After months of Colorado Community Media questions, investigations and clandestine drive bys, Trader Joe’s has provided a pivotal update in the case of their Parker location opening: “soon.”
The saga to learn when the doors will open has been a long one, filled with badgering questions from CCM and vague responses from the company.
When the store first received its beer license from the town in February 2021, the regional vice president of the company said the soonest the store would open was a year away.
In January, a reporter asked for any updates on the store, which had shown serious progress in construction. A public relations manager replied simply: “I do not have any updates to share regarding a Parker store. You are welcome to reach out again in the future.”
Repeated, desperate follow-up questions from a reporter went unanswered. Silence ensued. The meaning of life was questioned.
Then, breaking through the chill of a mid-February day, there was a break in the case: the developer for the project, Transmark Company posted to LinkedIn that the store would be opening in May 2022. When asked for confirmation, Trader Joe’s dodged again: “I cannot confirm” was the only response.
Soon after, the LinkedIn post was removed.
Questions and rumors about the storied grocery opening abounded on social media as Parkerites have grown increasingly hungry for cookie butter, cauliflower pizza crust and bags of frozen orange chicken.
Now, there is seemingly an update, though it doesn’t offer much in the way of concrete detail.
“Although I do not yet have a timeline, I am happy to confirm that today we announced our Parker store will be opening soon,” said public relations manager Nakia Rodhe in a March 30 email.
A reporter responded with the questions the hungry Parkerites would surely ask: “Is there any window you can provide for ‘soon’? Does that mean within 1, 3 or 6 months for instance?”
But alas, no further detail was provided beyond “opening soon.”
However, there is some hope on the building, as banners are calling for new employees and saying the store will open “soon.”
A press release will be sent when the store is within two weeks of opening, Rodhe said.