Trader Joe's makes it official: It's coming to Boulder

Trader Joe's has made it official: It's coming to Colorado, starting with a store it plans to build in Boulder next year.

Gazette readers have long clamored for a Trader Joe's. However, a spokeswoman for the wildly popular, California-based speciality grocer declined to say whether stores in Colorado Springs or elsewhere in the state will follow.

In January, Trader Joe's registered its business name with the Colorado Secretary of State, but declined to comment on its plans at that time.

On Tuesday, Trader Joe's issued a news release, saying it had signed a lease in Boulder and aims to open a store there in 2013. The store will be at 1906 28^th St. in a newly constructed 14,000-square-foot building near Boulder's Twenty Ninth Street retail center.

Trader Joe's spokeswoman Alison Mochizuki said the Boulder location was chosen because "it's a wonderful neighborhood. We think it's a perfect fit for Trader Joe's. There's a lot of 'foodies' in that neighborhood." 

She declined to elaborate on other reasons the Boulder site was chosen, citing a company policy not to disclose details about its site-selection process.

Trader Joe's is ultra popular because of its unique food products and selections of affordably priced, quality wines, retail experts have said.

However, Mochizuki said the Boulder location will not sell any type of alcohol, wine or beer. She declined to say why, but Colorado's liquor laws restrict the ability of groceries to also sell wine or hard liquor.

Here's the complete news release issued Tuesday from Trader Joe's:

Trader Joe's, a unique, neighborhood grocery store with foods and beverages ranging from the everyday to the exotic, has signed a lease to open a new Boulder store, with a target opening date in 2013. The new store will be located at 1906 28^th Street (inside Boulder’s Twenty Ninth Street).  A new building will be constructed that will be approximately 14,000 square feet in size.    

The store will feature a festive décor that mixes traditional Trader Joe’s elements such as cedar covered walls and Hawaiian motifs, combined with a local flair that includes art celebrating the neighborhood.

The "Trader" in Trader Joe’s refers to the way the company blazed a distinct trail through the grocery industry, searching the world for great values and distinctive products. Store employees, dubbed "Crew Members," consider themselves “traders on the culinary high seas.” Crew Members sport brightly colored Hawaiian-themed shirts, adding to the friendly and light-hearted air of the store. 

Trader Joe's carries an extensive array of domestic and imported foods and beverages including fresh baked artisan breads, Arabica bean coffees, international frozen entrées, 100 percent juices, fresh crop nuts, deli items, and vitamins and supplements, as well as the basics, like milk and eggs – all at honest, low prices.

Trader Joe’s is truly a grocery store unlike any other.  Trader Joe’s is a  “store of stories,” meaning every item in the store has its own virtues -- high quality ingredients, great flavor or simply an extraordinary price -- many items often feature all of those qualities.  Another significant point of difference, all of Trader Joe’s prices are everyday prices. Trader Joe’s doesn’t have “sales” for a few days, only to hike the prices back up again. Their prices change only when their costs change -- there are no fancy promotions, discount cards or couponing wars.

So how does Trader Joe's offer unique groceries at prices everyone can afford?  By offering more than 1,000 items under the Trader Joe’s private label, which includes Trader Darwin's vitamins (For the Survival of the Fittest), Trader José's salsas, Trader Giotto’s marinara sauces, in addition to specially purchased items.

Also, Trader Joe’s buys differently than other grocers – they purchase from manufacturers, not through distributors. They’ll take a brand name product, take out the preservatives and artificial colors and ingredients, and put it under their Trader Joe’s label to sell it at a real discount. 

Trader Joe’s introduces approximately a dozen new items every week, heightening the store’s adventurous appeal.  Our buyers travel around the world searching out unique products at great values. In order for an item to be sold in a Trader Joe’s store, it must pass the scrutiny of a discerning tasting panel. Thousands of items are tasted each year to find products that both appeal to the culinary adventurer and microwave aficionado.