How do we get Trader Joes to JSQ haha 
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Supermarkets need multiple delivery truck loading docks, and that requires a very large piece of land (55 Hudson and 1 Journal Sq are both over 2 acres). Sites that big are rare in Journal Square. And Trader Joe’s corporate office requires parking for stores in JC, and buildings in Journal Sq generally can’t afford that much parking because it adds to construction costs and rents aren’t as high as downtown to cover the cost. So it’s going to be difficult.
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Where have you seen confirmation that this will be a Trader Joes?
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How you know?
If you’ve seen my posting here you’ll see I tend to post things before they’re reported. Usually from digging through the public record and requesting documents from the city myself, but sometimes from people reaching out to me with info.
Got this info from people with knowledge of the situation, who worked with Trader Joe’s on this. When I was originally told about this, there was not even any public info suggesting it would be a grocery store there at all. But now it is on the record in public documents that this will be a grocery store, about the size of a typical Trader Joe’s, and that they requested a site plan amendment from the city asking for additional customer parking spots in the garage, confirming some of the details I was told beforehand. You can choose to believe it or not believe, but I wouldn’t post it without full certainty. We can wait and see.
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The store itself will be about 15k sq ft, which is about average for a Trader Joe’s but on the small-ish side for other supermarket chains–about half the size of the Journal Sq Target or the ShopRite. Actually ridiculous that Trader Joe’s requests customer parking for such small stores, but they are very rigid about this.
Have been told by people trying to bring TJ’s to Journal Sq that they flat out refused to do it without ample parking.
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Not doubting your knowledge of this - I’ve just not seen it reported anywhere! Is there reason to believe it won’t take 5 years for this to open like it did for Whole Foods? This is a serious question as I know WF was very delayed to the point where it became a joke, but I have no insight as to what happened.
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Good question. I have no idea on how long it’ll take, and don’t know why WholeFoods took so bizarrely long!
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All I got from this is there’s going to be a grocery store but it’s speculation on who it will be.
Why haven’t Jersey digs or Hoboken girl reported on this?
It’s not speculation. Call it a rumor or hearsay if you want, but it’s not speculation. It comes from someone who worked with Trader Joe’s on this and confirmed to me by a second person yesterday.
Why haven’t Hoboken Girl or Jersey dogs reported on this
Jersey Digs tends to report on things months after they are posted here or on Reddit. Much of what they post comes from press releases sent to them as well as to NJBiz, ROI-NJ, etc. Hoboken Girl is a blog from Hoboken focusing mostly on Hoboken. Both are just a couple of people running blogs, not omniscient news gatherers.
You can believe it or not believe it, though, not a big deal!
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Don’t doubt Apophenic guys, I’ve been looking at JC development for years and Apophenic is usually spot on with early information.
From the beginning the square footage indicated a larger store / not a restaurant. I wouldn’t have guessed Trader Joes but it did seem like a major retailer!
WholeFoods took a while because it was a retrofit of a parking garage and previous restaurant. Also permitting if I recall. And they were probably just slow in general; I remember long stretches were work just stopped for that site.
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What’s the difference between rumor and speculation? Also I didn’t see “someone who worked with traders Joe’s on this” in your previous post.
Difference is what jersey digs, Hoboken girl etc report actually comes true. And they don’t get their info from reditt blogs. My point was I couldn’t find any information on your claim.
Love the composition in these photos
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