Trader Joe’s has a fair variety of ethnic foods at affordable prices. The people living in the James Island area would benefit from having one nearby. They are known for many unique items such as Indian pastries, an assortment of dried fruit, $3 wine, cheap and healthy snacks, ravioli variations and more. James Island needs one because there are many basic grocery store chains including Bi-Lo, which is closing its doors in April 2021, Publix, Food Lion, Harris Teeter, and Walmart. And while they all have their perks, Trader Joe’s has an extra flare.

At a steady rate, the median household income for James Island goes up by $2,000-$4,000 each year, and will probably continue to do so.

Right now, the only one in the Charleston area is in Mount Pleasant at 401 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. According to Google Maps, that's 8 miles from James Island. While not a major hike through the woods, the drive is just far enough to be considered inconvenient and brushed off of the to-do list. Also, with so many from surrounding areas driving to shop at this Trader Joe’s, traffic near the store in Mount Pleasant suffers. Having one elsewhere would lessen the volume and make life easier for residents around it.

They are known for many unique items such as Indian pastries, an assortment of dried fruit, $3 wine, cheap and healthy snacks, ravioli variations and more.

Trader Joe’s only builds in areas with a set median household income. According to “The Morning Call” online magazine, the figure is $100,000 hoping to tap into customers with a disposable income. The United States Census Bureau states that James Island was at $81,674 in 2019. At a steady rate, the median household income for James Island goes up by $2,000-$4,000 each year, and will probably continue to do so. Trader Joe’s is very popular — it would thrive in this area and be affordable for the working middle-class.

Putting a new store in its place would allow everyone to either keep their jobs or apply for new ones at Trader Joe’s.

I think that when BILO goes out of business in April 2021, Trader Joe’s should sign a contract on the building space and place one of their stores there at 860 Folly Road near the James Island Connector. All the employees at BILO are going to lose their jobs when the store goes out of business. Putting a new store in its place would allow everyone to either keep their jobs or apply for new ones at Trader Joe’s.

The red dots above show where Trader Joe’s and Bi-Lo are currently. The space occupied by Bi-Lo will soon be vacant for Trader Joe’s to slide right in. If this were to happen, James Islanders would have easy access to a healthy, tasty, affordable grocery store alternative. It’s a win-win situation.