Why Yakima Residents Want A Trader Joe's Store

In any of those 'what business would you like to see in Yakima?' queries you may see on social media, Trader Joe's is often very high on those lists, if not the number one answer.

It could be something you hear from others who are visiting from out of town on how much they love Trader Joe's or if someone asks you to pick up something from there when you have to sheepishly reply that your town doesn't have one.
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There's plenty of reason to shop at Trader Joe's if there's one in town for healthier options, uniquely branded products and, of course, the famous Two Buck Chuck.

Yakima isn't a likely candidate to get a Trader Joe's but I wanted to reach out to them, directly, to get an official answer.

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How likely is Yakima to get a Trader Joe's?

Quick answer is not very.

There are certain criteria in opening a Trader Joe's store as mentioned by Tasting Table. Here are a few:

Neighborhoods where there is enough people to sustain a store.

Ease of traffic.

If it's the 'right fit' for a neighborhood.

And several more.

Any plans for a Trader Joe's going into Yakima or even Tri-Cities?

Here's what I got back from N. Rohde, public relations manager of Trader Joe's:

"Thank you for thinking of Trader Joe’s and reaching out. At this time, we only have plans in Seattle and Spokane. We are actively looking at hundreds of neighborhoods across the country as we hope to open more new neighborhood stores each year, so new locations are always being considered for future plans. We list all of the stores that are opening soon on our website."

So, at this time, not yet, but Washington does have Trader Joe's locations in the Seattle area as well as Spokane.

The closest location to Yakima is probably the Issaquah location. Hoping that changes in the future.