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Sunday, November 15, 2026Nov 15

Trader Joe’s explores Chattanooga for store, company says

Shoppers are crammed into a new Trader Joe's store, which opened in October in west Little Rock. Lines of prospective shoppers stretched for over 100 yards before the store opened. / Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/John Sykes Jr.
Shoppers are crammed into a new Trader Joe's store, which opened in October in west Little Rock. Lines of prospective shoppers stretched for over 100 yards before the store opened. / Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/John Sykes Jr.

Specialty grocer Trader Joe’s is eyeing new store sites in Tennessee, including Chattanooga, but a unit isn’t confirmed, the company says.

“Our real estate team has explored/is exploring some sites in Tennessee, including Chattanooga,” said company spokeswoman Kenya Friend-Daniel. “However, at this time, they’re just looking – nothing has been confirmed.”

The spokeswoman said that the Monrovia, California-based company is “always looking for great locations that would be a fit for a Trader Joe’s store.” She said the company’s goal each year is to open 20 to 30 stores.

Trade Joe’s already has stores in Knoxville, Nashville, and Germantown, outside Memphis, in Tennessee. The company opened a second location in Nashville last October, at about the same time a site debuted in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Trader Joe’s remains on the wish list of many Chattanoogans.