November 4, 2004

A bigger, better, brand new Trader Joe’s opens at Almaden Plaza

By Lorraine Gabbert
Staff Writer

The new Trader Joe’s opened at 9a.m. Nov. 1.

Beneath a red and white balloon arch, and to the lively accompaniment of the Santa Teresa High School jazz band, the largest Trader Joe’s in the South Bay opened Monday morning at Almaden Plaza. Crewmembers adorned with grass skirts and leis welcomed excited customers into the store and treated them to balloons and delicacies from Mochi ice cream to carrot cake and peppermint sticks dipped in dark chocolate.

“We’re very excited to invite you into your store,” enthused Manager David Adams, or ‘Capt. Dave’ addressing the crowd during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. For the store’s design, Adams drew his inspiration from the Jimmy Buffet song, “One Particular Harbor,” while paying homage to Trader Joe’s original theme of a South Sea Trading Post, to create a shoppers’ paradise.

A crew of muralists, including artist Pamela Mossing, brought Adams’ vision to life, creating a sparkling waterfall, a harbor where sailboats peacefully moor, and a seabed resplendent with fish interweaving through sun-dappled plants, which seem to sway in the current. Here, pillars become palm trees, wide aisles create an open-air feel, and surrounding murals bring in the sea and sky.

“When you walk in, the fans with bamboo blades remind one of the islands, and the water fountains make you feel like you’re shopping at an open market,” observes DeDe Adams. The open market atmosphere is further enhanced by the abundance of colorful flowers arrayed beneath the melodic fountains, their enchanting fragrance lingering, before giving way to the aroma of freshly baked breads and roasted coffee beans. Even the individual product signage is all hand-painted, adding an extra dash of color and flair to the store.

“It’s come together beyond my expectations,” asserts Assistant Manager Jonathan Thomson, who goes by ‘First Mate Jonah’ in keeping with Trader Joe’s fun and relaxed approach. “There’s so much more open space now—there’s room to breathe, to work, and to shop—it’s nice.” Aside from the size, Thomson also likes the feel and color of the new store. “Where the other store was wood and dead, this one is bright, alive, and inviting,” he observes. “It’s bigger and better!”

Customer Senia Miocebic came for the grand opening with her son Niko.

Trader Joe’s, or T.J.’s, as customers affectionately call it, is known for its specialty foods. “In the new store, we’re able to carry almost 100 percent of what Trader Joe’s has to offer,” notes Steven “Brownie” Brown. “The old store wasn’t large enough to do that.” Adams agrees. “At the previous site, we only carried 60 percent of the produce and half of the refrigerated deli goods because we had space limitations,” he says. “Now we can offer it all for our customers, including 50 percent more frozen foods.”

The new location is about 12,600 square feet, compared with the previous store’s 7,400 square feet, and boasts aisles that are at least 7 feet wide. The fresh flowers alone grace a 25-foot space. The new location also has larger freezer, cheese, and sample space, and the deli has doubled in size. They currently offer nine check stands, as opposed to the six they previously had, and employ 25 additional crewmembers.

Karen Davis, who works in the demo kitchen, is delighted not only to have a larger serving counter, but also to finally have a real kitchen complete with essential utensils. “It’s awesome,” she relates. “We have eight creative cooks and we’re compiling a recipe book.” Davis appreciates the décor of the new site. “It’s the most beautiful store I’ve ever seen,” she contends. “It’s perfect.”

Capt. Adams has been with Trader Joe’s for about 15 years. Besides working at the Sunnyvale store, he opened the Los Gatos store one year ago. The closing of the old Almaden store and the opening of the new one is bittersweet for Adams, as he had his start at the Almaden store. “It’s come full circle for me,” he says. A team player, Adams is gracious in sharing the credit for opening the Almaden Plaza site and made sure to publicly thank his entire crew for their hard work in preparation for their grand opening. When asked to be photographed, he requested that every member of the staff join in, and during the ribbon-cutting ceremony extended that honor to Almaden Trader Joe’s longest working staff member, Ben Sabin. “We wanted the person who cut the ribbon to be meaningful, so we chose the person who has been with the Almaden store the longest,” explains Adams.

Crewmember Kathy Savage has been with Trader Joe’s for one year and loves working there. “The new store is awesome,” says Savage. “It’s so beautiful and so much nicer than the old small, itty-bitty store we used to have.”

Even with the parking as a possible deterrent, Savage thinks that business at Trader Joe’s will increase at their current site. “Everyone will go to Costco, then us,” she says. “They’ll park at one place and go to both. People have been stopping by here trying to get in for weeks!” Savage also appreciates the positive attitude of her fellow crewmembers. “They’re always willing to help and go the extra mile,” she enthuses. “Everybody is happy to work here.”

Although Trader Joe’s had initially planned to relocate over the summer, they faced several delays. “We had construction delays, permits that needed to be signed off on, inspections that needed to be done,” comments Thomson. “We had hoped for an earlier opening but it happened later. Deadlines were sometimes not met by the city—we’d hear one thing and see another and every frustration was a little set back.” In addition, they had to wait 30 days for the finished concrete flooring to set before setting up. “Instead of watching paint dry, we watched concrete set,” laughs Thomson.

His crew is also appreciated by Adams. “The people who did the art work are one thing,” he allows, “but the regular Trader Joe’s crew have their fingerprints all over this store. We can do all the decorations, but the crowning jewel will be the Trader Joe’s crewmembers because they’re the ones that make it happen. They’re the finishing touches.”

Senior Citizen Millie Vierra was the first customer in line for Trader Joe’s grand opening. She has shopped at Trader Joe’s for years and remains a committed fan. “When they told me they were moving here I was so happy because I live just a little ways down the road,” she declares. “They buy things from all over the world. I remember the first time I ever went into Trader Joe’s and I saw these unusual things I’ve never seen before, and I felt like a kid in a toy store.” Regarding their products, she likes them all, and is excited to see the new store.

“It’s so spacious and just beautiful,” she comments. “Look at all the paintings they’ve put on the wall! I used to come by here and watch to see what they were doing. I came early because I knew there would be a crowd here and I wanted to get in and look up and down every aisle to see what was new. Their prices are great. Everything is so nice about the store.”

Almaden resident Nadine Hagel likes Trader Joe’s products as well as the new store. “I love it!” she exclaims. “I use a lot of their products because they’re natural without a lot of preservatives in them. They also have smaller quantities in some items that I like and it’s in a great location.”

Some customers, like Judy McQuarra, will miss the old store. “Their other store was just across the street from me in Almaden so I’m disappointed they’re leaving,” she comments. “But parking here won’t be any harder than going to Costco. I love this store’s design. It’s huge and it’s beautiful.”

Senia Miocebic came for the grand opening with her son Niko, who enjoyed playing with his red balloon. As she lives in the Blossom Hill area, this store is closer than the other one was to her home. “They have great produce,” asserts Miocebic. “I’m from Europe and they have my produce from there and a lot of organic things, too.”

The old Almaden branch of Trader Joe’s was their first store in the South Bay, opening in 1989. According to Thomson, the expiration of their 15-year lease was one reason for their move. Sunday evening at 9 p.m., the Almaden Trader Joe’s closed its doors, and at 9 a.m. the following morning, it opened them at Almaden Plaza, trading a neighborhood treasure for a regional treasure trove.

“It’s the best Trader Joe’s around,” enthuses crewmember Brown. “Everybody will be very impressed.”