At the grand opening of the new Tigard Trader Joe’s on Oct. 28 at 8 a.m., it was hard to tell who was more excited – the hundreds of smiling customers surging through the doors right after the ribbon-cutting or the dozens of employees applauding the customers, placing leis around their necks and handing them reusable shopping bags.
First in the growing line outside the store was Geri Miles, with her daughters Makenna, 9, and Alexa, 5, who said she got there at 7:35 a.m. “My husband works here,” she said. “We are super-excited the store is here.”
Store Captain Jeff Konoske, who was busy greeting his future customers as well as local mayors and city councilors ahead of the ribbon-cutting, said he has been with Trader Joe’s for 14 years and has been a store captain for 7 ½ years.
“This is the third store where I have been the captain,” he said, adding that the store’s sales floor is 11,000 square feet.
Nearby, his proud parents were taking in the scene. Konoske’s dad, who wanted to remain anonymous, said he and his wife came up from Southern California for the grand opening and were there with other family members to celebrate the occasion.
Before he cut the ribbon, Konoske said, “Thanks to everyone for coming to celebrate the new Tigard Trader Joe’s grand opening. Everyone had been waiting for it to open, and this is about providing you with a fun place to shop and a unique inventory.
“I also want to give a big thank you to our crew who have worked the last couple months to get the store ready.”
Konoske brought up youngsters Makenna and Alexa to help him cut the ribbon with a giant pair of scissors. “These are almost as big as you are,” he told them.
Once the ribbon was cut, hundreds of people swarmed in to check out Tigard’s newest store, which features several murals, including one of the Tigard Festival of Balloons.
As a neighborhood grocery store, Trader Joe’s prides itself on hiring where its stores are located, according to a press release from the company.
More than 60 new crew members were hired for the Tigard store, but even more from other stores were there for the grand opening, including Captains Brain Luchenbill and Ken Wong. “We were brought in from all over the Portland area,” Luchenbill said.
The stores feature unconventional and organic products, with the Trader Joe’s label on such favorites as Mandarin orange chicken, cauliflower gnocchi and cold brew coffee concentrates; there also are everyday basics and great cheese, beer and wine.
The press release added, “In addition, through the company’s longstanding Neighborhood Shares Program, the new Trader Joe’s will donate 100 percent of products that go unsold but remain fit to enjoy to a range of non-profit, community-based organizations, seven days a week.”
The new store, which is the 14th in Oregon, is located at 16200 S.W. Pacific Highway, next to Planet Fitness at the intersection of 99W and Durham Road. The operating hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. For more information, call 503-443-6713.
