Photos: Trader Joe’s comes to Texas with splashy opening in Fort Worth

by Teresa Gubbins

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Neither rain nor parking hampered the crowd's enthusiasm.

FORT WORTH — After years of pining and yearning, Trader Joe's came to Texas on Friday morning, with a lei-wrapped opening in Fort Worth, one of the first two to open in Texas, along with Houston.

Official opening time was 8 a.m. but the line had already begun to form at 5:30 a.m.

Ricki Klos, a former resident of the Bay Area in California, got the first spot in line with her less-than-enthused daughter Tilly. "I've been waiting for this day," Klos said.

By opening time, she was joined by a crowd of more than 200 people, whose enthusiasm was not dampened by a slow, steady wave of rain.

A sizable percentage seemed to be California natives who could be heard sharing anecdotes of other Trader Joe's they'd visited, and divulging their favorite Trader Joe's products to a dozen-or-so local media outlets.

Parking seems likely to be a challenge at this tightly-wrapped shopping center, and at 7 a.m., a representative from the property next door came over to warn attendees that their parking lot was verboten, yelling, "You can't park here."

By 8 a.m., Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price arrived to preside over a ribbon-cutting and give a speech thanking Trader Joe's for making Fort Worth their first Texas location.

And then, at long last, the doors opened with an appreciative roar from the crowd, who cheered excitedly as they crossed the entry. Employees in Hawaiian shirts welcomed them by bestowing leis around their necks.

And then it was shop shop shop -- dried cherries, Greek yogurt, candied ginger, frozen mac 'n' cheese, almond butter with flax, and more.

Thanks to Malcolm Mayhew for photos!

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