I have it from a very closeted source, to be referred to as C-U’s very own deep throat (CUDT), that not only will a Super Target be coming to the future retail development at the Curtis Road Interchange, but that blog pet Trader Joe’s as well as everyone’s favorite furniture peddler Pottery Barn will be joining it. Seems like an odd combination to me, but we’ll go with it.
Officially, this news will be taken with a grain of kosher salt. Unofficially, we will take out our kiddie trampoline and jump for joy until we remember that this is just a rumor.
26 responses so far ↓
Dana // June 16, 2008 at 2:13 pm
I’m drooling in Savoy, if any of you suddenly felt the humidity soar.
Give me a Crate and Barrel, Lbotp, and I’m gonna pass out. Even if it’s fictional.
achates // June 16, 2008 at 2:58 pm
How may times have I heard that Trader Joe’s is coming to one place or another in town? But, don’t know - it’s a great location for out-of-town companies - strong, affluent residential all around it and right off the highway…
Golden // June 16, 2008 at 3:09 pm
There will also be a new (and bigger) PetSmart built there - supposed to be open within a year.
Snmnstrz21 // June 16, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Just in time for me to move away, too! Dammit!
Leeanthro // June 16, 2008 at 5:41 pm
What more could a girl ask for?
Not much, except a PBK or Crate & Barrel, but those three you speak of are the trifecta!
I have gone to Trader Joe’s site and requested a store at least a dozen times! We’re still not on the “coming soon” list though!
Shalom Achshav // June 16, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Well, the real deep throat was a very reliable source, so lets hope for the best…
Vmjess // June 16, 2008 at 7:07 pm
OH MY - This may be the best news/rumor/dream/fantasy I have heard since I moved here 18 months ago from the SF Bay area in California. Please let it be true!
Mrs. Chicken // June 16, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Betcha a million clams that it all comes to fruition AFTER the Chicken family exits Chambana.
gamera // June 17, 2008 at 1:03 am
I’m breathless in anticipation….
BananaShampoo // June 17, 2008 at 9:14 am
Don’t get too excited. Having spoken with the area rep fo Trader Joe’s in the past 2 years, we are on their radar but not even in their 3 year plans, yet.
bettycat // June 17, 2008 at 9:59 am
OH, if only. But what about that mile-stretch of road from Mattis to Savoy? It’s two lane country-grade at best - they’ve striped it and seem to have graded the sides some, but if they’re going to replace it (and I bet they will), are they going to wait until people have some place to drive to on that r0ad? Like the new Carle, and I-57, and Target (yay), etc., oh, let’s just do some major road reconstruction……
veganlinda // June 17, 2008 at 1:17 pm
I’m sorry, I’m in the minority here, I know, but I don’t like Trader Joe’s. I used to live in Rockville, MD and had access to MOM (My Organic Market local chain), Bethesda Co-op, Bread and Circus, Whole Foods, Fresh Fields, and Trader Joe’s and this is the order in which I would shop at them. I much preferred the local health food chain, the co-op and then the three which unfortunately are all Whole Foods now before Trader Joe’s.
Can’t we just say “no” to big national chains? It is bad enough that we have Starbuck’s now. I don’t want to see Trader Joe’s put Natural Gourmet out of business.
Katherine // June 17, 2008 at 7:52 pm
I have to agree with Linda. We have some great options here. Why take money away from our local farmers/businesses for another chain? The local coop is opening at it’s new location (farmer’s market adjacent) next month.
Leeanthro // June 18, 2008 at 9:23 am
Bettycat: Curtis Road will be four-lane from First Street all the way to the interchange. It is supposed to include a bike lane. Preliminary survey was done in 2001 or 2002.
VeganLinda & Katherine: I will still shop at Natural Gourmet, but it is such a small store that they don’t have everything I need or would buy if I could. And I love their vegan BBQ and split pea soup! A Trader Joe’s wouldn’t take away my business from places like Natural Gourmet, rather it would take away my business from grocery store chains. I would love more organic options. And of course, nothing beats fresh produce from the farmer’s market!
Of course, I won’t completely believe the rumors until I see the ribbon cutting ceremony!
Carrie // June 18, 2008 at 9:43 am
I couldn’t care less about Trader Joe’s but I’m having heart palpatations about a Super Target. I’ve said for a long time that if we had one, I wouldn’t shop anywhere else. Now, of course, it is a fair bit away from me but I would make the exception for a super Target!
Conscious Citizen // June 19, 2008 at 7:44 am
TJ’s would indeed make a killing in the CU area. They know this. But they don’t care. They haven’t yet “saturated the market” up in the burbs. Plus they would have to worry about all the logistics about shipping things to a distant market in times of high fuel prices.
