Builder hints at Trader Joe’s store in Greensboro : News-Record.com : Greensboro & the Triad's most trusted source for local news and analysis

GREENSBORO — New information emerged Tuesday about a possible commercial development in a residential neighborhood at the corner of Friendly Avenue and Hobbs Road.

Multiple city leaders said an out-of-town developer wants to build a 50,000-square-foot shopping center on the site and the project could include a Trader Joe’s, a long-sought-after grocery store for the city.

“From what we can tell, it is a serious inquiry,” said Andy Scott, an assistant city manager for economic development. “We’ve been told it is a shopping center. Tenant information has not been shared with the city.”

Various officials said no contracts have been signed with potential tenants, and Trader Joe’s is the only one that has been mentioned. They said the center could include other shops or offices.

Efforts to identify the potential developer or reach a spokeswoman for the California-based grocery chain were unsuccessful.

Local leaders said the developer has been in talks with several property owners in the area about buying their homes. The homeowners have either declined to comment or not returned calls seeking a response.

They also said the developer has expressed a willingness to give nearby property owners a say in how the project will be configured.

City officials said this week that the developer, whom they would not identify, has approached them about a potential project on six lots at Friendly and Hobbs across from the Shops at Friendly.

While many surrounding residents would welcome a Trader Joe’s to the city, they’re not excited about it going in a residential area, especially one near them.

“A lot of people would want it, but someplace else,” said Clyde Marr, a member of the board of the Hamilton Lakes and Parks Inc., which also covers the Starmount Forest area. “Unfortunately, it is one of those things (where people say), 'Not in my neighborhood.’”

Homeowners in the area wonder why the development couldn’t go in a commercial district somewhere else.

“It’s my understanding that Trader Joe’s wants to be at Friendly Center,” said City Councilman Zack Matheny. “We have always been open and welcoming to Trader Joe’s because a large number of our citizens have been wanting it.”

Matheny pointed to a Facebook page called Bring Trader Joe’s to Greensboro. It has more than 1,600 followers.

Even residents near the potential development site have strong feelings for Trader Joe’s.

Tony Ledford, a former member of the Hamilton Lakes board, said he drives to the Trader Joe’s in Chapel Hill every couple of months to stock up.

The chain said that 80 percent of the products it stocks, some of which are organic, carry the Trader Joe’s label.

Elsewhere, the grocer has used a variety of store options, including new, existing or free standing ones, or locations in shopping centers, like the one under consideration on Friendly.

The chain already has six stores in North Carolina.

Contact Donald W. Patterson at 373-7027 or don.patterson@news-record.com

novel

December 14, 2011 - 5:26 am EST

Rumors have floated for a long time that Trader Joes was coming to Greensboro. It wouldn't be the first time that someone who really wants to get a zoning change put the word out that something that would appeal to a lot of people was coming to that spot, just so the change would be approved. There's no confirmation that it is TJ's and once the zoning is approved ANYTHING that meets the requirement could go there.

EdinNC

December 14, 2011 - 12:31 pm EST

We need to pass the zoning change, so we can see what gets built.

rooster8786

December 14, 2011 - 12:37 pm EST

Ed, are you related to Nancy "We have to pass this bill so we know what's in it" Pelosi?

bimbigirl

December 14, 2011 - 5:32 am EST

What about that eyesore on the corner of Hobbs and Northline that Lomax was supposedly going to develop into condos, but instead has left a hot mess????

Upset

December 14, 2011 - 4:11 pm EST

Seriously!!!!!!! And they want to tear down houses and trees when Harris Teeter at Golden Gate stand vacant, as well as the Fresh Market at Quaker Village, and there's an old Kroger/Harris Teeter at Church and Cone. How that pit Lomax owns has stayed undeveloped for this long is beyond me! UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

katei

December 14, 2011 - 7:50 pm EST

cheers!!!

citywatcher

December 14, 2011 - 8:16 am EST

This is going to get the support of the zoning board and council. Too many people have been wanting a Trader Joe's here.

sanders

December 14, 2011 - 8:56 am EST

why not buy lomax property at friendly center which is not developed .

