Compiled by Linda Collins
Brooklyn Daily Eagle

COBBLE HILL — The long-awaited Trader Joe’s Brooklyn will open to the public — with appropriate fanfare — at 9 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 26.

The company announced its grand opening on Tuesday, saying it planned in lieu of a ribbon cutting a ceremonial lei cutting — the store’s way to welcome new customers “Trader Joe’s style.� Set to participate are Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, Trader Joe Brooklyn’s Captain (aka store manager) Greg Glei and his crew, Trader Joe’s Regional Vice President Jim Poppe and Jed Walentas of Two Trees Management Co., the owner of the site — the landmarked former Independence Community Bank at 130 Court St.

Trader Joe’s, described as “a unique neighborhood grocery store with foods and beverages from the exotic to the basic,� also plans live music by the JahPan Caribbean Steel Drum Band, free giveaways to the first 100 customers, raffle prizes, a variety of free samples and free stickers for the kids. The new 14,000-square-foot store will be open from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. daily, and features the traditional Trader Joe’s cedar-covered walls and Hawaiian-inspired elements “with a local flare including art that celebrates the rich heritage of Brooklyn’s history,� according to a company spokesperson.

Worked With Brooklyn Historical Society on Artwork

Specifically, the store’s crew members worked together with the Brooklyn Historical Society and obtained reproductions of the borough’s key sites and incorporated these images into several handcrafted murals painted to look like the original photographs. The scenes selected include Coney Island, the Brooklyn Bridge, Ebbet’s Field and Downtown Brooklyn.

In addition, every sign, including the shelf tags and chalkboards have been hand-drawn to reflect the borough’s old town market scene using old fonts and lithograph techniques.

Crew members also worked with developer Walentas on commemorating the site where the former bank building stands — a decisive battle fought by revolutionary troops under the command of General George Washington during the Revolutionary War. A plaque commemorating Washington’s victory that is located just near the front doors has been preserved.

Among other original items they retained are three antique chandeliers, some original marble paneling and a gold-leaf plaque depicting “Prudence� and “Justice.�

Seen as Welcome Addition to The Neighborhood

For the neighborhood, this is a welcome development, local residents say. The closest supermarket is a small Key Food store at Clinton Street and Atlantic Avenue, a block away.

“A Trader Joe’s would not only answer a known need, but its commercial novelty would also be a draw,� wrote Eagle columnist Dennis Holt in an earlier article. “And it would also contribute to the boom on Atlantic Avenue, a boom to which Two Trees has already contributed with its nearby apartment buildings and retail stores like Urban Outfitters, New Balance and Lenscrafters.�

New store manager Glei comes to Brooklyn from the Trader Joe’s store in Hadley, Mass., and has worked for the company for more than a decade.

First Mate (aka assistant store manager) Vanessa Chirgwin comes from the Queens store. She has been with Trader Joe’s for five years.

© Brooklyn Daily Eagle 2008 All materials posted on BrooklynEagle.com are protected by United States copyright law. Just a reminder, though -- It’s not considered polite to paste the entire story on your blog. Most blogs post a summary or the first paragraph,( 40 words) then post a link to the rest of the story. That helps increase click-throughs for everyone, and minimizes copyright issues. So please keep posting, but not the entire article. arturc at att.net