My car was killed by the deluge of rain that hit Washington, D.C. in late June.  Suddenly, our household was dependant on charitable friends, public transportation, and Larry/Ralph (my left foot and right) to get our weekly grocery shopping done.  I realize that for many in the Greater U Street neighborhood, this has been their situation for a long time, but like most, the fact did not hit home until it really hit home.

 

Getting to the grocery stores that border our community - Shaw to the south, Columbia Heights to the north, Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan to the west - is restrictive at best.  And, my pocketbook cannot support a weekly trip to Whole Foods for all of our essentials. 

At this point I began to ask why U Street did not have a viable grocery store option for the variety of tastes and incomes that this community attracts and serves?

 

Neighbors, public officials, and others responsible for addressing such things acknowledged this market gap, but few tangible solutions were offered.  Then I heard the rumor that Trader Joe’s was being courted to open a store in MidCity, and so I started my mission to rally community support to bolster that effort.

 

For those who know Trader Joe’s, there is no need to explain what a perfect shopping option the market would provide to the neighborhood.  For those who are not yet familiar with TJ’s, over it’s 40 years of operation the company has built a loyal following by offering quality products at consistently low prices.  

 

Trader Joe’s acknowledges that it cannot compete with supermarkets in offering fresh produce and meats – but I recently purchased a whole chicken for less than $5.00, salmon filets for $7.13, and I swear by TJ’s salsa as one of the freshest I have purchased in the DC Metro area!

Washington DC will see it’s first Trader Joe’s in the West End neighborhood, scheduled to open in 2007.  I have been told that it would be foolish to begin a “We Want Trader Joe’s” campaign for U Street / MidCity until we see how strong that store’s numbers are…   I say, why wait?!? 

Since the beginning of August, I have gathered more than 1,000 signatures in support of bringing a Trader Joe’s to the neighborhood and have shipped them off to TJ corporate in Massachusetts.  (There is not an email address, one must use old-fashioned methods to get their attention.)  I will continue to collect and send packages throughout the season, or until an agreement is signed, sealed, and delivered confirming that MidCity will have a Trader Joe’s.

You can help by: