Last October, I asked a Trader Joe's media rep at the national office if they were opening a store at 432-438 E. 14th St. at Avenue A. The response: "Unfortunately, we do not have any current plans for a store at that location."
Perhaps those current plans weren't for October ... but it sure looks there are plans now here in mid-winter.
Yesterday morning, EVG reader Laura H. spotted this truck dropping off various equipment outside the new 8-story luxury rental called EVE... the work was happening in the under-construction retail space on the 14th Street side of the building...
... and there is a sign on the supplies...
... wait for it...
Some history. In May 2017, The Real Deal, citing anonymous sources, reported that Trader Joe's "quietly signed a lease about two months ago with Mack Real Estate and Benenson Capital Partners ... for 8,531 square on the ground floor and 14,170 square feet on the lower level."
However, there wasn't much else mentioned about this possible new TJ's location (aside from some TJ clerk gossip that it wasn't happening) in the ensuing months. Finally, in a preview of EVE last August, City Realty noted: "To the delight of residents and neighbors, Trader Joe’s is the building’s retail tenant."
Still, a few months later, Trader Joe's said there weren't plans for this location.
A map on the EVE website shows a Trader Joe's here...
It's also now mentioned in the "East Village Life" section that lists nearby restaurants and stores. Per the EVE site: "Although with a Trader Joe’s in the building, you may not need to go too far."
Trader Joe's is reportedly tight-lipped about its operations ... which apparently includes information about new locations, and likes to have store buildout details worked out before announcing a target opening date, as the Lo-Down has noted.
From the look of it, the retail space at EVE has some work left before it's retail ready. It will be curious to see what impact this might have on the Associated directly across the street as well as the food-heavy Target a few hundred feet to the east.
Meanwhile, leasing continues at EVE, where the residential entrance is at 433 E. 13th St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. This development is on the site of the onetime Peter Stuyvesant Post Office (1951-2014).
Previously on EV Grieve:
UPDATED: Did you hear the rumor about the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office branch closing?
Former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office slated to be demolished
The former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office will yield to an 8-story residential building
All about EVE, the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office-replacing rentals on 14th Street
Claim: A Trader Joe's won't be coming to new development at 14th and A after all
Trader Joe's: No current plans for grocery at 432-438 E. 14th St.
26 comments:
That would, at least, continue the tradition of long lines at that location.
Apparently Trader Joe’s is also falling for Cuomo’s phoney L train Plan. So much for Associated, at least they had a nice run.
Really miss that Old Post office and it's stellar level of service especially for package pick up. This is good news for STY Town and coming after the discontinuation of home delivery will be helpful. The Union Square area is too congested this will better serve the more eastern area of the Village.
Not a cult loving fan of TJ's but since losing my favorite green grocer on B near 14th, I've been at a loss for a quick dash, pick up a few things place. Associated hasn't kept up with the times so I do most of my big shopping at West Side Market. I will never make TJ's my main store but it's good to have options.
Nice scoop EVG. I had assumed that TJ took a good hard look at the 1st ave L-station project and said no thanks. Looking forward to this. Sorry to everyone for shopping at TJ's, which according to some commenters is like, the worst thing in the world. I'm just looking for good organic groceries at a good price. Sorry. I can't try to save every struggling business around here.
9:51AM I highly doubt Cuomo's plan factored into the decision making.
They've been working on that retail spot for months. TJ's is probably looking to get more EV residents who are put off by the congestion at their 14th st location.
That is convenient - Yaay !
That will be a bigger blow to Associated - which people still need.
Cant get everything in Target or Associated.
Just that some Associated cashiers were/are rather surly
and that is a real turn off - especially when TJ's are so friendly.
Back in the day people had to tolerate surly store help - but now
with more options, not so much.
I refuse to patronize the Union Square location for it is a shit show of epic proportions. Long lines. A bouncer. Tight confines. No thanks.
