RETAIL
Trader Joe鈥檚 could come to Albuquerque鈥檚 West Side, permit filings show
Grocery store may be joined by Boba Tea Co., bank and gas station as part of a wave of new developments
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Another Trader Joe鈥檚 may be on the horizon for Albuquerque.
The national grocery store chain, known for its unique store-brand foods and organic and specialty products, could open its first location on Albuquerque鈥檚 West Side, according to permits filed with the city鈥檚 Planning Department. Albuquerque currently has two Trader Joe鈥檚 locations 鈥� one in Uptown and the other near Paseo del Norte Boulevard.
The department鈥檚 ABQ-PLAN map, which shows development activity happening across the city, shows that the land-use planning firm Tierra West submitted a sketch plan application 鈥渇or the development of a Trader Joe鈥檚 grocery store鈥� at 10641 Unser NW on Thursday.
A Trader Joe鈥檚 spokesperson told the Journal on Friday that the company is 鈥渁ctively looking at hundreds of neighborhoods across the country, including in Albuquerque鈥� but that the company does 鈥渘ot have any details to confirm鈥� at this time.
The address in the permit filings belongs to vacant, undeveloped land near the intersection of Unser and McMahon NW, neighboring a retail center occupied by Chicken Salad Chick, Crackin鈥� Crab Seafood Boil, House of Chimney Cakes, Duke City BBQ and Stripes Burrito Co.
Other filings show that the city recently approved a traffic circulation layout plan for the potential Trader Joe鈥檚 development, according to a July 9 filing. Documents in that filing indicate that the proposed Trader Joe鈥檚 will span 13,000 square feet and come with 168 parking spaces. The document also indicates the store could open by 2029.
The land that could welcome Trader Joe鈥檚 sits closest to the Unser and McMahon NW intersection, next to a new commercial building where a Dunkin鈥� is also under construction. Tierra West has submitted a sketch plat application to 鈥渆liminate a lot line鈥� to consolidate two lots 鈥� at 10641 and 10651 Unser NW 鈥� into one.
Tierra West declined to comment on the development, as did NAI SunVista brokers Todd Strickland and Rob Bridges, who have been representing the owner of several acres of land near that intersection 鈥� Holly Partners LLC 鈥� since 2020.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been sworn to secrecy,鈥� Bridges said.
Strickland did say that deals have been secured for five of nine lots the brokers have been marketing for sale on behalf of Holly Partners LLC. Bridges was also able to confirm that the land at 10641 Unser NW is under contract to be sold.
It appears that Boba Tea Co. could also join the area, as the city鈥檚 ABQ-PLAN map and the Bernalillo County Assessor鈥檚 website show that the drink company owns the land between the Tidal Wave Auto Spa car wash and the existing retail center off Unser Boulevard.
Documents in the Trader Joe鈥檚 plan filings also indicate that a residential development including 256 apartments, a drive-in bank and a gas station supermart are also slated to join the area.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 great for the city,鈥� Bridges said of the developments. 鈥淕reat to see some good movement and bring more convenience and amenities to the area.鈥�
Kylie Garcia covers retail and real estate for the Journal. You can reach her at kgarcia@abqjournal.com.
