The Real Reason Trader Joe’s Won’t Open a Store Near You

Trader Joe’s has been providing its unique and fun grocery experience since the first store opened in Pasadena, California, in 1967. Now, the grocery store has become a fan favorite across the U.S. in neighborhoods that are lucky enough to have a TJ’s.

The chain is known for its great customer experience; making grocery shopping a laid-back, stress-free environment; unique and delicious grocery products; and, of course, unbeatably low prices. It’s no wonder everyone wants a Trader Joe’s near them.

Trader Joe’s has over 500 stores across 43 states and is regularly opening new locations. But people are always calling for new stores to be added to their hometowns—and if you don’t have a TJ’s yet, you might be wondering why.

Here’s Why There’s Not a Trader Joe’s Where You Live 

Unfortunately, Trader Joe’s does not have an exact formula or demographic requirements for where it opens new locations. However, on an episode of the “Inside Trader Joe’s” podcast, hosts Tara Miller and Matt Sloan explained some of the things the company looks for when choosing a new site.

Most importantly, they’re looking for customers. That doesn’t mean they’ll only open a Trader Joe’s in a larger city, but “more [people], typically, is better,” Sloan explained.

“It just depends. It could be an area where there is no currently available Trader Joe’s store. Although it might be an area that’s really densely populated and traffic patterns are such that getting from one Trader Joe’s to another neighborhood, it may be close, but it might take a really long time,” he said.

TJ’s business model isn’t about acquiring dozens of locations and slapping a “Trader Joe’s” sign on the front. The company prides itself in “deliberately” choosing stores one at a time.

“We listen to Crew Members at the store, Regional Vice Presidents. We look at current stores, where things are really hot. We look at accessibility, visibility, parking, and square footage,” Tracy Anderson, Senior Vice President of Real Estate and Construction at Trader Joe’s, said on an episode of the “Inside Trader Joe’s” podcast.

That means looking at traffic patterns and, yes, parking lot spaces—even though customers seem to believe TJ’s purposefully chooses locations with tiny parking lots.

“I know people think that we don’t care about parking. We do care about parking. We want to make sure that we’re putting stores in places where it’s relatively easy to get in and out of either a shopping center or just a standalone parking lot,” Miller said.

Right now, Sloan says Trader Joe’s is looking at more than 1,000 possible locations for new stores. No, that doesn’t mean we’ll see 1,000 new stores opening the next year—or maybe even the next five years. However, it’s possible that you might be getting a location sooner rather than later.

If you’re feeling especially heartbroken about not having a Trader Joe’s in your area, the store offers a “Request a Trader Joe’s in My City” form that you can fill out on its site. The form states that there is no guarantee that Trader Joe’s will open a store in that location, but, it’s worth a shot if it means you can try the beloved frozen foods one day soon.