A POPULAR grocery store chain has left shoppers scratching their heads after opening two locations on the same street.
Trader Joe’s quietly launched a brand-new store, right across from one that’s been serving customers for decades.
GettyTrader Joe’s has stunned shoppers by opening a brand-new store (stock image)[/caption] GettyBoth stores operate on the same schedule, from 8 am to 9 pm daily (stock image)[/caption]The strange setup is playing out in Sherman Oaks, California, where both locations now sit steps apart.
The new store opened on June 6 and is already being nicknamed “Sherman Oaks too” by the retailer itself.
Despite being neighbors, both stores have identical hours and are currently operating as usual.
Both stores operate on the same schedule, from 8 am to 9 pm daily.
“We plan to keep both Sherman Oaks stores open,” Trader Joe’s spokesperson Nakia Rohde told Patch.
Locals have been stunned by the decision, with some criticizing what they think is an “insane” setup.
“Want to know something actually insane?” shopper Shauna Green said June 7 on TikTok, pointing to both stores in view.
The video racked up over 65,000 views and over 2,000 likes.
“Literally across the street, still open. And I just asked the worker, I’m like, ‘How long is the other Trader Joe’s gonna stay open?’ and she said, ‘Um, they just signed their lease.’”
She said she might’ve understood if the new store opened elsewhere in the city, but being across the street felt “excessive.”
“It’s not a bad problem to have; it’s just a perplexing situation,” she told TODAY.com.
Online, the decision drew comparisons to Starbucks, known for its clustered store locations in busy areas.
“There are three Starbucks in Westchester by LAX, two Standalone and one in Ralph’s all across from each other,” one user wrote.
Some speculated it was a sign of “chainification” overtaking neighborhoods.
Trader Joe’s Locations
Total US. stores: 608
California leads with: 205 stores (34% of total)
Top 3 states after California: • New York – 35 stores • Washington – 29 stores • Florida – 27 stores
Most densely packed: California has 1 store for every -193K people Least dense among top 10: Texas, with 1 store per 1.3M residents Trader Joe’s operates in 44 states and territories across the US.Source: Scrape Hero
But Trader Joe’s said there’s enough foot traffic to justify both stores, at least for now.
Matt Judd, team lead at the “Sherman Oaks too” location, said the company originally planned to replace the older store, as reported by NBC local affiliate WCAU.
“I think all along we intended to close the one original one that had been there since 1973,” Judd said.
“It’s a bit of an undersized store and then somewhere along the line, we decided maybe we could see how two goes for a little bit.”
He said the chain has had a “great relationship” with local customers for 52 years.
The new store is “about 40% bigger,” he added, with wider aisles, better refrigeration, and more frozen foods.
“I think it’s counterintuitive to a lot of people that we would want to diminish the business in any of our stores,” Tara Miller, Trader Joe’s marketing VP told Patch.
“If there are too many people, customers aren’t having a good time, crew members probably aren’t having a good time, and that just makes the Trader Joe’s experience a little bit less fun,” she added.
Customers have already started noting upgrades at the new site, including a parking garage.
Green said she welcomed the better parking, which has long been a sore spot for TJ’s fans.
Trader Joe’s didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment by The U.S. Sun.
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