By Jane Alvarez-Wertz and Rob Rizzo at WAVY 10
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — With the snip of the scissors, store captain Akil Dove opened the new, 9,930-square-foot Trader Joe’s on Constitution Drive in Virginia Beach’s Town Center Friday morning, where folks lined up as early as 7 a.m. for the grand opening.
Jake Yeager stood in that line.
“I think everyone should get to experience a grand opening at least once in their lifetime,” Yeager said. “And I just love Trader Joe’s.”
When the doors opened shortly after the ribbon cutting, shoppers filled the store and filled their carts with groceries.
“I had a pretty short list, mainly snacks for my kids, but I found everything, and I’m in and out quickly,” said shopper Franchesca Desjardins, who was in and out quickly, coming to the store from Norfolk, excited to shop at the grocery store’s newest location. “I am a Trader Joe’s fanatic. I’ve been going to Trader Joe’s probably since I was a kid, so we made, probably, a couple trips a month to stock up on snacks because we love that their ingredients are like dye-free [and] healthier for our kids.”
The store hired more than 50 new crew members and transferred some employees from other Trader Joe’s locations. In addition to local hiring, Trader Joe’s will participate in the Neighborhood Shares Program, donating 100% of unsold but still consumable products to local nonprofit organizations on a weekly basis. This initiative aims to support community-based organizations and reduce food waste while promoting sustainability.
“We have great crew members, we have amazing products, [and] we create a great, warm, welcoming environment, so it’s truly one of a kind,” Dove said.
The Town Center location at 220 Constitution Drive, the second Trader Joe’s in Virginia Beach, is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. It will be open until 5 p.m. Dec. 24 and closed Dec. 25.