Woodstock residents who have been making that long trek to other Trader Joe’s locations might soon find relief closer to home – but only if enough locals make some noise about it.
🏙️ What We Know: Developers at Adair Park have targeted downtown Woodstock for a potential Trader Joe’s location, complete with a ready-to-go 12,000 square foot space that fits the grocer’s typical footprint. The proposed site sits on Main Street with easy access to I-575 and would include 95 dedicated parking spaces at ground level – a rarity for a downtown location and surely a selling point for the notoriously parking-conscious chain.
💼 Who Made It Happen: Eric Richards, Adair Park Woodstock Developer, says he believes Woodstock is the perfect match for Trader Joe’s unique brand. “Trader Joe’s would be perfect in Woodstock due to the city’s rapid population growth, thriving retail market, and strong demand for unique, high-quality grocery options,” Richards said.
📊 Why It Matters: Woodstock has seen population growth of 6.58% since 2020 and expects another 11.08% jump by 2029. The average household income stands at $117,377 – exactly the kind of number that makes grocery executives sit up straight in their ergonomic office chairs. About 40% of residents fall between ages 25 and 54, precisely the demographic that gets excited about affordable organic produce and quirky seasonal items.
🏡 Why This Should Catch Your Attention: Downtown Woodstock has successfully positioned itself as a live-work-play community, but currently lacks any grocery options within walking or golf cart distance. The addition would bring Trader Joe’s famous donation program to town – the company donated 98 million pounds of food to community agencies and food banks last year.
🗣️ Take Action: Trader Joe’s famously bases new store decisions largely on customer requests. Developers are urging residents to complete the store request form on Trader Joe’s website specifically mentioning Woodstock.
🔮 What’s Next: This remains a proposed development that hasn’t received final approval. The site would be part of the larger Adair Park project, which has already developed 70,000 square feet of commercial space with another 100,000 planned in this phase, along with 126 residential units.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
