Editor’s note: All opinions, columns and letters reflect the views of the individual writer and not necessarily those of the IDS or its staffers.
Trader Joe’s is a college student’s paradise: healthy food, cute packaging and a rotating array of intriguing products, all at an affordable price. Tragically, Indiana University students have never been able to experience the joy of finding Trader Joe’s spiced apple cider in the fall, microwaving a tray of their soup dumplings or unwrapping another dark chocolate peanut butter cup.
There has never been a Trader Joe’s in Bloomington, nor has city hall ever received plans to build one, Eric Greulich, Bloomington development services manager, said. Our other options like ALDI — which has owned Trader Joe’s since 1979 — and Kroger lack the upscale-yet-affordable quality of a Trader Joe’s that has built such a loyal customer base.
Joe Coulombe, who in the 1960s started Trader Joe’s in Pasadena, California, knew the number of college graduates was growing due to the GI Bill, introduced after World War II to fund veterans’ higher education. These customers would be affluent enough to shop at a grocery store with globally-inspired products and flavors.
Coulombe’s strategy paid off: Trader Joe’s makes more money per square foot of store than stores like Whole Foods and Walmart, according to an episode of the Freakonomics podcast.
Bloomington seems like the perfect location for a Trader Joe’s, with a higher percentage of bachelor’s degree holders than the national average, according to U.S. Census data, along with a thriving student population eager to have such an affordable option near campus.
Why, then, has Trader Joe’s never expanded here? The answer may have to do with the fact that Trader Joe’s operates in counties with higher median income than any other grocery chain. This methodology runs antithetical to what Trader Joe’s supposedly is: a low priced store with options for everyone. By catering to wealthier areas, Trader Joe’s is overlooking a high number of possible customers in areas that may not be as wealthy but would be just as accepting of a Trader Joe’s.
Trader Joe’s often gets brought up in discussions about gentrification. A Zillow study found homes increase in value if a Trader Joe’s opens in the area. It’s difficult to determine if stores like Trader Joe’s are a precursor to gentrification or an effect of it, yet the presence of the store is linked to increasing home costs. So, a Trader Joe’s could spell bad things for Bloomington, which is often cited among the most expensive places to live in Indiana.
The relationship between grocery stores and the communities they serve is complicated, and the effects of opening a new store in any community should not be taken lightly. However, Bloomington still offers an area that Trader Joe’s should expand to: a smaller sized city with lower incomes than the national average, which would arguably value a Trader Joe’s more because its low priced yet high quality products fulfill an acute need in our community.
Alas, maybe the charm of a store like Trader Joe’s attracts us only because it is unavailable. Their parking lots are notoriously small, and they offer just a few choices for most categories of products in their stores. Unlike major retailers like Walmart or Costco, a Trader Joe’s is often found tucked in a strip mall or smaller building.
Yet this business model would thrive in Bloomington because it already does. Bloomingfoods has operated as a co-op grocery store since 1976. While these stores are appealing for their emphasis on local foods and community building, they lack the affordability of Trader Joe’s that students need.
Many college campuses across the country get to enjoy access to this grocery store that offers anything you could think of, from pumpkin cream cheese croissants to honey mustard-flavored popcorn. It is time for Bloomington to have the same.
Rebekah Arnold (she/her) is a freshman studying Global Media.
The city could have come by a new logo for free.
