“’ve been shopping Trader Joe’s since around 1972. I think it had alcohol, chocolate, cheese, and not a whole lot else at the start. But always an adventure. RIP, Joe!”
I lived blocks from their early forerunner stores, called “Pronto Market” in the late 50s/early60s.
TJs has soold importer beers, and cheap CA wine since at least the early 70s
FYI neighborhoods ask the company to open stores nearby.
The ALDIs buyout is relatively recent, and TJs has
operated as always independently. ssince.
The ALDIs buyout is relatively recent, and TJs has
operated as always independently. ssince.
One of the Aldi brothers bought TJ’s in 1979. Joe only owned it for 10 years or so. They went from 100 stores to 500 stores in the last 20 years.
The first Trader Joes that I went to were in a tiny strip mall in Fullerton and somewhere in Santa Ana.
That Fullerton TJs couldn’t have been much more than 2,000 square feet. And it helped inaugurate the TJs tradition of not having any parking.