Hayes Valley: Trader Joe’s gets the green light at 555 Fulton St.

Advocates of Trader Joe’s celebrated passing a key hurdle this week as San Francisco city planners unanimously approved the conditional use permit for the popular neighborhood grocer to establish a 16,800 square foot store at 555 Fulton Street in Hayes Valley. The store offers general food and merchandise and will have fresh produce, meat, bakery, bulk products, cheese, deli, floral, pastry, seafood, nutrition, and wellness departments, according to hearing documents. The hours of operation will be from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and the store will employ approximately 110 employees.

The authorization specifies the new store is necessary and desirable, is compatible with the surrounding neighborhood, and will increase options and access to healthy foods in the Western Addition and Hayes Valley neighborhoods.

Trader Joe’s received special consideration by meeting two key affordability criteria. First, it will accept payment from individuals that participate in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women (WIC) program. And second, it provided a food program cost analysis showing local residents could spend less of their income on everyday grocery items in a monthly USDA-approved food plan at Trader Joe’s compared with typical low- or moderate-cost plan expenses.

The analysis further noted that the project is not expected to affect existing traffic patterns and the site is well-served by public transit lines.

The new Hayes Valley location could open in 2022 or 2023, according to reports.