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By Jill Nagy
Trader Joe’s opened a store in Halfmoon in September, its second outlet in the Capital Region. The grocery chain offers a variety of food products, most of them under its own label, and a few local, mostly produce, items.
“We know there are a lot of foodies in Halfmoon, and we knew there was some community interest in having a Trader Joe’s in the neighborhood. So, we did our due diligence and decided it was a great fit,” said company spokesperson Rachel Broderick.
The store is located at 2 Halfmoon Crossing. It is a free-standing building, approximately 12,500 square feet, surrounded by more than 100 parking spaces.
Thomas Witte, referred to as Captain Tommy, manages the new store. He celebrates 20 years with the company this year and spent the past six years managing the Trader Joe’s outlet in Colonie.
The store has 85 employees. According to Broderick, approximately 80 percent of them were hired from the local area.
While many area businesses are struggling to find staff, Broderick said, “We are fortunate to have a reputation as a good employer, so we were able to hire a great crew. . . . We are always looking for great crew members, though, so anyone interested is welcome to apply on our website.”
Non-management employees are $17-$19 per hour, depending on experience, she said.
To help make shoppers feel at home and see the business as their neighborhood grocery store, the new Trader Joe’s is decorated with artwork portraying local landmarks such as the Twin Bridges and scenes of apple orchards and native wildlife.
The first Trader Joe’s store opened in 1967 in Los Angeles. It is now a chain of more than 500 stores in 42 states and Washington, D.C.
So far, in Halfmoon, “Business has been great. The community has extended such a warm welcome,” Broderick said.
The store is open daily 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The website is traderjoes.com.