Trader Joe’s Pinecrest to Open in October

OK, Miami, get out your tiki shirts and prepare for the grand opening of the first Trader Joe’s to open in southeast Florida.

The long-awaited Trader Joe’s has finally announced the opening date for its first Miami-Dade location, at 9205 S. Dixie Hwy. in Pinecrest.

See also:

– Five Things You Didn’t Know About Trader Joe’s

The 13,500-square-foot store will open October 18 at 8 a.m., and “trading hours” will be 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Trader Joe’s is much more than a grocery chain. Established in 1967, the company has become well known for its shops paneled with cedar walls and staffed with helpful Hawaiian-shirt-clad employees who sell everything from greeting cards to flat bananas — most of which are private-label products sourced from exotic locales.

Because Trader Joe’s specializes in the exotic and unusual (in addition to pantry staples), the stores have liberal try-before-you-buy and return policies. If you’re unsure you’ll like those seaweed snacks, ask any one of the “crew members” to open the package for you to sample. Don’t like it when you get home? Return it for a full refund.

The store also offers many discounted items, including the famous Charles Shaw wine (also known as “Two-Buck Chuck”) that comes in several varietals. Trader Joe’s also sends local residents its Fearless Flyer, a mashup of Consumer Reports-style product information with some Mad Magazine humor thrown in for good measure.

If you want to wear the Hawaiian shirt, Trader Joe’s will begin hiring crew members for the Pinecrest store Monday, September 9, at 10 a.m. Apply in person at the store. Employment applications can be obtained in advance at traderjoes.com.

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