The news first broke in the Portland Business Journal, and since then social media has been abuzz with speculation on where the newest store would be located. One theory that has gained traction is that one of the Bales and Lamb’s Marketplaces, which closed in the last quarter of 2019, may be taken over.
Among the area stores that have closed are two Portland locations, Bales Cedar Mills Marketplace and Palisades Marketplace. One of these two might become the city’s newest Trader Joe’s, according to the rumor mill. An email received by the Business Journal from a Trader Joe’s spokeswoman offered the following information:
“While I am not able to confirm an address at this time, I can tell you that we are working to open a new Trader Joe’s store in Portland.”
She further explained that no timeline had been set yet for the store’s opening.
Signage provided by a banner printing service is just one of the ways retail establishments build hype around a new location prior to its opening.
In addition to its three Portland locations, Trader Joe’s operates five additional stores: Beaverton, Clackamas, Hillsboro, Lake Oswego and Vancouver. Presently, Trader Joe’s website has not included any official announcement of a new Portland location and does not have any job listings for Oregon.