Trader Joe's to Open
Mercury News July 29, 2001
Trader Joe's Market Coming to Mountain View
Food store to fill book shops vacancy
By the Mercury News
The discount gourmet grocery store Trader Joe's will replace the Super Crown bookstore in Mountain View's San Antonio Shopping Center.
The decision is disappointing to the residents of Midtown Palo Alto who had hoped that Trader Joe's would fill the space vacated by the Palo Alto Co-op market, but leaves Mountain View's city leaders and shoppers delighted.
"It's certainly cause for general rejoicing" said city council member Mary Lou Zoglin. "It's one store that everybody seems to like."
With more than 130 stores nationwide, Trader Joe's is known for health and specialty foods and beverages at low prices. Council member Rosemary Stasek said the chain has long been interested in opening a store between those in Menlo Park and Sunnyvale but "they really did have a challenge trying to find a site that had all the parking and the size they were looking for."
Crown books, which operates Super Crown, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February.
The San Antonio Center- on the block bounded by San Antonio Road, El Camino Real, California Street and Showers Drive- is already home to Albertson's and Beverages & More. Stasek said that the opening of Trader Joe's will allow customers to do all all their grocery shopping without moving their car.
Zoglin said she hopes it will compliment- not compete with - the nearby Milk Pail Market, known for it's cheese and produce.
It was unclear Saturday when the new Trader Joe's will open.
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