December 14, 2011 - 4:12 pm EST

DITTO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1234

December 15, 2011 - 9:17 am EST

Great spot...but there might be tenant lease agreements with HT at Friendly...also the Whole Foods is on Sears Land/Property, so that is not an issue. If I was Trader Joe's I would go to Quacker Village, closer to a larger group of customers and they will drive there to shop there!

orangey

December 14, 2011 - 8:53 am EST

That's right--look whose on city council right now. Get the property re-zoned for commercial because once it changes to commercial, it can't go back to residential. The tentants/use can change significantly easier once the property is re-zoned from residential to commercial. If I were those neighborhood groups, I'd fight this tooth and nail--especially if there's still no official word from Trader Joes or any other tenants for that matter. I believe it's called "Bait and Switch" and some of the developers we've elected are putting out these rumors to get their interests fulfilled.

December 14, 2011 - 7:52 pm EST

indeed. two front-page stories and a secret developer. shiesty.

December 14, 2011 - 9:24 am EST

After the puffery from yesterday's article & comments, it's good to see some realism in today's comments. NOBODY says we want another Walgreens or Sheetz on the corner so the developer, with a bunch of hush hush, wink wink, says it might be TJ's, if you would just rezone this spot. Then it's nope, TJ's has decided now is not the right time to come to Greensboro and we're stuck with more commercial creep. FIGHT it!!! If it is to be developed & rezoned, rezone it with the restriction that TJ's must be the anchor tenant. If TJ's is such a "good" corporate citizen, they'll come to many of the other available properties with-in a couple of miles of that particular corner...

Bosco

December 14, 2011 - 9:34 am EST

That might be "contract zoning". But, what else is new. To me, conditional use zoning was always contract zoning. I've been to Trader Joe's. Big deal.

SonicGrrrl80

December 14, 2011 - 9:36 am EST

I've long thought someone should put a Trader Joes in the old Fresh Market space in Quaker Village. It'd go over tremendously well with the college crowd and could do wonders for that shopping center, too. There's too much going on at Friendly & Hobbs already, IMO.

oh good grief

December 14, 2011 - 9:50 am EST

There's a bright side to this, folks. Yvonne got her "let the people talk at the start of the meeting" proposal passed last night at the City Council meeting.

So, we can all troop down there and let them have a (more than two-cents in property taxes) piece of our minds.

I'll be down there at City Council meetings with bells on my stamping-my-little-feet shoes (although "some" will probably refer to them as my "hell's bells" shoes).

One aspect of this scenario I foresee: certain (if not all) members of City Council saying, "See, now you know how WE feel. This is the type of situation WE protested against regarding the landfill." Well you can save that rhetoric -- the land in question has been residential for a LONG time.

If it does come to pass, there "may" be one up-side to this -- not much motor vehicle traffic -- just bicyclists, walkers, and joggers ingressing and egressing to get their fix of "no-meat hamburger."

December 14, 2011 - 1:27 pm EST

There is a HUGE difference between this development and a landfill and you know that. Its like comparing apples with oranges. This development won't have any negative impact on the neighbors. First of all there aren't that many dwellings in the area bound by Friendly, Hobbs, Northline and Holden. A church takes up a lot of that real estate. Most of the homes are on the other side of Friendly and Holden Rd. This development wont be generating traffic through residential areas because people coming from all directions to this site will be using Holden Rd or Friendly. I think the development will be done tastefully and to proper scale. Its not going to be some big box designed development.

Unlike what a landfill would do, this development will actually help increase nearby property values and their are no health concerns with this project. This project will help promote economic growth in the area. A landfill will prevent economic growth in an area. So don't try to compare this with the landfill.

NOREZONINGSTARMOUNT

December 14, 2011 - 2:32 pm EST

Aren't that many dwellings? What about Hobbs Landing, those $700,000 homes this mess will back up to? Or all the surrounding homes? Open your eyes and drive around! The last thing we need is more commercial creep outside of Friendly Center. This will get fought tooth and nail. It will get defeated just like last years battle at Friendly & Holden. The taxpayers in all those homes you fail to see, are sick of rezoning!
See all of you at the zoning board!!!!

December 14, 2011 - 4:14 pm EST

I'll be there with you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS CAN NOT HAPPEN!

SAGG

December 14, 2011 - 3:35 pm EST

Right on, citywatcher! This is NOT in a residential neighborhood, but a COMMERCIAL one.

