First Dallas Trader Joe’s will open by the end of 2011
After years of speculation, Trader Joe's is finally coming to Dallas, with a plan to open multiple locations in the big three: Dallas, Austin, and Houston.
According to a Dallas Morning News story, which is behind a paywall, the initial rollout will include 10 stores in Texas, and the first store in Dallas will open within the year; they're looking at both inside the city limits and suburbs.
Anticipation that Trader Joe's might enter Dallas has raged ever since Aldi moved into the Dallas-Fort Worth area in 2010. The two companies share a loose corporate connection.
But even a year ago, the company was denying it had plans to expand here.
Aldi and Trader Joe's have different inventories and attitudes. Aldi is no frills: You can't use credit cards, you have to deposit a quarter to use their shopping carts (you get it back), and they charge for bags.
Trader Joe's started out as a wine and cheese store with deep discounts, and is best known for its private-label goods like nuts candied ginger, and packaged goods like Belgian chocolate, gourmet crackers, and frozen foods.
Update at 4:30 p.m. CST: As to the exact where and when, company spokeswoman Alison Mochizuki said the company was scouting for sites, but wasn't yet able to confirm the exact location for the Dallas store.
"Dallas, and frankly the entire state of Texas, is a place we've wanted to be for a long time," she said in a statement. "We are a company that grows in a very controlled and thoughtful way in order to maintain the Trader Joe's customer experience. We're excited about bringing Trader Joe's to the wonderful cities, towns, and neighborhoods in and around Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and beyond. We are actively looking for sites and we're anxious to identify some great locations and begin hiring crew members."
