Opened in Pasadena, CA, in 1967 to appeal to the well-educated, well-traveled consumer, Trader Joe’s has grown to 580 locations (and counting) all over the United States. With a combination of the word Trader to evoke the idea of an exotic South Seas locale and the name of its founder, Joe Coulombe, Trader Joe’s specialized in selling out-of-the-box meats, cheeses, and an unbelievable assortment of health food products which could be found nowhere else.
When first opened, Trader Joe’s was able to navigate the alcohol laws in California and give customers access to a variety of Scotch, bourbon, gin, and tequila. He also found a loophole in the law and began to import French wine. Trader Joe’s is still known today for its vast alcohol collection.
Trader Joe’s currently has one Louisiana location in Metairie, LA, and new construction is being started on a second location off of
Tulane Avenue in New Orleans. The New York City firm, The Feil Organization, is the owner and developer of this new store. The general contractor is Landis Construction, and the architectural firm will be SCNZ Architects.
“Timeline for completion is summer 2025,” says Havana Gazlay, the spokesperson for The Feil Organization.
The new Trader Joe’s store will have two entrances – the pedestrian entrance off of Tulane Avenue and the vehicle entrance at Banks Street and South Dorgenois Street. The construction will include 13,000 of retail space and 100 parking spaces. Trader Joe’s has a type of following which will appreciate the new construction of this store in the Greater New Orleans area. They are already anticipating the arrival of another Trader Joe’s location, which is currently being built in Uptown New Orleans.
