Trader Joe's confirmed Tuesday morning it will open a second area location later this year in Mandarin.
The Monrovia, Calif.-based chain said it will lease about 13,700 square feet at 11112 San Jose Blvd. in the Claire Lane Shopping Center.
Its first area store opened in October 2014 at the South Beach Regional shopping center in Jacksonville Beach.
Trader Joe’s describes itself as a neighborhood grocery store with foods and beverages ranging from the everyday to the exotic.
It began in 1958 in the Los Angeles area and has expanded to more than 460 stores in 41 states.
The Mandarin site is at Claire Lane and San Jose Boulevard, south of Interstate 295. The center is owned by Sleiman Enterprises.
Building plans filed with the city Monday show 13,746 square feet will be renovated for Trader Joe’s at Claire Lane Center.
The city is reviewing plans for a shell and facade renovation to the building. TCI Construction Co. is the contractor for the $387,400 project.
The grocery store build-out would be permitted separately. While not identified on the plans, Trader Joe’s is identified in the compliance certificates filed with them.
The Claire Lane Center site plan on the Sleiman Enterprises website indicates space large enough for Trader Joe’s near the Miller’s Ale House Mandarin.
Trader Joe’s said it would open in the second half of the year, but did not specify beyond that. It declined to say how many employees it will hire or how many work at the Jacksonville Beach store.
Trader Joe’s said Tuesday the "Trader" in Trader Joe’s refers to the way the company looks around the world for values and distinctive products.
Store employees are called crew members and some wear brightly colored Hawaiian-themed shirts.
It says it offers about 4,000 items under the Trader Joe’s private label, such as Trader Jose’s salsas, Trader Ming’s fried rice, Trader Giotto’s marinara sauces, and others.
It purchases from manufacturers when possible and often takes a brand-name product and removes artificial preservatives, flavors and colors and puts it under the Trader Joe’s label.
It introduces about a dozen new items every month.
Area residents can expect to receive a copy of Trader Joe’s “Fearless Flyer” in their mailboxes after the store opens that describes and highlights products.
The company said it carries domestic and imported foods and beverages, including artisan breads, Arabica bean coffees, international frozen entrees, 100 percent juices, crop nuts, deli items, vitamins and more. It also carries grocery basics, such as milk and eggs.
It says all of its prices are everyday prices that don’t change unless costs change. There are no promotions, discount cards or “couponing wars.”
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