The main challenge for the chain, says Tuzzolino, will be picking the right East Coast markets with consumers who are willing to try something a little different. Trader Joe's began in 1958 as a chain of convenience stores called Pronto markets in the Los Angeles area. In 1979, he sold the chain to the secretive German billionaires the Albrecht family, who own an estimated 4,500 Aldi deep-discount markets in Europe and the United States and an 11.6 percent stake in the Albertson's supermarket chain. Part of Trader Joe's appeal is that despite its fancy fare, it doesn't take itself too seriously. The motif, if you can call it that, is vaguely reminiscent of Gilligan's Island.
Employees are clad in Hawaiian shirts and khakis.
Brightly colored plastic fish hang from the ceiling. Seafaring tunes play throughout the day. Even the food selection is kind of goofy. There's ahi jerky, chili and lime tortilla chips, vegetarian dog biscuits, and pineapple salsa, to name a few. We want our products to be whimsical, tactile, informative, and just plain fun.