Trader Joe’s says West Seattle opening pushed back to next year

If you were looking forward to holiday food shopping at the new West Seattle Trader Joe’s – sorry to report, that apparently isn’t going to be possible. When construction at the 4545 Fauntleroy Way SW site started more than three months ago, the company told us it expected to open the store in the fourth quarter of this year. With that time frame approaching, some asked for an official update – including the WSB Forums member who started this thread, with one commenter subsequently posting that the opening had been delayed till first quarter of 2012. We renewed our inquiry to Trader Joe’s, and after a bit of confusion, got the answer back today from corporate HQ: “We are set to open sometime in 2012. We have not confirmed a date.”

Diane September 7, 2011 (2:44 pm)

boooooooooooooo
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I hate it when bad rumors come true
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we’ve waited soooooo long; can hardly stand to wait even longer
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oh Trader Joe’s, why?

Anon September 7, 2011 (3:02 pm)

Noooooooo I was super excited about this too. :(
I just hope they finish this before the produce stand moves. :(

westseattledood September 7, 2011 (3:30 pm)

“the produce stand is moving? Do you mean WS Produce on Fauntleroy? Where are they going?

Anon September 7, 2011 (3:48 pm)

I don’t think they’ve found a place yet. I think there were some issues with whoever owns that piece of property. I love that place though..

April September 7, 2011 (3:52 pm)

Oh bummer! We are really looking forward to TJ’s being in the ‘hood!

Brewdude September 7, 2011 (3:53 pm)

I have it on good word from a TJ’s employee that they have hit a snag with construction due to the site not being stable so they will have to shore it up with concrete pillars. I’m going to blame it on the curse of the WS Hole.

none September 7, 2011 (4:03 pm)

Doesn’t Hueling Bros still own the property that the produce stand is on now?

WSB September 7, 2011 (4:16 pm)

Yes, they do. And the Trader Joe’s site, which is being leased by TJ’s. – TR

Noelle September 7, 2011 (4:25 pm)

Awwwwwwwwwwwww!

Ash September 7, 2011 (4:29 pm)

As long as they finish it before I have to have all my windows open again. The 7am construction noise is wearing on me…even if it is for a TJs.

Thomas September 7, 2011 (4:45 pm)

Oh no!

TJ’s opening later is a bummer, but not as much as the produce stand moving!

I’ll be heartbroken if they don’t find a place in west seattle…

JayDee September 7, 2011 (6:16 pm)

“Say it ain’t so, Joe!…” I have waited 15+ years, I can wait a few more months…

mw September 7, 2011 (6:18 pm)

Awwww didn’t know the produce stand was moving! With TJ’s wonderful products but sub-par produce, having them so close was going to be grocery shopping utopia.

Grant September 7, 2011 (7:42 pm)

Trader Joes? What do they have? Like 5 products? QFC has more in one isle than Trader Joes has in an entire store. Plus Trader Joes doesn’t refrigerate live beer. Boo.

Grant September 7, 2011 (7:43 pm)

*aisle

Beth September 7, 2011 (7:51 pm)

Bummer.

On another note, is it just me…or? But, where is the parking going to be? The front lot seems awfully small.

sam-c September 7, 2011 (8:30 pm)

Bath- if you’ve been to the Cap Hill or U-district TJ’s – you would expect complicated, tiny parking with tiny turning radii that makes you want to park elsewhere (at least that is what we were expecting).

is the produce stand really leaving ? that does make me sad.

WSB September 7, 2011 (8:57 pm)

I have NOT heard anything about it moving. Certainly though, it’s on land that at some point – whether in a year or a decade – will inevitably be developed to what it’s zoned for (there was one proposal a couple years back that went nowhere as the economy stalled). That goes for some other businesses in WS, too, of course. But in the meantime, everything I’ve seen and heard is that they are very dedicated operators and beloved by shoppers and by the local eating/drinking places that deal with them, so keep doing business with them, and next time you’re in, ask ’em yourself! – TR

add September 7, 2011 (8:38 pm)

@Beth, I was thinking the very same thing as I drove past this afternoon. Not just parking, but the pulling in/out of Fauntleroy traffic should be … interesting.

Neighbor September 7, 2011 (9:07 pm)

Remember this every time you shop at TJ’s, children have died picking food for their stores. Your Two Buck wine comes at a price. See what the United Farm Workers have to say about TJ’s. They are not providing their workers with humane conditions. They are choosing to ignore the health and safety of women and children to bring you your cheap deals. I for one will not be giving my $$$ to a company that exploits the vulnerable. Shame on TJ for such business practices, they deserve to be held accountable by the consumers. I hope they never open.

Jill September 7, 2011 (9:13 pm)

Please help those of us who apparently have ADD. Where is there a reference to the produce stand moving?

