Safety Harbor Trader Joe’s Sign Might Have Been a Hoax
When news broke last month that a new Trader Joe’s location will open in University Park, it sparked a discussion. Why did Trader Joe’s stop at 2 locations here in the Tampa area? The parking lots at both locations in Tampa and St. Pete are always busy. Couldn’t Tampa Bay support more Trader Joe’s stores?
The new location will opening at 8473 Cooper Creek Blvd in University Park is going to be helpful for our listeners in Parrish, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch and Sarasota. But for those who live north and east of Tampa, it still requires a long drive to shop at Trader Joe’s.
One glimmer of hope appeared on social media. A photo started making the rounds on Facebook and Twitter of a sign posted at the Northwood Oaks shopping center in Safety Harbor. It definitely got the hopes up of many Pasco and Northern Pinellas County Trader Joe’s fans. The sign read “No Trespassing: Authorized personnel only inside fenced area by order of management.” Right below that warning was the Trader Joe’s logo.
The sign was posted at a closed Winn Dixie. It was a Sweetbay at one point. But since 2021, it’s been sitting there empty. There was talk that it would become an Amazon Fresh store.
Trader Joe’s isn’t saying anything about a Safety Harbor location. The speculation now is that the sign was posted as a hoax. Residents posting to the websites reddit and Nextdoor think the sign looked fake and that it was just a prank. One pointed out that managers are not responsible for undeveloped property. Hoax or not, there’s definitely a need for more Trader Joe’s locations in the Tampa area. Where do you think Trader Joe’s should open next? Leave your thoughts on my Facebook page.
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