A new Trader Joe’s opened in Prince George’s County, Maryland, on Thursday, bringing new grocery options to a community that’s been asking for more fresh food.
Twenty minutes before doors opened, the line to get inside the new store in College Park wrapped around the exterior of the 11,000-square-foot store. Once the tropical shirt-clad staff cut the red ribbon, shoppers cheered and streamed in.
Trader Joe’s mega-fan Kim Barnes is happy to know that some of her favorite food items are right down the street from her home.
“We love the kettle corn popcorn and the orange chicken,” Barnes said. “I love the fresh foods that I can get here and even the quick foods I can get here.”
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The store, on Calvert Road near Baltimore Avenue, is the 10th Trader Joe’s in Maryland and the first in Prince George’s County. It’s about a half-mile walk from the College Park Metro station.
Some shoppers told News4 that a new option is welcome in a county with limited higher-end stores, including just one Wegmans and one Whole Foods Market that’s less than a mile from the Trader Joe’s.
“I’m very excited to have another convenient option to have reasonably priced, healthy food choices,” Jacquelyn Morales, a College Park resident, said.
Prince George's County
Prince George's County, Maryland, news updates, events and information
Swaths of Prince George’s County are considered food deserts, meaning they lack easy and affordable access to healthy groceries. A 2015 study by The Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission named College Park as a community with limited supermarket access. Still, some residents are asking when other parts of the county will get more options.
The new Trader Joe’s location brought on 100 workers ahead of the grand opening, with a large chunk coming from the community.
Negotiations to add the chain took years, according to the county’s economic leaders.
