Trader Joe’s ‘no longer interested in Greensboro’

Posted 2:09 pm, March 4, 2014, by and , Updated at 10:52pm, March 4, 2014

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Trader’s Joe Co. may not be coming to the Greensboro neighborhood after all.

On Tuesday, Trader Joe’s issued a statement that it is no longer interested in opening a Greensboro location.

“We are no longer interested in the proposed site in Greensboro, and we are not interested in any other sites in Greensboro at this time,” said Alison Mochizuki, Trader Joe’s spokeswoman, in an email. “Instead we are focusing our attention on sites in other cities around the country.”

“We certainly would have appreciated the jobs. We would’ve appreciated having their brand here but we understand why they made the decision they did. But I would hope they would look at the larger community,” says Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan.

Trader Joe’s was set to be  a tenant in a development which would span 36,000 square feet across two separate buildings.

That proposed development would require rezoning over six acres at Friendly Avenue and Hobbs Road near Greensboro’s Friendly Center.

That rezoning request is set to go before the council on March 18, and has been the subject of public protest by the Friendly Coalition Against Commercial Encroachment.

Some homeowners have been fighting the commercial rezoning request for the past two years. They see Trader Joe’s backing out as a small victory.

“It’s an encouraging sign that it will remain so,” Greg Brown, a nearby homeowner against the rezoning.

50 comments

  • Libby Fortin

    Not when it involves re zoning and we have so much commercially available property. They should not zero in on one site.

    • laffinatcha

      I’m sure you didn’t look at more than one place when you were deciding where to live…

      • its my business

        Actually, I did. Funny thing about it all was that I bought the first place I saw after looking at many other opportunities. it’s a great place at the end of a cul-de-sac – 10 minutes form anywhere and no one even knows you are here!

  • Billie

    This doesn’t mean it still won’t be rezoned. Watch something else come in, like a restaurant open late or a liquor store. Development is going to happen – the neighborhood shot themselves in the foot by scaring off a store that closes at 9pm and attracts upscale clientele.

    • chucky1992

      I could put some investors together to open a gentlemen’s club there. That would be a great spot for one. High Point should seek out Trader Joe’s and see if they would want to open a place near 68 and Wendover. I would love to have one closer than Winston.

      • laffinatcha

        Unfortunately, Greensboro tries to legislate morality too. You cannot have a gentleman’s club within XXX number of feet of a house, church, or park. That’s why the flower box at Washington & Elm is called/zoned a “city park”. NO gentleman’s club can be in downtown.

  • Alice Burkholder

    What a shame for Greensboro! Wish Trader Joe’s had selected the Quaker Village opportunity…….would probably have been welcomed and been a great spot!

  • Donnie

    Way to go GBS, leaves other cities wide open. Dumb decision for GBS, but smart business decision for Trader Joes. Keep up the good GBS, if you try hard enough you can run all the people that hire out of town.

  • Katie Prevatt

    This is a section of a lot of residents that have been there forever. Just not open to change, lots retired and set. They must know this area will grow!!! People around this site could really use JOBS. We need Trader Joes so bad!!! PLEASE!!!

  • David Hedgecock

    The people that are against this development are such bleeping hypocrites;;; they don’t mind a bit that commercial development is in or adjacent to their fellow citizens nice neighborhoods;;but they just don’t want them them close by their own pricey nicey homes.;;They don’t mind driving ;;they can afford the high gas prices;;; to other parts of G-Boro;;; for their shopping and eating out. Such hypocrites!!

  • Golden Rule

    High Point has several sites that would be perfect for a Trader Joe’s such as the one-time Fresh Market building which is now the out-of business, Furniture Junction. Also, there is the former Lowe’s Food Building in Westchester Commons that stands vacant. Perhaps nothing much, including people, will come to stay for very long in our new, uptowne university city. But build a new Sheetz and people will walk and drive for a made-to-order hot dog at all hours of the day or night. Hey, serve us up our vision. . .

  • Robin Whittington

    Really like TJs in Winston but it is a long drive and the store needed to be bigger. Its always crowded and hard to shop in because of its size.
    I like to look around and see what’s available.

  • Andrew Scott

    Classic bait and switch. This rezoning is all about Walgreens getting backdoored into this location. Now that TJs has backed out, zoning commission is left holding the bag with an approval. Let’s see what city council does next. Well played Walgreens!

  • Moses

    “Friendly Coalition Against Commercial Encroachment” or We Don’t Want Anymore Competition Because We Don’t Believe in Capitalism;

  • Nancy Markuszka

    Trader Joe’s please come to the Broadview Hts/Brecksville ohio area . We would love to have you and it would be a great location between Crocker Park and Beachwood at Eaton Square.

  • TJFan

    The new upscale shopping center near Grandover in Jamestown would be IDEAL! Right off the interstate and near many upscale homes.

  • Thomas

    First, Boeing (and the loss of thousands of potential jobs), and now Trader Joes…too bad “progressive” Greensboro isn’t as good at attracting decent jobs as they are in drawing the “homeless”, Occupy/anti-war/Moral Mondays protesters, gang-bangers and street thugs, and other parasites of society.

    • JT

      In what world is bagger/cashier considered a “decent” job? Oh, I know!–the same one where people who are active against plutonomy, useless/unwinnable wars, and racism are considered “parasites.” What color is the sky in your little world?

  • chucky1992

    Didn’t this same exact thing happen a year or two ago? Didn’t they have some hearings only to have Trader Joe’s to say they were not interested? It just seems like I have heard this all before.

  • Bebee

    W-S has the Stevens Center Trader Joes Down Town is wide open. Too much crime and corruption in G Town.

  • Cat

    I think that it would have been a good move, sorry they are not gonna bring jobs. We need jobs, we have lost site of jobs. Would love to see them come to high point. We would love to have jobs.

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