What would it take to open a Trader Joe's in the area?

Groton residents for years have been seeking a Trader Joe’s.

Is now the time, with Electric Boat experiencing a historic hiring surge? What goes into Trader Joe’s decision-making?

Unfortunately, local officials say it will take more than jobs.

Nakia Rohde, public relations manager for Trader Joe’s, said the popular grocery store chain is growing and opening more new neighborhood stores each year. The company is looking at hundreds of neighborhoods across the country.

Rohde said at this time, Trader Joe’s does not have a new location confirmed in southeastern Connecticut.

Trader Joe’s was a top retail preference named by Groton residents on community surveys during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The grocery store also is not represented in the area, with the closest stores in Warwick R.I., and the Hartford and New Haven areas, said Jon Reiner, the town’s director of planning and development services, and Paige Bronk, the town’s economic and community development manager.

They said the Town of Groton Economic Development, through its retail representatives, has reached out to the Trader Joe’s business managers and brokers.

“The Groton market has been considered, but only a few national locations are selected by Trader Joe’s based upon population growth, income, market volume, and location,” they explained. “Although job growth is a positive indicator of economic growth, jobs alone do not attract quality retailers.”

Reiner and Bronk said 82% of jobs in Groton are held by commuters. People shop closest to their homes, so population growth is a more significant driver of new retail growth especially for a premier retailer like Trader Joe’s.

“They remain interested in our market, but residential growth and housing are the keys to aligning with their new store expansion market thresholds,” they added.

Wayne Pesce, president of the Connecticut Food Association, said the increased hiring at Electric Boat could make the region more attractive.

“Food retailers like Trader Joe's consider multiple factors such as population density, household income levels, local competition, and real estate availability when deciding on new locations,” he said. “The hiring uptick at Electric Boat in Groton and New London would positively influence their decision, as increased employment typically boosts local economic activity and consumer spending. This makes southeastern Connecticut a potentially attractive area for grocery store expansion.”

Trader Joe’s has discussed on its podcasts what goes into the decision-making for opening a store, from parking to population size.

In a 2018 podcast, Bryan Palbaum, now CEO of Trader Joe’s, said in a response to the question of how to get a Trader Joe’s in one’s neighborhood:

“We always appreciate the passion of some of the neighborhoods that do send in their requests, and they can be very creative at times,” he said. “Always consider distribution, how far our warehouses are going to be from the stores in which we're opening, make sure that we can supply those stores on a regular basis. Population is really important. We certainly have certain numbers of households that we think we need to have that can support a successful Trader Joe's, and well when we get to those numbers, and it makes sense, then we'll, we'll open a store.“

k.drelich@theday.com