Hopefully, if this location is up and running, it won't look like US and more like the location on Clinton and Essex. I'll believe it when I see it.
I know Target's got quite a bit of groceries but I only buy groceries from a grocer, call me crazy. Grocery is a specialized business. Unless you are a dedicated grocer, I am not going to trust you with my groceries. What is with this one-stop-shop business anyways. That's so not NYC.
I do most of my shopping at Joe's. The prices are great... the quality's high... the service very easy to take. Ok, the lines can be long at times but they move fast. Welcome to the nabe.
Trader Joes DOES have great prices and the quality IS high -- except for meat and produce, in other words except for the fresh foods. I'll gladly go somewhere without the epic lines that actually stocks good fresh produce.
I noticed a few weekends back that there were escalators going down/up to the basement level...this makes more sense now.
Tj's is almost too friendly at times. Yes I know that's a great brand of butter, that's why I'm buying it. Now leave me alone!
ME SAY TO ASSOCIATED...DROP YOUR PRICES AND MAYBE I'LL BE BACK!
It was obvious that some big box retailer was going into this building
they had built out escalators in the space.. no mom and pop does something like that
Lets face it, most people go to Trader Joe’s becuase they don’t want to cook. They go there for the frozen and packaged foods, not so much for the fresh produce, which is why those damn shopping bags get so heavy so fast. Just watch all the people coming out of TJs carrying those doubled up brown paper bags with the handles that cut your hand. They all look like their arms are about to fall off. By the time they get home their arms are probably a few inches longer. That’s why they call it the Trader Joe’s Walk Of Pain.
What's with the TJ "cloak and dagger" secrecy about this new location? Is the federal government after them about it for some reason?
I don't get this level of dissembling coming from what is, after all, a LARGE corporation that operates multiple locations in NYC. Does Duane Reade try to deny and/or cover up their intentions when they decide on a new location? Does Starbucks? This is just weird.
Associated will survive if they expand their buffet and hot food (Trader Joe's workers gotta eat, right?), because I'll still go there for that, and of course for the bialys.
Wow, who knew that Trader Joe’s had fewer leaks than the Mueller investigation? They have been so tight lipped about this location it took a stealth photographer and an investigative East Village blog to finally discover what has been rumored for ages. What else they are keeping secret? The moon landing? The Kennedy assassination? Soylent Green? It makes you wonder what’s really inside those Trader Joe’s Mystery bags.
Hoping for wine
OMG---not what i expected from EV GRIEVE comments :)---has to be a world record---positive thinking---YAY!---we are serious cooks and TJ's has always been a great source---100% YES---ASSOCIATED was the only game for a long while and customer service was ALWAYS non existent---GOOD RIDDANCE !
I wish they would have taken over that Gristedes at 1st ave and 20th. I am continually surprised that it stays open. These old dinosaur grocery chains are way out of step with the times and not adapting particularly well.
Ha ha, good observation by Billsville. Seems there are two basic kinds of TJ's customer. People who cook, and people who microwave. I love TJ's but avoid most of their packaged food the origins of which strike me as a little too hazy. Peanut butter snack puffs made in Israel? No thanks, not necessary.
Any updates on this?
An informed party close to the transaction informed that the several month delay was due to MTA needing to approve lower level work to accommodate escalators (apparently, when major structural work is planned above a subway tunnel this is a standard occurrence). That was recently completed and as of April 1, 2019 Trader Joes has taken delivery/possession of the premises. They are currently building out their store in the ground floor and lower level. They should be opening within the next few months.
Most cooking and grocery item one needs are NOT at Joe's- like aluminum foil, spices and much more. ONE TJ only 2 blocks down the street is ENOUGH! Even Fairway would be better.
Prepare to lose half the block to endless semi trucks and sky-high stacks of heavy, precariously balanced merchandise constantly obstructing pedestrian sidewalk. Unloading it all day and night. No thanks. Will patronize as little as possible.
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