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COURIER photo/Gabriel Fenoyl
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| Doors to the new Trader Joe’s in Claremont open for the very first time Friday morning at 9:00 a.m. Over 100 people formed a line outside for store’s grand opening. |
Trader Joe’s comes to Claremont
The long wait is over. Trader Joe’s in Claremont is finally open.
With much fanfare, the popular market had its grand opening celebration Friday morning, complete with a performance from the Claremont High School Drum Line, an art display from local elementary schools and a parade of city officials.
Well over 100 residents also got caught up in the excitement, forming a line outside the door, which opened for the first time to the public at 9 a.m. Some had been waiting outside for an hour to catch their first glimpse of Claremont’s newest grocery store.
“We’ve been looking forward to this for so long,” said Martha Underwood, who was first in line. “We’re really glad that it’s open at last.”
The store is located off of Foothill Boulevard on the Old School House property. With 12,000 square feet, there is plenty of room for its specialty products.
Trader Joe’s is known for its unique items that cannot be found in traditional grocery stores. About 80 percent of its products are exclusive to Trader Joe’s, said company spokeswoman Allison Mochizuki.
Some distinctive products include sweetened Hibiscus Flowers from Thailand, Spiced dried Mango from Chile, Mojito Salmon and sweet and sour Tempura Chicken.
“You could come in here and get an outstanding, quick meal from all around the world and cook it up in minutes,” said Store Manager Kristin Basalone-Ortega.
Store policy allows customers to taste any non-alcoholic products in the store with the help of a crew member, Ms. Mochizuki said, and regular tastings of various products will be held in the store.
Trader Joe’s also has an extensive wine and beer selection with many imports from countries around the world. One of Trader Joe’s most popular wines is Charles Shaw, also known as 2 buck Chuck, which sells for only $1.99 a bottle. (story continues below)
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COURIER photo/Gabriel Fenoy
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| Theo Hetherington puts the finishing touches on a mural—covering the inside walls of the store—one day before Friday’s grand opening of Trader Joe’s on Foothill Avenue. |
Filled with murals depicting structures like Bridges Auditorium, the Train Depot, the Sumner House and the original Packing House, the interior of the store was designed to highlight Claremont and its history. The cash registers are not labeled with numbers, but rather the names of mascots of Claremont’s 8 elementary schools.
On the exterior, building architect Paul Wheeler included several tiles painted to showcase Claremont’s history in the citrus industry.
On the east side of the building, 2 smaller end cap stores have been built to host complementary businesses. Robeks Juice has agreed to open in one of the units, while the other is still available for lease, said Harry Wu, developer of the Old School House.
The shop will have 72 parking spaces to be shared with other businesses in the Old School House. Two driveways on either side of the building will offer access to the parking lot from Foothill Boulevard.
The newest Claremont location will be the 12th Trader Joe’s in the San Gabriel Valley. The store will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The opening of Trader Joe’s is the highlight of the first of 3 phases of the Old School House renovation, which will take several more years to complete.
“The Claremont community has been waiting for this store for 20 years,” Mr. Wu said. “We are very glad that we were able to bring them in. It will be a great thing to have for the city and its people.”
—Tony Krickl
