Photo courtesy of Trader Joe's
Trader Joe’s has opened a store in Sherman Oaks directly across the street from one of its first California stores opened in 1973. The twist: They’re aiming to keep both open.
The new location, affectionately called “Sherman Oaks too” on Trader Joe’s website, is 40% larger than the older location with wider aisles and bigger floral, refrigerated and frozen sections. It also features an underground garage, a major upgrade from the cramped outdoor parking lot across the street.
Matt Judd, the new store’s manager, told Today.com that the initial plan was the retire the old location when the new store was ready, but the grocer decided to keep both given the strong traffic in the area. Judd said, “Somewhere along the line, we decided maybe we could see how two goes for a little bit. There’s that much business here, and we’ve had such a great relationship with our customers for 52 years.”
Trader Joe’s reportedly recently signed a three-year lease on the old location.
Social media commentators were confused by the nearby opening with some comparing it to how Starbucks opens stores in close proximity to others, but locals liked the spacious aisles and parking lot at the new location.
@usatoday Are you seeing double? #LosAngeles shoppers were confused to see a #TraderJoes ♬ original sound - USA TODAY
In a similar move, Publix in 2023 opened a store at a new shopping center, Pembroke Pines, across the street from an existing location. Publix told Local 10 News the new store alleviates congestion at its original location and offers support for “the best traffic patterns in a particular area.”
Beth Azor, CEO of Azor Advisory Services, a real estate management firm in Florida, believes Publix opened the second location as a defensive tactic, estimating a typical 40,000-square-foot-store generates $40 million in revenue. She said, “With numbers like that, it is worth it to invest in a ‘protecting the perimeter strategy’”
In a similar set-up, Trader Joe’s in Boston has two stores on the same street, only five blocks apart. On a Trader Joe's podcast last year, the grocer said the close proximity at those Boston locations supports the customer and associate experience.
Tara Miller, Trader Joe's marketing VP, said on the podcast, “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."