Trader Joe’s, a novelty grocery store, opened at 46 Skiff Street on Feb. 5. The store is the fifth grocery store in that area, and is located in the former LA Fitness building, which closed due to an expiring lease. The store is open from 9 am to 9 pm daily. 

The national chain announced, last July, that it would open its 111th location in Hamden. They focus on carrying a wide variety of products as well as passing on discounts to their customers, as per their website. Trader Joe’s occupies about 10,000 square feet, about a quarter of the total building, with no information available about future occupants of the remainder of the former fitness club.

Junior Addison Jaloweic’s family usually shops at Aldi and Stop & Shop, and she said that her family goes to the Trader Joe’s location in Orange “as much as [they] can,” but they will switch over to the one in Hamden. English teacher Elizabeth Alexander grocery shops “everywhere,” but Costco is the one she goes to the most, though she will “definitely frequent the Trader Joe’s in Hamden.” She likes it because of the affordable prices (especially meat), because they do not use preservatives or additives, and because everything they sell is healthy to some degree. “Even potato chips, they have sweet potato and beet chips instead of normal ones, and they fry them in, say, avocado oil instead of saturated fat,” she said. Senior Sheromie Jennings is skeptical; she said she can get everything she needs at another store. But she said, “If I see something I like, then I might go to Trader Joe’s once in a while, maybe for organic foods or fruits.”

Many students at HHS are excited to be able to buy Trader Joe’s version of Takis. Jaloweic, especially, “Oh my God, I love the Takis. Oh my God, you guys don’t even understand. I am obsessed,” she said. She also likes the sparkling pink lemonade and the chocolate-covered wafers. Kevin, an employee, said that he would recommend the cookie butter, pork soup dumplings, chocolate-covered gummy bears, and unexpected cheddar cheese.

Kevin said that the store was extremely busy due to the opening, but he “hopes the momentum will continue.”