December 14, 2011 - 4:00 pm EST

Really? Tearing down houses? I guess then it will not be a residential neighborhood?

December 14, 2011 - 4:08 pm EST

How can you say this will help the property values of neighborhoods like Hobbs Landing and Wedgewood? Would you like to hear the dumpsters being emptied at 6 am? Would you want to smell the garbage from Trader Joe's? This will have a terrible affect and will only make this area more congested with traffic.It would be a nightmare!!! And for clarification, the church is not included in this. There are a total of 6 lots separate from the church.

goodtoknow

December 14, 2011 - 10:12 am EST

If this is a bait and switch the voters voted these people in. Now we will see their character.

But for me I don't understand all this excitement over a grocery store. Do we really need another grocery store at Friendly? I like Harris Teeter. It has everything I look for and a pleasant atmosphere.

Nice Shirt

December 14, 2011 - 11:17 am EST

It's my understanding that Trader Joe's, being the "green," cost-saving company they are, prefer to take over existing storefronts whenever possible. There are any number of vacant properties that would appear to meet their size & location needs (based on observing other TJ's). The former Harris Teeter @ Golden Gate, former Eckerd @ N. Elm & Cornwallis, and former Fresh Market @ Quaker Village all come immediately to mind, and I'm sure there are many more. Further, TJ's knows "if you build it, they will come." They don't need the draw & existing traffic of Friendly Center. As a destination & anchor store in their own right, they can negotiate for lower rents in locations like Quaker Village and Golden Gate because their presence drives business and decreases vacancies. They'd get no such perks right across the street from the most successful shopping center in the city.

So put my name down in the "Developer Bait & Switch" column. The facts don't add up.

December 14, 2011 - 1:24 pm EST

You know why Trader Joe's isn't looking at other areas in Greensboro? Its because their strategy is to build their stores near Whole Food Markets, one of which is opening up at Friendly Center.

ChinaCatSunflower

December 14, 2011 - 1:46 pm EST

wait we're getting a whole foods????? AND possibly a trader joes??? My stomach is celebrating!! As is my gas bill, since those occasional trips to far away trader joes can be expensive...

December 14, 2011 - 8:14 pm EST

....and that's our problem, how? it's a shotty place and a shotty reason to rezone and develop.

Friendly Center, although an important and awesome part of our Greensboro, has also crippled the other parts of town. our population and income don't balance the notion of foreign-developers to "develop nextdoor to our immediate competitor"....and the empty big-boxes and ghost-town State Street are proof.

That said, if Trader Joe's wants to come here, it should be on terms that bring value to us both--and wrecking an established neighborhood does nothing for Greensboro.

However, if proximity to Whole Foods is their goal, Greensboro has several attractive options:

The Lomax disaster (the pit "hidden" behind Harris Teeter like a deformed toddler) is right next door in Shoppes at Friendly.

The shopping center on W. Market (RIP Jan's House) near Holden is in desperate need of a makeover and stable business. At 2.5 miles away, it's also super close to the Triad Yoga Institute--which is filled with the TJ's target demo: Yoga moms.

The former Fresh Market at Quaker is less than 3.5 miles away.

The former Harris Teeter at Cornwallis is 4.5 miles away.

Both Harris Teeter and Fresh Market left these older locations because they'd literally outgrown the dimensions--not because of lacking business. However, Trader Joe's stocks around 4,000 items--which would fit well in the smaller stores.

General Greensboro

December 14, 2011 - 2:13 pm EST

I've been to two TJs in my life: The one in Chapel Hill and the one in Richmond.

The Chapel Hill store took over an existing building in an old shopping center near the town center. The Richmond store is the anchor tenant in a brand-new small strip mall way out in the West End.

Both TJs, coincidentally or not, are within walking distance of a Whole Foods.

Abruti

December 14, 2011 - 4:17 pm EST

Now, that's where I wish the zoning laws would come in. I'm tired of intersections with a CVS on one corner, a Walgreens on the other corner, a Rite Aid on the other corner, etc. One drugstore per block is enough!

Same with Trader Joes and Whole Foods. I don't think there is sufficient business for them both to thrive. Eventually, one will close and we'll be looking at another abandoned building/shopping center in Greensboro.

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