WSB September 7, 2011 (9:23 pm)

Earlier comment. It’s not part of the story, which involves ONLY the Trader Joe’s project.
WSB September 9, 2011 (12:26 pm)

FYI: Patrick went over to WS Produce to ask them in person about the rumor. And it’s exactly what I suspected – yeah, they know they will have to move “someday” whenever there is a development proposal for that site, but that “someday” is not currently in sight, so they have no moving PLANS. Just keep going to see them on Fauntleroy Way until and unless you hear otherwise – TR

Dano Beal September 7, 2011 (9:37 pm)

Seriously….. Is anyone REALLY that surprised?!…. I mean, I love Trader Joe’s…. But they are proving themselves to just be another business that doesnt mind the great PR up front, but doesn’t feel the urgency to follow through.
With the exception of Safeway opening as scheduled (a day early, even…) I’ve grown to not trust any construction predictions in West Seattle….. And these businesses seem to think it’s perfectly fine to leave a neighborhood looking like a war zone for as long as they see fit….. hope I’m wrong, but I’m betting TJ’s doesn’t open during the first quarter of 2012……

Michael September 7, 2011 (10:52 pm)

Yeah, it’s definitely not looking like full steam ahead for TJs. Balking at the grocery saturation in the Junction-to-Admiral corridor?
.
And the United Farm Workers have picketed or protested almost every grocery chain. I would guess even PCC has a few items harvested under “inhumane conditions.” It’s bad, yes, but singling one out over the others is bad too.

carol September 8, 2011 (12:08 am)

The City was going to ask TJ’s to rip up concrete because the “sweep” finish was swept in the wrong direction. Stikes me the City might have something to do with the delay.

GenHillOne September 8, 2011 (5:55 am)

As far as pulling in and out onto Fauntleroy and additional parking…am I being spatially challenged or doesn’t the second floor back up onto 39th, south of the church (across from WS Bowl)? They’ve been doing plenty of work there and I hoped it would be an additional entrance. It looks like it used to be a service area for the dealership, with “people” doors and garage doors.

austin September 8, 2011 (7:52 am)

West Seattle won’t be getting a trader joes, this “delay” is the first move in abandoning the property. At least they didn’t dig a giant hole first.

Brad Wright September 8, 2011 (8:10 am)

I recognized I entered middle age when I looked forward to and later lamented the delay of a grocery store opening in my neighborhood.

“Remember this every time you shop at TJ’s, children have died picking food for their stores. Your Two Buck wine comes at a price.”

First, it’s $3, second, more children die every year from aspirin, asthma, and hyperthermia in this country every year. If the lives of children is a real concern of yours, work with police to enforce bicycle helmet laws and improved crosswalks. You’ll have a bigger impact.

waman September 8, 2011 (10:16 am)

All good things take time…..

LKRN September 8, 2011 (10:29 am)

Neighbor, such harsh words you have against a grocery store, TJ’s is a fabulous company to work for and does a lot for charities and raising money, in case you weren’t aware, my partner works for the company and they did unfortunately hit a snag in the concrete floor that was only a few inches thick in some places, it was unable to hold the weight that it needed to and now they must repour the floor, albeit an arduous process one that is value added. Keep the faith WSB supporters, it will open early next year and we won’t have to keep driving to cap hill, burien and the Udistrict for our favorite TJ goodies!

WSB September 8, 2011 (10:42 am)

FWIW as a followup to LKRN’s comment – we have sought official comment on the reason for the delay, but TJ’s won’t comment and we haven’t heard back from a rep for the property owners. So this may be it in terms of what we hear regarding why it’s taking longer. From the documents I reviewed earlier in the process, and other between-the-lines reading that can be done from city files online, it definitely is not a simple-to-deal-with site (as opposed to Admiral Safeway, mentioned by someone earlier in the comments, where there already had been a store for decades, and it was a fairly simple matter of tear down/rebuild) – there was also the issue of the slope on the northwest side. – TR

Kathleen September 8, 2011 (10:39 am)

Funny, when I was in CA, many moons before TJ’s was even a twinkle in WA’s eyes, every, and I mean EVERY TJ’s project was years behind schedule. I have always wondered why. Then I moved to Cap. Hill and the one there was about 5 years from start to finish (new construction though). So this delay does not surprise me at all. In fact, I would be surprised if it opened in 2012!

rside September 8, 2011 (10:56 am)

Hilarious, This is straight from a page out of ‘Stuff White People Like’ and boy does WS fit the bill.

I mean seriously, Trader Joe’s is a large multinational corporation like any other why don’t we just petition wal-mart to open a store here?

cj September 8, 2011 (6:38 pm)

Its only a few months difference. I’m just really glad that soon we wont have to brave the ugly traffic south of us to go there and shop. TJ’s very quickly became a shopping addiction for us with stuff you just cant get elsewhere at the price they offer.

Also better to open a quality store and deal with the building’s issues than rush it.

Debbie September 9, 2011 (3:35 pm)

On the Produce Stand segue…I’ve been curious why the tall green sign is covered. I believe it says West Seattle Produce under it. I’m just curious if anyone knew. Oh, and I am still excited for TJ’s, as long as they open sometime and don’t follow in the Whole Foods footsteps.

WSB September 9, 2011 (3:41 pm)

City records suggest that the sign was changed without the proper permit. It’s been quite some time, so I’m not sure why that situation hasn’t been remedied.