You have to wonder what was going through the minds of the bigwigs at Trader Joe’s when they decided to plant a second store directly across the street from the last one.
The original Trader Joe’s, opened in 1973 in Los Angeles, is much smaller and traditional than its new twin right across the street in Sherman Oaks. It has a smaller parking lot and is designed for a smaller market. However, the company insists that they have a ‘loyal fan base’.
It is because of their dedicated shoppers that they have decided to keep the original building. They want to ensure that the people who have been loyal to the older building don’t feel betrayed. I refuse to believe anyone is loyal to a massive supermarket with over 600 locations. It’s hardly your local bodega, is it?
Either way, rather than selling the old Trader Joe’s and just building an updated one across the street, they kept the old one. The new store boasts a much more updated layout and a modern parking lot.
The Same But Different
The original Trader Joe’s was built to spec for the 1970s with a few tweaks over the years, but the one across the street is modern and shiny. For people loyal to their original corporate overload, they can go to the original one. But, for someone looking for the cutting edge of Trader Joe’s shopping experience, the second store is the place to go.
The second location is larger with a much bigger underground parking lot. It also features a huge mural for those interested in adding a Trader Joe’s theme to their social media feeds. The wider aisles and high ceilings are perfect to accommodate more people with larger trolleys, too. In addition to this, there is a wider selection of produce on offer in a modern layout.
It’s a supermarket fan’s wet dream.
As the US becomes a more hostile environment to small businesses with tariffs and taxes, this kind of thing will be more common. Eventually, all small businesses will have to fold. All the streets will be filled with enormous conglomerates. Walmart, Trader Joe’s, and Target will be all you have left. Culture and variety can go to the dogs.