Trader Joe’s Not Interested in Former Discount Food Outlet Site

Despite continued lobbying by residents, Trader Joe’s is not interested in the old Discount Food Outlet/IGA site in Canton Village, according to a representative from the building’s owner.

“Trader Joe’s has absolutely no interest in Canton, Connecticut,” said Stan Love, director of Store Development for Bozzuto’s Inc.

The wholesaler will leave leasing the store, which closed last August, to Central Leasing Inc. but Love said he is assisting in the search for possible tenants.

“It’s still available,” he said. “We continue to seek appropriate tenants.”

A representative from Trader Joe’s corporate office in California, who would only give her first name, Hazel, confirmed the site is not on the company’s radar or at least not in its current two-year plan for new stores.

“At this time, we don’t have that site included on that plan,” she said.

In fact no new stores in Connecticut area are part of the company’s two-year plan, which she indicated runs through the end of 2012.

Hazel would not speculate on potential future locations but said the company would consider all the suggestions it gets.  She said people can keep track of new plans through the company’s Web site.

One resident pushing for a natural food store in town is Ellen Knowlton.

“I feel very strongly that we need a healthy grocery store alternative out this way,” Knowlton said.

While consumers seeking organic and local foods year round once had to join co-ops that has changed, she said.

But the Farmington Valley lacks many of today’s options.

Knowlton acknowledged small, organic-oriented specialty stores in Avon and Torrington but said the selection there – and at large area grocers - is limited.

West Hartford has the Trader Joe’s and two Whole Foods stores but the drive from Canton is quite long. 

“It is extremely important to me to be able to have access to local food, organic food, food without GMO's (genetically modified organisms), and non-toxic household products,” Knowlton said. “I know that is important to so many other people in the Valley and northwest corner of the state.”

She said Trader Joe’s does not offer as many organic products as Whole Foods but a good selection and the store’s affordability make it attractive.

Knowlton is not only one looking for a natural food store, especially Trader Joe’s, to come to the area. Numerous e-mail and facebook messages are circulating, urging people to push for Trader Joe’s to come to the Canton Village site.

Currently, however, no plans for any natural food stores have been submitted, town officials said.

Whole Foods representatives, so far, have not returned phone calls from Patch.