Trader Joe’s has officially announced plans to open a store in South Tampa.
The Tampa Bay Times reports that the California-based grocery chain said it has signed a lease to open stores in Tampa as well as Wellington and Orlando in 2014. The Tampa store will be located at 3808 W Swann Ave., former home of Shapes gym for women, which closed in July.
The announcement comes a few months after paperwork filed with the city of Tampa pointed to the Swann address as the site for the area’s first Trader Joe’s. The company previously stayed silent on the address, despite widespread reports that a location had been secured.
The Times reports that project developers were scheduled to go before the city’s variance review board this week to seek permission to increase the size of signs allowed on the site off Dale Mabry Highway.
The Orlando store will be located in the Dr. Phillips Shopping Center. The Wellington store will be in the Village Green Center.
Trader Joe’s is continuing to expand quickly in Florida. The company also recently signed leases for stores in Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Palm Beach Gardens and Winter Park, according to the Times.
