Credit: Velo Steve
When Suzy asked our new-business-themed Friday question on February 5th we didn’t know what would hit our comment section. By the end of the day we had heard Knoxville loud and clear: bring Trader Joe’s to Knoxvegas!
Of the 39 responses to our question, 19 commenters asked for a Trader Joe’s – a whopping 49% of you! According to their website, the closest TJ’s to Knoxville is located in Roswell, GA.
So whatya say Trader Joe’s…when can we help you break ground here in Knoxville?
Other stores mentioned in the comments:
Comments 14
Don’t forget to bust up the liquor distribution racket, er… lobby when you come. It won’t have quite the same feel without the great wine bargains everyone raves about.
At the risk of being shot for saying this, what’s the big deal about TJ’s? I kept hearing all of this hoopla of “I <3 TJ's!" so I visited the one in Nashville and was incredibly disappointed. Small store, expensive, and boring. Sounds more like something that should end up on http://www.stuffwhitepeoplelike.com.
I agree with Shawn– unless they are allowed to sell wine, what's the point? Oh, and in the interest of reducing/reusing/recycling, if they do put in a TJ's, can it be in the old K-Mart shopping center near West Town Mall?
Trader joes is amazing they built a grocery store built on amazing recipes and meals not just cheap food. You may pay a little more but the meat and veggies are fresh and worth it. I drive from Knox to Raleigh nc to shop
I don’t know if whoever voted for Cheddar’s knows this or not but they are building one in Maryville. It looks like it should be open in a month or so.
Yes, Trader Joes stores are smaller sized. Surely not every grocery store needs to be of big box proportions to be worth patronizing. And their prices are actually very good considering the product selection. Think Fresh Market type food and wares minus the Vivaldi Four Seasons CD on repeat play, posh attitude and premium price tag.
As a downtown worker, I really think a TJ’s would be a great fit on Gay St. Another location I can think of is the vacant furniture building on KP just south of Back Yard Burgers in Bearden. In any regard, here’s to hoping TJ’s bells will ring in town soon.
There is a grocery going in where Magpies previously was (right across the street from Old City Java) in the Old City. It is going to be called Aisle Nine. The store will be locally owned and operated and will open this spring. Nearly everything is a go. It is going to be great.
TJ’s would be great downtown. I stock up everytime i am in a city with one: in Tucson, there is a huge one.
Great prices on primo goods.
Too bad about the wine laws though.
About a year ago I actually contacted Trader Joe’s corporate enquiring if they had any plans on opening a store here in Knoxville. I was told that our city was not a suitable market for Trader Joe’s. This was disappointing to hear and a little insulting.
I disagree with the comment TJs is expensive. It is the cheapest of ANY similar store I have ever been in anywhere, and I have been in many. It has many products I buy. I like the small size. It kind of reminds me of the old time neighborhood grocery store.
I hope TJs reconsiders and comes to Knoxville. Downtown would be great!
please bring Trader Joe’s to Knoxville, my husband brings supplied back from Cincinnati when he’s there for work related trips, but he can’t bring everything we want. please, please, it will do very well here and we probably need 2 trader joe’s. Thanks
I have now heard from 2 different people in the past 3-4 weeks that Trader Joe’s is supposed to be opening a store in Knoxville. Both people were told this by TJ employees at stores they visited in Atlanta.
Would LOVE to have a Trader Joe’s in Knoxville.
My daughter lives near Charlotte, NC and buys groceries at the TJ’s there. She quit clipping coupons for the big grocery stores because TJ’s is so much cheaper. Bring one to K-ville!!!!
We moved to KTown from Northern Virginia and love the TJs there – we would shop at the store weekly if they had on here in Knoxville.
Knoxville has to get over their weird laws of not having wine sold in grocery stores – they sell beer in the convenience stores and that is OKAY?? Sounds totally nuts to me