Seven Days reported earlier this week that Healthy Living Market and Café‘s landlord, Malone Properties, is in talks with Trader Joe’s to open a branch of the California-based chain right next door to the South Burlington store. At the time, we were unable to reach Healthy Living owner, Katy Lesser, for comment. This morning she responded to Malone Properties owner Patrick Malone’s assertion that she was excited about the new neighbor.

Though Lesser says she won’t be making any shopping trips just north of her own business, she’s not losing sleep over the possibility of a Trader Joe’s next door.

For one, the chain, known for its “Two Buck Chuck” Charles Shaw wine label and sometimes exotic frozen foods, will not be carrying the locally farmed meats, veggies and cheeses for which Healthy Living is known. “We really try to focus on organic here,” explains Lesser. “The quality of product in places like our bulk department will not be the same at Trader Joe’s… We focus so much on fresh —Trader Joe’s does a great job, but they don’t do a lot of fresh.”

Lesser also notes that her store’s health and beauty department and prepared foods are specialties the big business will not be able to replicate.

Devoted Healthy Living customers can stop worrying, says Lesser. She’s not concerned. “The natural order of business is competition,” she says. “I’m into the game and I’m happy.”

This article appears in Apr 18-24, 2012.

AAN award-winning food writer Alice Levitt is a fan of the exotic, the excellent and automats. She wrote for Seven Days 2007-2015.

8 replies on “Healthy Living Responds to Encroaching Trader Joe’s”

  1. Why do we need a Trader Joe’s when we have Cheese Traders? It seem to me that Cheese Traders is a non-franchise local version of the TJs.

  3. I still think Trader Joe’s needs to be on Shelburne Road.  I think it is silly they should be next door to another store that carries similiar dry good items.  I love Healthy Living’s Juice Bar, bakery, deli etc.  I will go their just to get a fresh juice. 

  5. Well, Cheese Traders re-sells Trader Joe’s merchandise.

    I’m glad to see Trader Joe’s finally make it to Burlington. I can’t afford Wealthy Living, and I refuse to set foot in Cheese Traders again. The one time I went there (October 2009), half of the items
    in the dairy case were past the sell-by date. Some were several months
    past the sell-by date. I’ve never seen that at Trader Joe’s.

  6. I don’t know what all the fuss is about…In Hadly Ma there is a Trader Joe’s and a Whole Foods not more then 200 yards away from each other. Both stores seem to be doing just fine….. I hope TJ is coming! I miss my Joe’s O cereal……

  7. There is a difference between expired food and spoiled food.
    Cheese Traders does not sell spoiled food, all of their products maintain 100%
    quality. Best of all, they are completely transparent about their business
    model and many people, like myself, love it. While this may not be your
    preference, I would love to see more stores like Cheese Traders selling
    perfectly good food even if the package says it’s a past it’s expiration date
    — this beats throwing it away.

  8. There is a difference between expired food and spoiled food. Cheese Traders does not sell spoiled food, all of their products maintain 100% quality. Best of all, they are completely transparent about their business model and many people, like myself, love it. While this may not be your preference, I would love to see more stores like Cheese Traders selling perfectly good food even if the package says it’s a past it’s expriation date — this beats throwing it away.

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