Update: Trader Joe’s is now open. Click here for a first look inside.
MANHATTAN – The highly-anticipated new Trader Joe’s store located under the 59th Street bridge is just a few weeks from opening, Upper East Site can exclusively report.
Two sources with knowledge of the store’s progress and expected opening date confirm to Upper East Site the so-called Bridgemarket store will open in the first week of December— though no specific date has been finalized.
Exclusive photos reveal the inside of the long-awaited Upper East Side store is nearly complete, with aisles in place with built-in lighting and white speakers at the top pointed down toward shoppers. However, food displays still wrapped in plastic could been seen clustered together inside.
Hardwood counters at the checkout area all matching the architectural renderings provided to the City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission in February 2020.
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The cash registers themselves are in place, plugged in and appear ready to go, though no food could been inside the store as of yet— not a surprise given the expected opening is still more than three weeks away in the first week of December.
Even the eight foot tall woodwork against the store’s massive windows seen from the outside are part of the store’s design. Upon closer inspection they’re actually carefully constructed hardwood shelves, not just plywood to obscure the view for nosy neighbors trying to take a peek inside.
The Bridgemarket’s historic vaulted herringbone tile ceilings have been reconditioned— and you’ll notice it has no light fixtures hanging from it.
Instead, the store is lit indirectly with upward facing lights that illuminate the vaulted ceilings— highlighting the intricate tile work that gives the Bridgemarket its old-New York flair.
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In mid-November, permanent signs up went up at both the East 59th and East 60th Street entrances to the Trader Joe’s new Upper East Side store— the now hiring banner that hung for several months is now gone.
Trader Joe’s for its part has been very tight-lipped when it comes to details about the store, only telling Upper East Site in the past they “plan to open this fall.”
This story has been updated to reflect the addition of permanent signage.
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Morton Williams is a very good chain of stores. O love the smalish one at 1st Ave and 81st str. The employees who worked there for years are like family. Friendly, know customers by their names etc. Plus, the store has a varisty of quality products domestic and imported.
The large supermarket at 1st ave btw 72nd-73rd streets is fabulous. Clean and full of everything one can think of. Often it has good deals on variety of products.
I have to say my experience with Morton Williams and D’Agostino are quite good. Always strange to me to see people hating on them so hard.
Great news. Finally, Midtown & Eastside residents will have a supermarket with reasonable prices for groceries and especially better, polite and friendly employees who not only like their job but are also better trained to be customer friendly. It’s going to be a pleasure not to shop anymore in expensive Morton Williams, Dagastino and Whole Foods with a management who hire employees where the majority of them seem to be bored, somewhat rude and don’t like their job.
So when will it open. Waiting f forever
So when will it open already???????
Agree