Monday, March 10, 2025

Revisiting the art of the Avenue A Trader Joe's

Yesterday, the Times published an article about Julie Averbach, who has written an unauthorized book celebrating the displays, murals and installations at Trader Joe's stores nationwide.
Averbach is a Trader Joe's fan with an art historian’s eye. She became so fascinated by what she saw in Trader Joe's locations that she wrote the book, "The Art of Trader Joe's: Discovering the Hidden Art Gems of America's Favorite Grocery Store," after devoting her thesis at Yale to Trader Joe's as a contemporary cabinet of curiosities. 
This is a good time to revisit a January 2020 post about the new East Village Trader Joe's, which opened at 436 E. 14th St., near Avenue A. 
If you've been to the new East Village Trader Joe's ... then you've likely noticed the nearly 200 drawings that adorn the store's interior ... 

East Village-based illustrator Peter Arkle created the drawings, which are an appreciation of street scenes and architectural details that he has spotted throughout the neighborhood... from more celebrated sites such as the Cube on Astor Place to the lesser-known features like the water fountain/wash bowl with the bronze figures (circa 1890s) outside the Immaculate Conception Church on 14th Street. 
Revisit the piece with Stacie Joy's Q&A here.
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1 comment:

  1. MarjorieMarch 11, 2025 at 6:10 PM

    I unironically love the art in the 14th/A Trader Joe's, and keep thinking how great they'd be if you were shopping with a fidgety toddler or kid with autism. The illustrations would be a great distraction as you and your kid tried to figure out where you'd seen the pictures in real life in the neighborhood. (I think there's a map/key you can ask for?) (Also, I follow a guy on Instagram who does lettering for a local TJ's signage. SO SOOTHING to watch!)

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