Houston Expansion: Trader Joe’s opens Kingwood Store

In Houston, Trader Joe’s will open its long-awaited Kingwood store Friday as part of a national expansion. The privately-held neighborhood grocer, which is known for its unique private label products, fun atmosphere, and cult following, has grown to more than 600 stores across the U.S.

The Monrovia, Calif.-based grocer occupies a portion of a former Randalls store in the Kingwood Commons shopping center at 600 Kingwood Drive. It will be the seventh Houston area location for Trader Joe’s, which is also preparing to open in the Towne Lake community at 9715 Towne Lake Parkway in Cypress.

Repurposing Older Buildings into New Trader Joe’s

“It’s been a busy (and exciting) stretch lately. Over the past 6 weeks, we’ve opened 19 new Trader Joe’s stores and officially surpassed 600 locations nationwide.” Sean Murray, senior lease negotiator for Trader Joe’s, said in a recent social media post. “Most of these recent projects repurpose existing buildings, whether by backfilling former retailers or transforming vacant spaces. Working within the confines of older, existing structures requires flexibility and creative solutions, but it’s always rewarding to see these spaces come back to life with a fresh purpose.”

The new Houston stores will be the first to open since Trader Joe’s took over a former Sprouts Farmers Market space in Sugar Land in 2024. Before that, the pace of expansion had been moderate, though not for lack of demand from customers seeking out favorites such as Cookie Butter, Soy Chorizo, and Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets.

For Communities Waiting, Trader Joe’s May Seem Like ‘Trader Slow’

Trader Joe’s, which made its debut in Pasadena, Calif. in 1967, entered the Houston market in 2012. The initial locations opened in The Woodlands, in Montrose at the former Alabama Theater on Shepherd, and at 1440 Voss Road. Stores followed in La Centerra at Cinco Ranch in Katy in 2015, and Royal Oaks Village at 11683 Westheimer Road in 2016.

However, given that it’s been 13 years since Trader Joe’s entered the Houston market, which has a population of more than 7.5 million, the grocer’s expansion in Houston has not been rapid. With seven existing stores and more than 7 million in population, Trader Joe’s would appear to have plenty of room for growth in the Houston area.

Including upcoming openings, Trader Joe’s will have 26 stores in Texas, as stated by the company’s website. A store will soon open in McKinney near Dallas, joining recently opened stores in San Antonio and Bee Cave near Austin.