Trader Joe’s road trip from the Golden State to the Red Stick is finally over, and University students are joining in on the action.
The company plans to open its first Louisiana location Oct. 31 on Perkins Road in Baton Rouge.
The once-small chain of California convenience stores is now a booming grocery store chain located all over the United States.
With the opening of a store as large and as talked about as Trader Joe’s, many students are trying to get in with the company.
Harrison Montgomery, education junior and Trader Joe’s employee, said he couldn’t be more excited to have a job at the Baton Rouge location.
“It’s not about selling you groceries and getting you out the door,” Montgomery said. “It’s about making sure you find everything you need and maybe suggesting a thing or two that you might enjoy.”
Montgomery said what impresses him the most about Trader Joe’s is that the grocery store focuses on the customer no matter what.
Trader Joe’s Store Captain of Baton Rouge Brian Augustine said Trader Joe’s chose to land in Baton Rouge for a variety of reasons.
“We love Baton Rouge,” Augustine said. “There are lots of foodies here. We look forward to being a positive addition to this wonderful neighborhood for years to come.”
Trader Joe’s prides itself on providing customers with an array of products for reasonable prices.
Alison Mochizuki, Trader Joe’s spokeswoman, said the store is able to provide products for low prices because the chain offers more than 3000 items under the Trader Joe’s private label.
She added that the company purchases from manufacturers, not distributors and takes brand name products, removes the preservatives and artificial colors and ingredients, and puts the items under the Trader Joe’s label to sell it at a discount.
“Trader Joe’s is going to be a huge plus for all the students on and around campus to have a store so nearby that doesn’t sell you products full of artificial junk, but still manages to keep everything affordable,” Montgomery said.