regrets that the store's moving a little further away, but vows to be a continued customer. Customer Heshy Zakerani also comes to Trader Joe's for its Mochi ice cream, as well as for its crackers and frozen vegetables. “When we go to Costco, we'll make a point of stopping at Trader Joe's,” she affirms.

“I love the nuts, fresh vegetables and the variety of International appetizers,” says Raji Musinipally. “I am sad that they're moving a little further from where I live, but I will continue to be a customer,” she says.

Food sample preparers Karen Davis and Jeannie Diankoff are excited at the prospect of a larger kitchen and storage space, more products and wider aisles at the new store. “We love working here,” says Karen. “It's like being a kid in a candy store every single day.”

To create their recipes, Davis and Diankoff brainstorm and collect all of their ingredients from the shelves. Davis has worked at the store three years. Friends know her as ‘Lucy,' which was the name of her Italian grandmother.

“I channel my grandmother when I'm cooking in the kitchen,” she laughs. “We have a fantastic crew and it's a great, fun place to work.” she says. “You can wear any Hawaiian shirt, but they also give us shirts.”

Another perk is wine tasting. In order to gain product knowledge, the entire crew also has the opportunity to sample new foods and beverages. Whenever we cook something, we post the recipe for customers to see and make sure that every ingredient is readily available, says Davis. “Customer service is excellent here,” notes Diankoff, “and I know the customers appreciate that. If they're looking for something, we'll drop what we're doing, and find it for them, or if we're out of it, we'll order it.”

McLeod, is excited about the move. “We go from being one of the smaller stores with older-style equipment, to a brand new beautiful store with colored cement floors, and tons of space,” he says. “It's going to be wonderful.”

To reflect the local area, besides portraying Almaden's mining heritage, he also plans to incorporate images of blossoming orchard fields and agriculture in the decor. “It's going to be the prettiest Trader Joe's in the South Bay, with the best of everything,” he enthuses. “It's going to be an easy-to-shop store with wide aisles and a much more relaxing experience for customers.”