Trader Joe's is set to open two new stores in Southern California, adding to its growing footprint in the region. The company announced new locations in Clairemont Mesa, a neighborhood in San Diego, and in Encinitas.
The Clairemont Mesa store will be located at 3962 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., situated within the newly renovated Claremont Town Square shopping area. This site formerly housed a Burlington Coat Factory. An application to allow liquor sales at this location has also been filed.
The second new store will open in Encinitas at 1590 Leucadia Blvd. This location was previously occupied by the outdoor retailer REI and is part of the Forum Carlsbad Shopping center. This will be Trader Joe's second store in Encinitas; another is already in operation at 115 N. El Camino Real.
While specific opening dates have not yet been announced, a company spokesperson indicated that details for new locations typically appear on the Trader Joe's website three to six months prior to their official opening. Information on the number of jobs these new stores will create has not been released.
These expansions are part of a broader trend of development in the San Diego area. The city's general plan, last updated in 1989, has recently been revised to accommodate significant growth, including capacity for up to 14,000 new homes in transit-oriented village areas. The Clairemont outdoor shopping complex has undergone recent construction to make way for new retail spaces.
Trader Joe's currently operates stores in 42 states and the District of Columbia. States without a Trader Joe's location include Alaska, Hawaii, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming. The opening of these two stores will bring the total number of Trader Joe's locations in San Diego to 20.