Popular grocer Trader Joe’s will open a store this year on the Baltimore Avenue corridor in College Park after being recruited by partners led by the University of Maryland and the Terrapin Development Company (TDC).
The grocery store, to be located on the ground floor of the Greenbelt, Md.-based Bozzuto Group’s new Aster College Park mixed-use community, will be the company’s first in Prince George’s County.
It follows efforts by the TDC, a real estate entity created by the university and the University of Maryland College Park Foundation, to buy and redevelop the land and to sign on tenants, and is the product of collaborations with County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, County Council member Dannielle Glaros and College Park Mayor Patrick Wojahn.
“We are grateful to city, county and university leadership who have joined forces with Bozzuto, Willard Retail and JP Morgan to champion this effort every step of the way,” said Ken Ulman, TDC president and UMD’s chief strategy officer for economic development. “We are eager for Trader Joe’s to open its doors to Maryland students, faculty and staff and our College Park neighbors, as we drive even more economic growth in the region.”
Trader Joe’s arrival will be the latest gem in the $2 billion revitalization initiative known as Greater College Park, which aims to transform the community into one of the nation’s top college towns. Highlights include The Hotel at the University of Maryland; the Discovery District with tenants such as Adobe, Capital One and WeWork; a surge of new high-rise housing; and the recently opened College Park City Hall.
The addition of the national grocery chain, known for its private-label branded foods and moderate prices, will be part of a much-desired expansion of local supermarket options for faculty, staff, students and other residents, joining Lidl, Whole Foods and Target Express along Baltimore Avenue near the university. Trader Joe’s operates more than 550 stores; the closest ones now are in Silver Spring, Md., and Washington, D.C.
Alsobrooks trumpeted the coming of Trader Joe’s at her annual State of the Economy address earlier today.
“We are all excited to have this new grocery option in Prince George’s County,” she said to cheers from the audience. “This has been a long time coming, and a tremendous amount of work was required to make this happen.”
Aster College Park will open this fall on the site of the former Quality Inn and Plato’s Diner. Located at the corner of Calvert Road, it will offer nearly 400 residential units, two parking garages and 62,000 square feet of retail. The two-building complex, connected by a pedestrian bridge, will also feature outdoor dining and gathering spaces.
“We are delighted that Trader Joe’s will anchor a dynamic retail experience at Aster College Park, giving our residents and the community an extraordinary place to gather,” said Toby Bozzuto, president and chief executive officer of the Bozzuto Group. “Along with our partners, we are so excited to build upon all of the incredible growth taking place in and around College Park.”
Wojahn added that he is thrilled to “welcome Trader Joe’s to our diverse and vibrant community. This high-quality grocer will provide a great business for our residents and visitors, marking another milestone in our reinvention of downtown College Park.”
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