KISSIMMEE, Fla. – One of the nation’s most popular specialty grocers may soon expand its footprint in Central Florida, with potential new Trader Joe’s locations being considered in Orange and Osceola counties.
A proposed store at The Loop in Kissimmee would bring the chain to one of Osceola County’s busiest retail hubs, a sprawling plaza currently anchored by stores like Bone Fish, Ross, Michaels and Sephora. Shoppers say the addition of Trader Joe’s would be a welcome fit for the high-traffic shopping center.
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Trader Joe’s already operates several Central Florida locations, including a popular store in Winter Park where parking is often tight and crowds are steady. Not long ago, grand opening lines wrapped around the buildings when new stores debuted in Melbourne and Daytona Beach.
Mauricio Moreno, who owns a business in the same plaza as the Winter Park Trader Joe’s and shops there frequently, said he would be excited to see the chain expand south.
“I would love that, yes. It’s going to be close to me,” Moreno said when asked about a possible Kissimmee location. He added that he lives “right around the corner” from The Loop West, where the grocer is reportedly being considered.
[WATCH: Trader Joe’s opens newest Florida location in Melbourne]
Business leaders also see potential benefits. John Newstreet, president of the Osceola County Chamber of Commerce, said a new Trader Joe’s at The Loop would likely sit near a landmark many residents recognize.
“If you know where Bonefish Grill is along Osceola Parkway, that is going to be close to where this Trader Joe’s may end up being located,” Newstreet said.
Newstreet noted that Trader Joe’s typically follows a consistent store model.
“I am sure Trader Joe’s has a pretty standard blueprint as to how they lay out their stores,” he said. “From what I understand, it’s about 12,500 square feet, which is similar to the Dr. Phillips location, but also to a proposed location up in Orange County that’s new in the Maitland area.”
[WATCH: Winter Park Trader Joe’s to open Friday (from 2019)]
Shoppers say a specialty grocer would fill a gap in the plaza’s current mix of retailers.
“That’s a great area. We could use a place like that in The Loop,” one customer said. “We don’t have markets in The Loop, so that would be a hit, I would say.”
News 6 reached out to Trader Joe’s for comment on the potential new locations in Maitland, off Maitland Boulevard, and at The Loop in Kissimmee.
The company responded that it is “looking at hundreds of neighborhoods across the country, including in Kissimmee,” but declined to confirm any specific Central Florida sites — although it appears a developer has filed building permits.