And I’m not convinced about the location. All the TJ’s I have been to were in regular neighborhoods or cruddy strip malls in established areas. A brand new (empty) development in the corn fields doesn’t fit their MO.
lbotp // June 19, 2008 at 9:54 am
If local businesses sold what Trader Joe’s does, I would have no reason to shop there. But they don’t. The bottom line is that Trader Joe’s is a very unique store, and I’m not going to apologize for wanting one here, chain or not. Trader Joe’s really doesn’t carry that much produce; that’s not the reason to shop there — I don’t see it taking away from local farmers at all.
As far as this rumor goes — and this is how I feel about all Trader Joe’s rumors — I will believe it when I’m shopping there.
Liz // June 19, 2008 at 10:02 am
Hasn’t anyone else considered the farmland that will be taken up by big-box stores? I love Target, but it still bothers me. If/when the stores fail, they leave big-box-carcasses behind.
pat // June 20, 2008 at 4:28 pm
say no to trader joe’s.
we have a fantastic farmers market, and rapidly expanding Food Co-Op that does a fantastic job. and strawberry fields which is equally as good.
support local businesses. so no to big box.
Mike Z // June 22, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Pat, have you been to a TJ’s? They’re not what I’d consider a “big box” company. I’d say the bigger of the two TJ’s in Indy is about the size of the incredibly tiny IGA on Kirby. Please take your talking points elsewhere.
We went to Whole Foods the last time we were in Indy, and I gotta say, I’m not impressed. Trader Joe’s all the way!
Kelly // June 23, 2008 at 12:39 pm
I had heard rumors last year of the slight chance of TJs coming into Urbana at the intersection of Vine and University from someone who observes at the Urbana city council meetings. I was skeptical because a C-U location would have been listed in the “coming soon” section of their website.
Another reason that I’ve heard why TJs hasn’t made it to C-U yet is that it is too close to some of their Chicago and suburban stores, something I don’t buy because there’s at least 3 TJs in the greater Detroit area, including Ann Arbor.
I wonder if the main reason is the average income is lower in C-U than in the Chicago area. I moved back to west Michigan after graduation and that’s the main reason why there are no TJs in Kalamazoo or Grand Rapids.
I’ll believe that a TJs is coming to C-U when it is announced on their website.
lbotp // June 23, 2008 at 1:54 pm
The rumors have been collecting for years at various locations. A lot of these rumors were nothing more than developers spouting wish lists. That could be the case here as well.
If this happens, it could be several years away. There is no infrastructure at that site and no signs of building yet. The Champaign City Council has yet to sign off on the master plan, I do believe.
Like I said, I’ll believe it when I’m shopping there.
MissNadine // June 23, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Based on my superb googling skills, I see that TJ’s target market demographic has median income of $64k and density of high priced homes.
C-U metro median income for 2000 Census didn’t even crack $40k; a better measure, 2005 homebuyer incomes, averaged under $60k. So, I don’t think we’re there yet for the Joe.
Maybe in the *20 year* build out schedule for the Curtis Rd. development, C-U will achieve their market numbers.
We’re even further from Whole Foods’ numbers, which is the store I miss most…Deli and fish counter, shopping without label scrutiny! Farmer’s market is great but the season is so short up here in the tundra.
Mommyschiff // June 26, 2008 at 12:18 pm
I couldn’t care less about Crate & Barrel, Target, or PB they are all way too commerical for my taste.
Having a TJ’s in C/U would be great but if it is going to be located all the way over by Curtis Rd. count me out. I’m not driving all the way across town =(
Plus, I agree with Liz. No one ever seems to think or care about all the pollution and noise these big box companies bring with them. Let alone the destruction of precious Illinois soil.
Sailorgoneprairie // July 1, 2008 at 10:55 pm
I’m ROFLMAO at all the “big box” comments about Trader Joe’s. There is absolutely NO way TJ will put any of the local co-op’s or markets out of business. I’m a firm believer in buying local/supporting organic farming, etc. I love the fact that we have a coop and that it has done well enough that it will be moving into a larger/better facility.
But, I’d have to agree with LBOTP that there is a mile long list of things that TJ sells that no one else has. “Big Box” my Arse!! That’s what I say!
It’s about variety and quality. Both of which TJ offers. I shop at no less then 4 locations to satisfy my grocery list each week. I’d gladly add TJ to my list if the rumors ever came to fruition.
Peace!
BananaShampoo // July 3, 2008 at 10:31 am
As I mentioned before, the rumor is FALSE. I’ve spoken with the TJ’s regional rep for our area and we are not in their 3 year plans. As someone mentioned, they are concentrating on saturating the Chicago market at this time.
That said, I’d love to get a Trader Joe’s here as much as the next person.
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