davis_square | Trader Joe's Fresh Pond will open Friday November 13th

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Trader Joe's Fresh Pond will open Friday November 13th

My Cambridge city councillor, Craig Kelley, mailed this around:

I’m not sure why they picked the date, but on Friday, 13 November the new Trader Joe’s at Fresh Pond (opposite the current Whole Foods, adjacent to CVS on the rotary where Concord Ave heads out towards Belmont) will celebrate its grand opening. They’re not quite sure how elaborate the opening celebration will be, but for those of you who are Trader Joe fans, the store’s simply opening up is probably celebration enough.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Cambridge has 3 Whole Foods, and now two Trader Joe's. Somerville has Market Basket and Johnny Foodmaster.
Why can't we get some of the good markets!

There is one right across the Somerville/Medford line on Mystic Valley. Not very accessible, though, except by car.

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/medford/

buses 80 and 94 go pretty near it.

Market Basket is my favorite supermarket!

You have Dave's Fresh Pasta, too, which I'm pretty fond of. Different kind of market though.

Somerville also has the very new Shaw's and Stop & Shop, both on Rte. 28.

I know about the Stop & Shop but where is this new Shaw's?

I think she means the one at Twin City Plaza, not so new anymore, and technically not in Somerville (although much of the mall is)

Yep. It was redone about...3 years ago? It still has that new grocery store scent (which is way better than the foul smell the old Star Market used to have.)

Are Alewife and Central really that inaccessible for you?

I can access both areas just fine. it just irks me that I have to go to another town to do the main bits of my shopping, and that by extension, Cambridge is benefitting from any tax income that happens as a result of this.

It makes me wonder what it is about Somerville that TJ's/whole foods find so unappealing.

I admit, the TJs in cambridge are both in very high traffic areas, and make good sense, business wise. I suspect that a TJs over on Broadway, in the old Star Market space would do very well also, not to mention have ample parking.

It's a dichotomy, I admit. I'm happier with Somerville supporting smaller, local businesses, and I think that keeps us interesting and special. On the other side of it, it seems like both TJs and Whole Foods are actively steering themselves around Somerville, which causes me concern.

There's that empty Star Market in Winter Hill. A TJ's would be too small for the space, and a majority of the residents in that neighborhood wouldn't be able to afford a Whole Foods.

Where would you like to see one of those markets? Where is there room for them?

why do you say it's too small for a TJs? The Arlington Heights TJs is probably smaller than that space.

That's actually the opposite of what I said. I said TJ's is too small for that space.

Oops, I shouldn't post right after a Halloween dinner....

I think the sentiment is a good one, but in Massachusetts local government doesn't get any of the sales tax revenue anyway, only property taxes and hotel taxes. There is the new local meals tax option, but nothing for supermarkets. So feel free to shop in Cambridge if that's what you're worried about.

It would be really unpleasant to carry groceries from the respective Whole Foods or Trader Joe's to Alewife or Central, down into the station, up out of your home station, and then to your house. Even with a granny cart it wouldn't be much fun.

It's not ideal, no, but I do it all the time--even in the winter, and it's not the most horrendous.

I do it with a granny cart. I actually prefer the TJs in Arlington Heights, though, cos overall it's easier on buses (if you get the newer kneeling ones) than trains plus lots more sidewalk walking. The TJs location at Alewife is going to be a smidge more T-station accessible than the Whole Foods and other plaza across the street, at least.

I took a granny cart on a #77 once (Porter Square Shaw's to Day Street), and neither the bus driver nor the other passengers appreciated it much. It was really crowded and I probably won't try it again.

i used to do that when i lived in brighton the first time and it was always AWFUL.

i resorted to using peapod even though the prices and selection were far from ideal.

In particular, why can't we get one of these 'good markets' to move into the closed, vacant Winter Hill Star Market?

I think the problem is simply the "buying power" in a circle around that location isn't high enough, and the demographics don't check out, for a "good market". Maybe in 20 years.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Trader Joe's Fresh Pond will open Friday November 13th

I'm getting pretty tired of this...

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