Why Is Trader Joes Not Following Whole Foods In Prince George's County? (Silver Spring: coupons, 2015)

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by EducatedBro82

My question is where would TJ go in PG.. Bowie and Laurel are wealthier areas and have Harris Teeter. And to someone saying Aldi has low income people, what about the Aldi in Bowie?? Is Race Track Road and the Y, M, and S sections lower income?? Or Beltsville/Calverton??

I would include downtown College Park which has been designated a food dessert. Not so much now with the Target Express. But there you have nothing but college educated individuals, not to mention M-Square Research park and the staff at UMD. In addition to RT. 1 traffic.

There are times when I go to the TJs on Rt. 29 that I see UMD students in there. It's not too far fetched that a TJs would work in College Park.

[selhars]

Interesting.... COULD College Park support a Trader Joe's AND a Whole Foods? (And the Yes Organic that's on Rte 1 AND the Mom's which is further up Rte 1)

Trader Joe's would definitely pull some business from the Whole Foods. Not all of it likely but perhaps a good chunk. No?

They'd likely all four pull business all from each other....so would they ALL survive...or would one or two end up being odd men out?

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by selhars

Interesting.... COULD College Park support a Trader Joe's AND a Whole Foods? (And the Yes Organic that's on Rte 1 AND the Mom's which is further up Rte 1)

Trader Joe's would definitely pull some business from the Whole Foods. Not all of it likely but perhaps a good chunk. No?

They'd likely all four pull business all from each other....so would they ALL survive...or would one or two end up being odd men out?

TJs is not even WFM's competitor. Not even in the same class (too small, lower prices, different scope). To be honest, I'm not sure what class TJ's falls into. It has a small footprint. It isn't fully organic (neither is WFM, but WFM has a larger selection of Organic food). The prices aren't as high. They are more known for their boxed and processed goods.

I'm trying to think what TJs has that I would shun WFM for.......TJs stopped carrying my Lamb Saag frozen dinner and stopped carrying some frozen fruit bars that I liked.

TJs would certainly pull some customers from WFM for the sheer convenience of being within steps of campus...IF located in downtown College Park. If TJs is tucked away like MOM, I don't see much impact as WFM would enjoy being the closest grocer to campus on RT. 1.

A nice place for TJs would be across the street in a redeveloped mixed-use project across Rt. 1 from The Varsity.

Here's a question, why hasn't MOM taken the opportunity to find space on Rt. 1 and Guilford Drive? ORRRRRRRRR, could it be slated for the new project on Rt. 1? Its current footprint is about 2k-sqft (teeny-tiny). The MOM in Bowie is about 11.5k-sqft. This space is being leased for 25k-sqft. That's certainly more space than TJs needs. Aldi? Lidl?

[selhars]

Here's a question, why hasn't MOM taken the opportunity to find space on Rt. 1 and Guilford Drive? ORRRRRRRRR, could it be slated for the new project on Rt. 1? Its current footprint is about 2k-sqft (teeny-tiny). The MOM in Bowie is about 11.5k-sqft. This space is being leased for 25k-sqft. That's certainly more space than TJs needs. Aldi? Lidl?

I suppose given that MOM”s is sort. Of. in the CP/Hyattsville area....execs would have to do the math on whether it’s worth in financially to move and expand.

On the face of it it’s a no brainer (I guess)....but we don’t know the numbers.

[Catcprtc]

MOM's store in College Park is actually 8,100 square feet after their approximately 2,500 square foot expansion about five years ago. I don't see MOM's locating another store in the high rent College Park downtown.

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by Catcprtc

MOM's store in College Park is actually 8,100 square feet after their approximately 2,500 square foot expansion about five years ago. I don't see MOM's locating another store in the high rent College Park downtown.

Thanks for the correction. Seems smaller to me. That extra space must include the storage area, etc. They seem to be doing pretty well though.

[selhars]

The new Whole Foods will likely pull some business from MOM's and the Yes Organic (which has prices that rival Whole Foods from what I've seen.) I know, for me anyway, I don't always shop at the CLOSEST store. If a store a little father away has the selection I like I'd go there even though it isn't as close. I can't be the only one who does that.

I'm all about whether the store has what I want....selection....first. THEN, price.

(And of course, presuming cleanliness, service and each of parking are comparable)

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by selhars

The new Whole Foods will likely pull some business from MOM's and the Yes Organic (which has prices that rival Whole Foods from what I've seen.) I know, for me anyway, I don't always shop at the CLOSEST store. If a store a little father away has the selection I like I'd go there even though it isn't as close. I can't be the only one who does that.

I'm all about whether the store has what I want....selection....first. THEN, price.

(And of course, presuming cleanliness, service and each of parking are comparable)

Selection matters to me first, then price. I would drive to TJs in Silver Spring for their pork chops, Wegmans for their salmon burgers, and Whole Foods for their smoked oysters. Of course my wife is completely the opposite.

What's frustrating though is that not all Whole Foods have the smoked oysters I can find at the Silver Spring store. Then I found in the Alexandria store they had these blondies that I liked. No other Whole Foods stores carried them.

[selhars]

It will be interesting to hear how all of these store do, in relatively close proximity to each other. (The CP Hyattsville stores, I mean)

Giant is my primary store, with supplementation from MOM's. On a leisurely day off when I feel like going to Annapolis, or when I'll be there for something else...I'll hit Trader Joes (and or whole Foods but I HATE the parking at the Annap Town Center).

As a matter of fact I'll be in the Ga. and Dennis area of Sil Spr soon...not exactly CLOSE to the TJ on 29....but closer than I usually get. I hadn't thought of going to the Rte 29 store but I might stop by. I LOVE their potstickers and frozen eggplant parm...and risotto. (I don't know why they squeezed those stores there with such a small parking lot. It's terrible. But there is parking in the back I think. Or is there? You know good and well that front parking lot is waaay too small for the kind of traffic those stores get. It's ridiculous. And I go on a weekday!)

Besides, I HATE Mont. Co's bag ordinance so I try to boycott shopping there as much as possible.

[AeroGuyDC]

Originally Posted by Catcprtc

MOM's store in College Park is actually 8,100 square feet after their approximately 2,500 square foot expansion about five years ago. I don't see MOM's locating another store in the high rent College Park downtown.

I'm amazed that MOM's in CP survives. It is so far off the beaten path tucked away in a residential area that virtually no one would know its there without having stumbled on it. The same goes for REI right next door.