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The cult-favorite grocery store is finally setting up shop<\/a> in The Big Easy, one of the South\u2019s most iconic cities.<\/p>\n Trader Joe\u2019s<\/a> first New Orleans location will open its doors on Thursday (Aug. 14).<\/p>\n The store \u2014 located at 2501 Tulane Avenue in the Tulane-Gravier neighborhood \u2014 has been two years in the making.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a prime spot for the beloved chain, just minutes from Tulane University, Caf\u00e9 Du Monde, and Bourbon Street.<\/p>\n Read More:\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>119 JCPenney Locations Are Being Sold \u2014 What Does This Mean for the Historic Chain?<\/a><\/p>\n Fans eager for the Trader Joe\u2019s opening date have been watching this<\/a> location take shape for months.<\/p>\n This will be Trader Joe\u2019s first-ever store in New Orleans and the third in Louisiana.<\/p>\n The Times-Picayune<\/em><\/a> first reported in June 2023 that the chain was eyeing the Tulane Avenue address for its first Big Easy Trader Joe\u2019s.<\/p>\n A second New Orleans location on Napoleon Avenue is also planned, though no official opening date has been set. The company simply says it\u2019s \u201ccoming soon.\u201d<\/p>\n In a 2024 episode of the Inside Trader Joe\u2019s<\/em><\/a> podcast, hosts Tara Miller and Matt Sloan shared how the company decides where to expand.<\/p>\n Population density and parking are two of the biggest factors \u2014 not petitions or social media campaigns.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople get so excited about the prospect of one of our stores coming to their neighborhood that they start a social media campaign<\/a>, or they start a letter-writing campaign,\u201d Miller said.<\/p>\n Sloan added: \u201cWhile we love the energy and enthusiasm often expressed in any of those various social media campaigns\u2026they really don’t have much, if any, impact on what we end up deciding.\u201d<\/p>\n Read More:<\/strong><\/em> Love Tomatoes? What Country Fans Can Learn From #SaladGate<\/a><\/p>\n Ultimately, the decision comes down to<\/a> \u201caccess and ease of getting into and out of, and the flow of traffic patterns,\u201d Sloan explained.<\/p>\n Have you ever driven by a store or restaurant and wondered how they’re still surviving? This list includes 18 businesses that exist \u2014 and in some cases thrive<\/em> \u2014 in a climate that just doesn’t seem like it would support them. How many do you frequent?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nA First for the City \u2014 and a Third for the State<\/h3>\n
How Trader Joe\u2019s Chooses New Locations<\/h3>\n
18 Stores You Can’t Believe Are Still Open<\/h2>\n