Trader Joes

**Designerguy24** · August-06-11, 08:51 AM

So now that we have gotten Whole Foods to come to Detroit, what is it going to take to get a Trader Joes in the city?

**narnarnar** · August-06-11, 09:32 AM

They are dragging their feet putting locations in Kzoo & GR because of the economy so I can't imagine Detroit is high on their list. At least there are a few locations in SE Mich; my friends on the other side of the state are envious.

**iheartthed** · August-06-11, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by Designerguy24

So now that we have gotten Whole Foods to come to Detroit, what is it going to take to get a Trader Joes in the city?

A $5M subsidy...

**MidTownMs** · August-06-11, 11:31 AM

I shop at the Trader Joes's in Grosse Pointe on Kercheval...well at least it's in Wayne County....

**Detroitej72** · August-06-11, 11:38 AM

I think the one on Kercheval is is pretty convenient to anybody living on the east side and downtown.

**Zacha341** · August-06-11, 01:00 PM

Yeah, I go to the one on Woodward in Royal Oak, not too far of a drive for specific things I like to purchase there....

Originally Posted by MidTownMs

I shop at the Trader Joes's in Grosse Pointe on Kercheval...well at least it's in Wayne County....

**English** · August-06-11, 02:46 PM

Won't happen anytime soon. TJ's has needed a second Ann Arbor location for years, because the one on Stadium is kinda nightmarish during peak times. According to the folks there, their corporate offices aren't really interested in expanding the way that WF has.

To be honest, I'd rather see a Plum Market downtown on Woodward near Campus Martius, but we're a good half decade away from that happening [[at the very least). Harbortown Market actually reminds me of a lower priced, Detroit version of Plum.

**esp1986** · August-07-11, 01:39 PM

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. With the influx of grocery stores we are seeing now in the Downtown and Midtown areas, they are only setting themselves up to fail. The areas can probably support one good grocery store, but we are seeing a bunch of decent ones. With the prospective clientele being spread amongst them, there is going to be no way that they can all do enough business to survive, and we will be at the risk of seeing them all close and be back at square one where we have been for a while, with people saying a grocery store can't survive in the city.

**DetroitPlanner** · August-07-11, 01:51 PM

There are already grocery stores from that company within the City Limits.

**Zacha341** · August-07-11, 02:57 PM

Yeah, some people do not know that TJ owns Aldi's. The one in Highland Park on Woodward is pretty cool. A police mini-station is right next door. Pretty safe spot...

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

There are already grocery stores from that company within the City Limits.

**DetroitPlanner** · August-07-11, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

Yeah, some people do not know that TJ owns Aldi's. The one in Highland Park on Woodward is pretty cool. A police mini-station is right next door. Pretty safe spot...

Actually Aldi's bought TJ's years ago. It expanded it based on the same strategy, only marketed to the yuppie.

**Detroitej72** · August-07-11, 07:21 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

Actually Aldi's bought TJ's years ago. It expanded it based on the same strategy, only marketed to the yuppie.

Are you sure about that? My father-in-law, who is from Germany, told me they were owned by two German brothers.

**DetroitPlanner** · August-07-11, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitej72

Are you sure about that? My father-in-law, who is from Germany, told me they were owned by two German brothers.

Aldis is owned by two german brothers who turned the company into Aldi Nord and Aldi Sud. They also own Trader Joes they bought it some time ago. Use google!

**Zacha341** · August-07-11, 10:27 PM

That's right... TJ is the more health/ specialty foods side of the coin. I like some of their brands...

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

Actually Aldi's bought TJ's years ago. It expanded it based on the same strategy, only marketed to the yuppie.

**elrick** · August-09-11, 01:38 PM

you'll see another aldi in detroit before you see a trader joe's. which is fine by me; aldi is great for detroit -- and doesn't ask for millions of dollars before they open their doors!
they are one of the big draws to the mack-alter shopping center, which has been one of the most successful commercial ventures i've seen in detroit over the past decade. it has completely transformed that intersection -- for the better!

**rb336** · August-09-11, 01:43 PM

anyone else think trader joes is horribly overrated?

**majohnson** · August-09-11, 01:44 PM

I often shop at Western Fruit Market in Ferndale.
I would love to see something like that on Woodward.

**ghettopalmetto** · August-09-11, 01:51 PM

Originally Posted by rb336

anyone else think trader joes is horribly overrated?

I used to like going there in my poorer days for cheese and wine. For the most part, though, Trader Joe's is heavy on prepackaged, heat-and-eat processed food-like edible substances. I'd rather go somewhere with fresh bread, local produce, and a butcher counter. But that's just my personal preference.

**DetroitPlanner** · August-09-11, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by rb336

anyone else think trader joes is horribly overrated?

yes. i needed to ad this sentance because yes was too short of an answer.

**noise** · August-09-11, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by ghettopalmetto

I used to like going there in my poorer days for cheese and wine. For the most part, though, Trader Joe's is heavy on prepackaged, heat-and-eat processed food-like edible substances. I'd rather go somewhere with fresh bread, local produce, and a butcher counter. But that's just my personal preference.

Yup. I think it's a good stop for those prepackaged, heat-and-eat products, though. Definitely not a place I need to shop regularly, nor buy even a substantial portion of my groceries.

**DetroitPlanner** · August-09-11, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by elrick

you'll see another aldi in detroit before you see a trader joe's. which is fine by me; aldi is great for detroit -- and doesn't ask for millions of dollars before they open their doors!
they are one of the big draws to the mack-alter shopping center, which has been one of the most successful commercial ventures i've seen in detroit over the past decade. it has completely transformed that intersection -- for the better!

Aldis are already in Detroit.... but don't tell anyone as the media likes to say there are no groceries available in the City.

**mwilbert** · August-09-11, 02:24 PM

For some info on TJs:

http://money.cnn.com/2010/08/20/news...tune/index.htm

But I don't think one owns the other:

Few customers realize the chain is owned by Germany's ultra-private Albrecht family, the people behind the Aldi Nord supermarket empire. [[A different branch of the family controls Aldi Süd, parent of the U.S. Aldi grocery chain.)

agrahlma · August-09-11, 02:34 PM

I'm not a Trader Joe fan or a WF fan [[still glad their coming). Personally, I'd like to see a Hollywood Market in Detroit – probably would have been a better fit for Detroit/Midtown. I think they originated in Detroit back in the 40’s or 50’s – but I could be wrong.

**iheartthed** · August-09-11, 02:47 PM

Originally Posted by mwilbert

For some info on TJs:

http://money.cnn.com/2010/08/20/news...tune/index.htm

But I don't think one owns the other:

I believe they operate independently, but under the same parent company.

**mwilbert** · August-09-11, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I believe they operate independently, but under the same parent company.

No. I showed the quote from Money, but since that wasn't clear.

From wikipedia:

"Theo Albrecht owns and was the CEO of the Aldi Nord discount supermarket chain. In the US he owns the Trader Joe's specialty grocery store chain. His brother Karl Albrecht owns the Aldi Süd discount supermarket chain. The two chains originally were a single family enterprise until a friendly division of assets in 1960. Aldi Süd operates the Aldi groceries in the United States. So Aldi and Trader Joe's, while owned by the brothers, have separate and distinct ownership and operations."

So it is true that Trader Joes is owned by Aldi, but not by the Aldi that owns Aldi [[in the US, anyway).