Trader Joe’s in Colorado

February 14, 2014. Don’t you remember? No, I don’t mean the incessant and formulaic pressure laden “hints” to purchase boxes of chocolates and greeting cards for the organic apple of your eye. No, I don’t mean that. I would ask you to recollect the reason why in the largest city in the great 38th state, hundreds of excited and loyal Trader Joe’s fans stood in queues for up to five hours. Mind you, the people in these lines represented as many assortments of socio-economic backgrounds as the aforementioned box of cocoa confections. So please don’t forget the naysayers. They were the ones that were fearful of traffic jams, parking lot hit and runs, and the on-set of global roasted garlic quino/kale chip shortages. They too awaited the opening of Trader Joe’s as they sat, grimacing, gritting their teeth, and speed dialed their respective city councils in protest.

Yet, on the day in which it is now customary for us to publicly express our undying love and devotion to those whom are most important in our lives, without fail Trader Joe’s opened three gleaming stores on Valentine’s Day weekend (Collective…”Awwww”). Was this a calculated coincidence, aka, “the plan”? Who knows? What we do know is that the stores that opened on the 14th and 15th of February teemed with those that had bemoaned the days without Trader Joe’s in their vapid lives. So when they had the chance, they pounced on it. Reportedly, Trader Joe’s sold out of many tasty and coveted items. Colorado residents ogled, grabbed, and gobbled up the notion, the skus, and the honeydews right on cue. For so long, Denverites, had envied their friends in Ohio, California, shucks, even Kansas that laid claim to the proprietor of the now folklorish $2 buck Chuck for years. (I think I just dated myself, it’s probably like $4 buck Chuck now). Whatever the cost…the mere opportunity to say to friends and the sorry saps that don’t yet have the specialty retailer in their backyard, “Trader Joe’s is in MY neighborhood,” is an assumed game changer. Is it?

Now that Trader Joe’s has opened 4 stores in the Denver metropolitan area, (the 4th opened in Denver on September 5th, 2014), within the last seven months, have people added Trader Joe’s to their list of grocery purveyors at the expense of another retailer? Or, do people now go to Trader Joe’s as an addition to their typical grocery options. How bad, if at all is the parking at 9th & Colorado Blvd? Have your shopping habits changed? How? Why? What’s the impact of Trader Joe’s in your community?