Stay in the Loop

Trader Joe’s will open a store in Downtown East on July 20.

The California-based grocer is the anchor commercial tenant in the East End, a 181-unit apartment building that recently opened at Washington & Chicago. It will be the only major grocery store on the quickly growing east side of downtown.

“This is a really big deal,” said Dan Collison, executive director of the East Town Business Partnership. “This is probably the first major grocer in well over 50 years that has been on this side of downtown.”

The nautical-themed store, located at 721 Washington Ave. S., will be the company’s ninth location in the state and the eighth near the Twin Cities metro, including stores in St. Louis Park and St. Paul. Similar to other Minnesota locations, the Downtown East will have a separate liquor component with beer, wine and spirits.

Collison said Trader Joe’s will appeal to the diverse income demographics of both East Town neighborhoods, Downtown East and Elliot Park.

“(The fact that) this is Trader Joe’s (and that) it has both value and quality is a big and important statement, and I think it will be a part of how we weave together these neighborhoods of East Town,” he said.

Joining Trader Joe’s in the East End apartment building is a Jimmy John’s sandwich shop, which opened in the spring, and a Starbucks café that has yet to open.

Trader Joe’s is the third major supermarket to open in downtown Minneapolis. It joins Whole Foods, which opened in the North Loop in 2013, and Lunds & Byerly’s, which opened near Loring Park in 2010. Both have separated liquor stores.

Trader Joe’s will open 8 a.m. Friday, July 20.