UWS Trader Joe’s Reopens After Nearly Four Month Renovation

After nearly four months without their neighborhood Trader Joe’s, Upper West Side shoppers are once again filling their carts at what was the world’s busiest store in the chain when it closed for renovations in late May.

The store on Broadway and West 72nd Street reopened Sept. 12, following renovations that included upgrades to the store’s refrigeration, elevators and escalators. The closure for the renovations stretched through most of the summer, leaving regular customers to adjust their grocery routines or travel farther north or south.

Although the store did not overly publicize the reopening beyond a posting on its web site, by Sept. 13 when the Spirit visited, throngs of shoppers were making their way down the escalators and into the market. Despite a steady flow of customers, the atmosphere inside remained relatively calm.

There were earlier reports of a shortage of Trader Joe’s staples and empty shelves on opening day.

“It’s giving gulag,” according to one shopper quoted by the New York Post, which ran photos of shelves stripped bare. “They don’t even have bags of salt,” another frustrated shopper told the Post.

Whatever shortages cropped up on opening day, it appeared to have been rectified by day two, according to shoppers who spoke to the Spirit.

For Suzanne J., an Upper West Side resident living across the street, the reopening weekend brought back a convenience she missed all summer. While the store was closed, grocery trips took her more than 20 blocks north to West 93rd Street and Columbus Ave, where Trader Joe’s has another outlet.

“I was thrilled that it opened again,” Suzanne said. “I had to run up to 93rd Street. I love Trader Joe’s. They have products that I like that are very reasonable.”

She adjusted to traveling farther for groceries during the closure, but when the store reopened, she noticed changes inside. The space appeared brighter, and employees were actively directing customers through the rearranged sections.

“Everything’s brand spanking new and bright,” she said. “Employees are wonderful, and they are helping guide us to where the products are now and the new sections.”

Still, her excitement about the reopening had less to do with a dramatically different store than having a familiar one back. She was satisfied with the location before the renovation, even though some had complained that the old escalators and elevators were prone to regular breakdowns.

“It was fine with me before, and it’s fine with me now,” she said.

Anne Phillips also returned to find subtle differences throughout the store. She thought the aisles appeared wider and noticed the escalators were working, while some of the products she remembered had been moved.

“The coffee wasn’t in the same place,” Phillips said.

Phillips said she managed during the closure, though she had been waiting for the store to reopen so she could return her bottles. Once back inside, even the checkout line offered some familiarity. What can initially appear to be a lengthy wait, she said, tends to move faster than expected because there are so many cashiers.

“It looks like it’s going to be a long wait, but it never is,” Phillips said. “It really is okay.”

On the afternoon of Sept. 13, the atmosphere inside was laid-back despite a steady stream of shoppers. Checkout lines stretched through the store, but employees were nearby as customers browsed the aisles and filled their carts.

The renovated store may look different to returning customers, but the reopening also brings back a routine that disappeared when the doors closed in May.

For many UWS residents the reopening means fewer detours and the return of a grocery store woven into their everyday neighborhood errands with prices that are generally lower than other supermarkets. For Phillips, the difference can be measured in blocks.

For residents like Phillips, the reopening means returning to their familiar habits. For her, the difference is measured less in blocks traveled to another supermarket but more from the comfort of returning to routine.

That same sentiment was echoed by a shopper named Suzanne.

“I’m thrilled that it’s back,” she said. “It’s wonderful.”