News

Shoppers rush right in to new Trader Joe’s

June 11, 2010 10:14 am by Frances Dinkelspiel

Photo by Sasha Vasilyuk

Even before the new Trader Joe’s on University Avenue officially opened this morning, a large crowd gathered outside.

“We had about 80 people at the door,” said Mary Ann Gallagher, the “captain” of the store. “They were super excited. We had people waiting since 7. They were taking pictures. It was like a party out there.”

Business has been steady since then, she said.

Sasha Vasilyuk, co-founder of Sandbox Suites, a shared working space on nearby Addison Street, was one of those who went early to the new store.

“I’m very excited about it because it is a block from our office,” said Vasilyuk. “Not only am I excited, but everyone in my office is too. From the buzz in the store it sounds like people have been eagerly awaiting it.”

Vasilyuk often has to buy milk or cream for the office and until now the nearest market was Fred’s. It opens at 11 am, hours after Sandbox Suites opens its doors. The new Trader Joe’s will be open from 8 am to 10 pm.

The new store has 94 employees, with the bulk of them coming from Berkeley, Oakland, and Albany, said Gallagher. Since there is no employee parking, the new workers are taking public transportation or are riding their bikes. Gallagher lives in Oakland and is taking BART to work, she said.

There are only 48 parking spaces at the store, and neighbors are worried that Trader Joe’s customers will make an already tight parking situation even more difficult. Berkeley is designating some areas around the store as residential parking only.

On opening day, the emphasis seemed to be on what Trader Joe’s will offer the neighborhood.

“Everything is so new and clean and fresh,” said Gallagher. “It’s great.”

10 Comments

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  • http://umhai.com James

    Walking there from the north on MLK this morning we watched a guy flip a U-turn to head north and snag a street side parking spot. Moments later when traffic came up behind him from the south a honda element covered in bumper stickers laid on the horn as if he was filled with some sort of road rage. Thought of Berkeleyside. :)

  • Diane

    I plan on biking down there tomorrow to check it out. No issues for bike parking I assume.

  • http://www.preservenet.com Charles Siegel

    Looking before it opened, I predicted that bike parking would be inadequate. There is room for twice as many sidewalk bike racks, and that is what they should have installed.

    Does anyone see a disconnect in these facts:

    – Since there is no employee parking, the new workers are taking public transportation or are riding their bikes. Gallagher lives in Oakland and is taking BART to work, she said.

    – Berkeley has a policy of encouraging public transportation to reduce congestion and combat global warming.

    – Berkeley requires new office buildings downtown to provide 2 parking per 1000 square feet, which is about 1 space for every two workers – the same as the proportion of workers who now drive to work downtown.

  • EBGuy

    I have a theory about Berkeley*. With organized religion on the decline, we look to food to provide a shared communal experience. Grocery stores are our cathedrals. Feel free to make your own list mapped to a different faith tradition:

    Farmer’s Markets: outdoor tent revivalists. This is where the Food Fundamentalists go.
    Berkeley Bowl: non-denominational mega church. Draws from the surrounding region. You go there — right?
    Berkeley Natural Grocery: storefront religion at its finest.
    Monterey Market: Baptists. True believers. Schisms.
    Trader Joe’s: Assemblies of God. Fervent believers. Growing fast.
    Safeway: Mainline Protestants. Trying to revamp but slowly dying.
    Andronico’s: high church Episcopalians.
    Farm Fresh To You CSA: Jehovah’s Witnesses

    *This post should not be read by the humor impaired.

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  • Marcy Greenhut

    What ever happened to the town square? I think anyplace that people can gather can function as a social gathering place. We’ve allowed ourselved to become isolated, car-centric and individualistic; planning and development has forgotten social needs of humans and the central places for people to gather.

    Places that are pedestridan and bicyclist-friendly automatically encourage more social interaction.

    Religion may be on the decline, but for many people who never practiced religion, this is not a factor. What is a factor is having easy access to places that encourage community.

  • Marcy Greenhut

    I should add, however, that the religion of “foodies” has a very strong sect in Berkeley!!

  • Frank

    Trader Joe’s is a big box store.
    Consider supporting a local business instead.
    Vote with your dollars.

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  • BLocal

    Fred’s has been around for at least the 25 years I’ve been in Berkeley. I find that sad that someone awaits a chain store to come. Even though Fred’s doesn’t have the best hours, if you care about “buying local” remember these local stores who have helped students and others find convenience over the years. Also I saw a Yelp review that TJs offers people “bargain grocery shopping.” I’ve also been shopping at the Bowl and Monterey Market for 25 years. If you compare their prices of these LOCAL stores on many items to TJs.they are very similar.

    ESPECIALLY as Trader does not often mark country of origin on items so you may not realize (well, if you care) that you are not buying products that are grown / made in the US.

    PS I’ve been shopping at TJs for 30 years so I’m not anti-trader. I’m anti their being in the middle of Berkeley when Berkeley was a bastion of wonderful food shopping already.