Trader Joe's a hot topic
Trader Joe's, the topic of media reports that it wants to open a grocery store in Jacksonville Beach, says there is no news to confirm.
"We don't have a Jacksonville Beach location confirmed at this time," said Alison Mochizuki, director of public relations at the Monrovia, Calif.-based grocer.
The popular chain's closest store to Jacksonville is in Gainesville. The traderjoes.com site shows the only other Trader Joe's in Florida is in Sarasota, indicating the state offers opportunities to populate a new market.
Trader Joe's began in 1958 as the Pronto Markets convenience-store chain in Southern California and has expanded to more than 390 stores in 35 states.
In 1967, Pronto Markets were converted into Trader Joe's as specialty cheese and wine shops and then as a chain of neighborhood grocery stores.
Trader Joe's says it offers more than 3,000 "unique" grocery item in its label at low prices and that its buyers shop around the world for new items. Suppliers make exclusive products for the company and all of its private labels have an "angle," such as vegetarian, kosher, organic "or just plain decadent."
Trader Joe's says all of its products have minimally processed ingredients and that when possible, it buys directly from manufacturers in large volume to manage costs.
4 Rivers files interest for Orange Park
The 4 Rivers Smokehouse group wants to renovate the former Danny's Sports Bar & Grill and Coyotes Bar & Grill at 220 Park Ave. in Orange Park.
The St. Johns River Water Management District was notified of interest by the Winter Park-based chain for the Orange Park location. Plans show the vacant restaurant is 6,946 square feet and sits on 1.2 acres.
Interplan LLC, a consultant, notified the district that its client, 4R Restaurant Group LLC, is looking at renovating the vacant restaurant.
Jacksonville native John Rivers opened the first Northeast Florida 4 Rivers Smokehouse in June at 9220 Baymeadows Road in a renovated Roadhouse Grill.