Patient Murfreesboro shoppers lined up Thursday morning for the grand opening of Trader Joe’s on Medical Center Parkway. The Siegel High School Marching Band treated the early birds to an exclusive performance — though many could hardly hear the band as the line quickly wrapped around the entire building.
The new store marks four Middle Tennessee locations for the grocery store chain, known for unique food items as well as collectable tote bags. Construction began in June 2024 for the Murfreesboro location and residents have eagerly awaited the opening.
“I’m a really big Trader Joe’s fan,” shopper Jean Lotz said. “And being an MTSU student, this is now the closest one, instead of having to drive, like, 30 miles to Cool Springs. This is perfect.”
After crew members in Hawaiian shirts cut the grand opening ribbon with giant scissors at 8 a.m., shoppers began funneling in. Trader Joe’s employees gifted shoppers colorful leis and Tennessee-themed reusable bags.
However, these bags were not the must-have item of the event. Trader Joe’s recently released a springtime line of mini canvas tote bags in pastel colors. Despite constant restocks and a limit of 10 per customer, the store sold out at 8:42 a.m. The display was quickly taken down to make room for shoppers checking out.
Employees accommodated guests as best they could, considering the high volume of people in the store. Free samples of staple snacks, including chili and lime-flavored rolled corn tortilla chips and dark chocolate peanut butter cups, tempted customers to add more treats to their carts.
”I really like that it’s so much bigger than the other Joe’s, so it’s not as crammed,” customer Julia McCol said. “And hopefully when there’s less people, it’ll be a little bit easier to walk around in here.”
Despite the chaotic atmosphere caused by the large crowd, shoppers left smiling. Whether customers filled their baskets with fresh flowers, frozen foods or 10 tote bags, Trader Joe’s seemed to have something for everyone.
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