22 Comment

  • Wow still not in the loop. . . LOL

  • Yesssssss! It was getting really difficult to find a grocery store in this part of town!

  • There was a guy on city data claiming to work for trader joes that was indicating this. Looks like the guy was legit.

  • great location.
    going to be the final nail in the coffin for that Randall’s. :(

  • Supposedly, that guy on city-data also claims there will be a third location in Houston. I really hope it’s an Inner Loop locale, because I can’t imagine a company like TJ’s entering the market without an Inner Loop location!

  • Super excited, but seems like a strange location choice considering that Kroger, Randalls, and Whole Foods are basically across the street and Rice and HEB are within 2 miles. Definitely not a “food desert”.

  • I’m sorry, but really???? Who exactly is doing the marketing for Trader Joes? Why not put a location in the vicinity of 77008 / 77018 zip codes where we are literally starved for adequate grocery options, and I can tick off several viable locations (the 28k SF in the same center as restaurant depot comes to mind…). My closest grocer is the itty bitty HEB down the streeet (along with the Food Town / City / Mart or whatever it’s called), and the nearest “decent” (a term used EXTREMELY loosely) is Kroger on 11th or 43rd, neither of which is particularly convenient. When will a decent grocery store come to the Lazybrook/Oak Forest/ Garden Oaks area?? Okay, rant over, thanks.

  • Woo hoo! The only decent stores in this area are the Whole Foods on Woodway and Rice Epicurean on Fountainview. The Randalls on Voss sucks and the Kroger south of there is…well it’s a Kroger.

    Welcome Trader Joe’s.

  • Whatever happened with the Alabama Theatre?

  • The Chronicle’s now reporting that the Alabama Theater will indeed be a TJ’s:

    http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/2012/02/welcome-to-houston-trader-joes/

  • Gawd, you innerloopers are nauseating. “Wah Wah, Wah I can’t believe they aren’t putting one inside the loop. Wah Wah Wah, dont they know their own demographics.”

    Have any of y’all ever been to a TJ before? They are all over the burbs.

  • Gosh Matt, can you really hold it against us for not wanting to venture “out there”? It’s scary outside the loop.
    A friend of mine lives near The Woodlands and the supermarkets out there are full of glazed eyed crazy.

    He thinks Montrose Fiesta is paradise!

  • @ Matt. Agreed, it makes me wonder how life could exist outside the loop.

    As for the location, the Whole Foods will be closing in a year or two when the church does not renew their lease. The Kroger sucks. As far as Randall’s goes, if Traders can steal a little market share from them they will be in the red and will also be gone. My guess is someone at Traders was actually thinking when they selected this location.

  • Julie – You know what would CRUSH it at that 28k SF next Restaurant Depot? A Spec’s liquor store. There are no good liqour/wine/beer stores in that area and there are ton’s of young professional types with money to burn living close by.

  • Since there is only one 610 Loop, there is no such thing as an “inner-looper.” There is, however, a large population living intra-loop.

    Now if we rename BW8 the Sam Houston Loop, then yes, we will have inner-loopers. Until then, please refrain.

  • @Sapper

    “If Traders can steal a little market share from [Randalls]”

    What market share? You can drive into that place any time of the day or night and get a parking place near the front door. Why? Because there’s usually no one in that store. Randalls on Voss used to be a major player in this neighborhood, not anymore and certainly not one with any market share to be concerned about. Trader Joes will bring in Whole Foods and Rice Epicurean customers.

  • Frozen burritos, chocolate covered cranberries and shitty wine for everyone! Rejoice!

  • @ Matt – You are welcome to have as many stores from as many folks as you want in your perceived paradise. Would it kill you if those of us who live, oh, say, close to work… had some better choices closer to us?

  • @mollusk

    Thanks for proving my point. I live within a mile of San Felipe and Voss and I work within 600 yards of my house. But I agree, all you urbanites a few miles east of me are really the ones that deserve a TJ, not the mouth breathers OTL.

  • Maybe I’m missing the point, Matt, but this does not need to be a zero sum game. Because I detest Kroger for a number of reasons (I don’t like shelves that shout at me; others go back to when they were filthy little Henke & Pillots) and my nearby Fiesta isn’t large enough to have a good selection of some things, I often end up driving out to Bunker Hill to go to the ginormous HEB.

  • First, I have been to TJs on several occasions, all of which were in downtown urban areas. Second, wanting to resolve the food desert area that exists in the Lazybrook/Oak Forest/Garden Oaks area was not intended to start an inner-outer loop class warfare discussion. And finally, all I really want to know is who does one have to *%#@ to get a good grocery store in my area!!!

    Sincerely and thanks, Julie, your local* disgruntled retail patron

    *Disclaimer: use of the word “local” is in no way intended to imply that living “inside” of any highway circling, enclosing, or looping around any part of the greater Houston area is better than being outside of said circle, enclosure, or loop. Any construction otherwise is expressly disclaimed in the vain attempt to prevent discord among real estate interested Houstonians.
    p.s. @ DBAA, a Spec’s would be a lovely and welcome to the neighborhood as they are a much desired addition to the area as well!