Trader Joe's hopes dry up along with grocery liquor-sales bill

• wow...if the assumption is true, this is a shame and yet another shining example of how this state's legislative and executive leaders fail.  Whole paycheck is the only place selling wholesome, healthy food and its too expensive.

• They're in Wisconsin, too.  Supply line theory doesn't hold water.

• I'm in Boston.  We have TJs.  We buy their wine. 

• As others have noted TJs does not have to worry about competition. They have great products at great prices and do well wherever they go. I'm in Richmond VA and planning to move to Boulder and will miss them. They came here a couple of years ago and have been an immediate success, and there is a Whole Foods in the same shopping center. I was surprised that there was no TJs in Boulder - they would clean up, as they would throughout Colorado. Eventually they will make the move - it's a natural market.

• I would love to see a Trader Joe's in Colorado. I'm looking at moving out there and would miss them. I don't think the market is too saturated for them as they exist in Chicago with plenty of Whole Foods stores and small organic groceries. Maybe if enough people show demand for it they will build a distribution center that could serve Colorado and some surrounding states.

• You're right, Carrie. Thanks for pointing this out.

• That's actually not the loophole. Colorado liquor laws allow companies to apply for one drug store/liquor license which they can use for one store. This means that each of the major grocery chains has had to pick a single location to sell anything stronger than 3.2 beer. Target and King Soopers sell alcohol at their stores in Glendale, and Safeway sells alcohol at its store on Mineral Road in Littleton.

• Love your post, Tatsmom. Thanks for sharing it.

• I'm sure glad I have a neighbor that has family in Calif. that she drives to see a couple of times a year. Each time she goes I take inventory of my Two Buck Chuck and she imports cases of what what I need. Only problem is I would love to have some of their New York Cheese Cake and try the Manderin Orange Chicken.

• I live in Pennsylvania. Our Trader Joe's stores have no liquor at all! We have state-run liquor stores.

• I used to live in Maryland. They have Trader Joe's, and the stores can't sell alcohol. I do think the alcohol excuse is a myth.

• I've had several discussions with Trader Joe's corporate office about this. As pointed out here several times, the liquor is not the reason. TJ's has several "dry" stores. I can't believe that Westword falls back on this just because TJ's would not respond. The real reason is TJ's policy that requires a distribution center within a specific proximity to any store. No distribution center nearby means no TJ's here. Of course, the obvious answer is to build a disto center here to service Colorado, Utah, western Nebraska, and all of the other locations that don't have a TJ's yet.

• Trader Joe's stands on it's own... It is not a Whole Foods or Sunflower Market... in Arizona, Trader Joe's is right next to a Whole Foods and it is just as busy and hasn't gone out of business. It is ridiculous that Colorado is so behind on shopping destinations like TJ's

• my friend, and i notice other posts, say the liquor laws in Pennsylvania are also strict, but there is a TJ's there w/ no liquor in it. so that just can't be the only reason...can it?

• The liquor Law is not the real reason that Trader Joe's is not coming to Colorado. Costco in Colorado has a separate liquor store that is adjacent to their regular facility, and some states have Trader Joe's stores that don't sell alcohol (check the company site). And as far as the warehousing issue reason that I have been told in-store by management (the excuse that there is no warehouse in the center of the continent, resulting in difficulties keeping food fresh in transport), I'm calling their bluff on that, too, because they are opening a store in Omaha, Nebraska, and it doesn't get more "center-of-the-continent" than that. If they can get food to Omaha in fresh condition, they can get it to Colorado, too. They are out of excuses.

• I wrote to Trader Joes web customer relations page about the possibility of expanding into Colorado and mentioned the restrictive liquor laws as the possible reason. Their official response was logistics and warehouse locations. It looks like the closest warehouses are in Illinois and Arizona so there could be some validity to this. They need a mountain region warehouse but I think our liquor laws don't help.

• @eCurmudgeon: Totally correct. No alcohol in Maryland, New York, Indiana(?), etc. No booze in most states. Since 1992, Joe's has had an East Coast and West Coast presence, but nothing in the mountain states. Draw a "driving" line from the nearest Joe's warehouse to your town and figure that if it's longer than a day's drive it won't happen. - �

• Susan, the question isn't where would Trader Joe's go, it's where would the others go. TJ smokes the prices of the "organic" stores with organic store brands that are cheaper than non-organic chain brands. Centennial would love TJs, and the others would be in trouble.

• My personal opinion is the market is already too saturated in Denver. Between Whole foods (who bought out wild oats) Sunflower market, sprouts, etc. where would Trader Joe's fit? I of course would go there, but i have a feeling that might have something to do with it. As far as the liquor laws of the state, there is a law in Colorado that prohibits chain liquor stores (think about it, you've never seen one) Which is what allows the target in glendale to sell liquor, it's the only one in the state. The same situation with the Whole foods on Hampden. So Trader Joe's could potentially sell liquor at one location (from what i understand).I would love more than anything to see a Trader Joe's in Denver, but for the time being i'll stick to Sunflower market and local farmers markets.

• When I was in California, I asked why no Joes in Colorado. They said it was a warehousing issue.... that there wasnt a warehouse close enough. Trader Joes has other stores in states that have liquor restrictions, ie. Deleware, so I dont think the liqour sales is the issue. I do know that Colorado is missing out on a great store and I have missed it ever since I moved here.

• New York has Trader Joes too so the supply line idea isn't viable. They don't sell alcohol out there either so I doubt this is the reason.

• Pennsylvania has antiquated liquor laws - no beer or wine sold in grocery stores at all - yet there are 7 Trader Joe's in the state. TJ's is in New Mexico and coming soon to Nebraska - what gives?

• eCurmudgeon: we've heard the supply line theory, too. But Trader Joe's made the move into New Mexico....

• What is a Trader Joe's? I'd rather have a Tim Horton's in the neighborhood.

• The liquor law theory is a myth. The real reason you won't see stores such as Trader Joe's in Colorado is due to the expense of establishing supply lines (transport costs, warehouse costs, etc.) from California.

• Target isn't considered a "Grocery Store" first and foremost. They are a department store that sells groceries. That's the loophole.

• It is such a shame that we can't get a Trader Joe's out here! Besides their Two Buck Chuck, they also have healthy organic foods available that would work well in our health driven city. I am curious what loop-hole Target stores went through in order to sell liquor?

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