TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Trader Joe's opened its fourth Tucson location Friday along the historic Sunshine Mile, drawing crowds that lined up around the building for the grand opening.
The store celebrated the occasion with a ribbon cutting, free snacks, and bag giveaways.
Chad Anderson, store captain (manager) at Trader Joe's, says the turnout exceeded expectations.
"If just a few people showed up, we would have been happy, but we're really overwhelmed. There's just been so many great customers come in this store."
Anderson says the location has been years in the making.
"We think this is the perfect location for us to be in serving all the great communities and being close to downtown and we're just really excited to be here."
The new store also created more than 30 new jobs while expanding access to a grocery option many Tucsonans say they've wanted closer to home.
For University of Arizona students Sarah McQuillan and Madisyn Sova, the new location is a game changer.
"We live on campus and we've been going to the Campbell Trader Joe's, kind of a trek. So, we're definitely happy that there's one closer to campus," McQuillan said.
"Grocery shopping is not going to take hours now. It's going to be so much easier just to get here. I mean, it took us 8 minutes to get, not even 8 minutes, 6 minutes to get here," said Sova.
Young shoppers Iris and Eirene Edgecombe waited in a line that stretched around the building just to be part of the grand opening. For Eirene, the day has a personal connection.
"I'm really excited because it's really fun and my dad has been working at Trader Joe's for 29 years."
Her sister Iris says she is just as happy.
"I'm so excited. The food is delicious. I got some milk chocolate covered honeycombs, they're my favorite."
For shoppers who live farther from existing locations, the new store means fewer trips across the city.
"I live in the Southwest, so I always have to make a drive to the other Trader Joe's, which of course I do because I love Trader Joe's. But I'm so excited to finally have one here," Rachel Loubeau said.
One shopper, Lorraine Harris, is so excited about the opening that she's throwing a Trader Joe's-themed party to celebrate.
"We are going to have temporary tattoos of the hibiscus and then we're also going to have like the Trader Joe's name tags and we're going to have a like a Trader Joe's like ask a crew member and we're going to like talk to people and it's going to be it's going to be fun."
Through the company's Neighborhood Shares Program, the new midtown Trader Joe's will donate 100% of products that go unsold to a range of nonprofit, community-based organizations, seven days a week.
The new midtown store is Tucson's fourth Trader Joe's location and fifth in the greater area, including the Oro Valley location.
The new midtown store located at 2150 E. Broadway Blvd. is open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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Jacqueline Aguilar is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born and raised in Yuma, AZ., she is no stranger to the unforgiving Arizona heat. Now this U of A wildcat is excited to be back in Tucson and is looking forward to involving herself in the community. Share your story ideas with Jacqueline by emailing jacqueline.aguilar@kgun9.com or connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
