WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Trader Joe's is coming to West Palm Beach, according to a company spokesperson.
The store wouldn't confirm the grocer's location. However, the company also didn't deny it was moving into a new development at 8111 S. Dixie Highway encompassing retail stores, a grocery store and an 8-story apartment building with about 350 units.
It's the first apartment building built in the city's south-end neighborhood. The developers are Flagler Realty & Development Inc. and Woodfield Development Company. Flagler Realty and Development told us it couldn't confirm or deny if a Trader Joe's was entering the space due to a grocery confidential agreement.
Multiple construction workers told WPTV's Ethan Stein that they were building a Trader Joe's on the parcel's northeast corner. But, the grocery company also declined to give a timeline for their opening and location.
"We are actively looking at hundreds of neighborhoods across the country as we hope to open more new neighborhood stores each year," said Nakia Rohde, a Trader Joe's Public Relations Manager. "At this time, we have plans to open a store in West Palm Beach; however, I do not yet have a location or timeline to confirm."
WATCH BELOW: Residents learn about new development plans on South Dixie Highway
Neighbors told WPTV they were hopeful a Trader Joe's would come to the area when we first covered the development back in October 2023. Then, the project was controversial because the original proposal had a smaller apartment building with up to 210 apartments and a grocery store or two retail buildings.
The developer also agreed to have 25% of those apartments have rent prices tied to the area's median income and use 24% of their contracts be small businesses or minority/women-owned certified by the city. But, city staff said the plan changed, because West Palm Beach wanted to increase the supply of affordable housing in the city.
The West Palm Beach Trader Joe's will become the fifth store in our area, according to a list of the company's locations. Those other store locations are in Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Palm Beach Gardens and Wellington.
