UPDATE: Thursday, September 3 at 8 p.m.: In a possible major development, Trader Joe’s website for the West 72nd Street and Broadway store states “Regular Hours on 9/7.” This would indicate that the location at 2073 Broadway will reopen from its renovations on Monday, September 7, but the company has not confirmed it.
However, as Priscilla and Jeff pointed out in the comments, the “Regular Hours on 9/7” appears to be on the website for every Trader Joe’s location. The message might have been automatically posted for each store to let customers know about Labor Day hours, and not at all related to when the 72nd Street outpost will reopen.
By Gus Saltonstall
West Side Rag is generally in the business of reporting on cold, hard facts.
However, given the gravity of the closure of the Trader Joe’s at Broadway and West 72nd Street, we thought it would be worth letting readers in on some growing buzz we’ve heard connected to the store’s reopening.
Rumors are swirling that the grocery store at 2073 Broadway will reopen in the next few weeks, with a specific goal of either Thursday, September 10, or Friday, September 11. The Upper West Side Trader Joe’s location has been closed since May 17, 2026, for renovations.
At the time of closure, a Trader Joe’s spokesperson told the Rag the closure would last “several months,” but the company has never given a more specific reopening date.
Last week, West Side Rag asked multiple cashiers at the Trader Joe’s at Columbus Avenue and West 93rd Street if they knew anything about when the 72nd Street outpost would reopen. Both of the employees said they had heard it would be soon after the Labor Day weekend.
On Wednesday, a pair of tipsters wrote into the Rag with the following note.
“Just spoke with some of the construction workers inside Trader Joe’s this am — they said they are reopening in a few weeks!!!”
The pair then followed up after one of them returned to the store that same day and asked a construction worker for an exact reopening date, and was told Thursday, September 10.
On Thursday morning, the Rag visited the outside of the West 72nd Street store and asked two men who walked out of the business if they knew when it would reopen; one of them said: “The goal is next Thursday or Friday.”
To be clear, these reopening dates are not confirmed, and when we sent an email to Trader Joe’s, this was their response on Wednesday.
“We do not yet have an opening date to share,” a Trader Joe’s spokesperson wrote. “I can let you know as soon as a date is confirmed.”
We will continue to monitor the situation.
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The sooner the better. I want all those displaced TD fangirls and fanboys out of my markets and back where they belong, which is waiting on an absurdly long line for mediocre products at the most over-rated food store on the UWS.
It’s about how super-expensive the UWS has become. We’re getting priced out, and nobody in city government is offering any solutions unless you’re on SNAP benefits or go to food banks. For the rest of us—bupkis.
This week, I just needed dried cranberries for a kale salad. I didn’t need organic or anything special. Whole Foods had an ordinary 2 cup bag for $12.99. Trader Joe’s had same for $2.99. Sometimes you have to stand in line so not to get ripped off.
Perhaps you should consider how the so-called “TJ fangirls and fanboys” felt about having to shop in the markets where you are present.
Are you happy about anything? Your constant negativity and criticism of various businesses is not OK. If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. I wish WSR would use its usual aggressive censorship on you – you are constantly the turd in the punch bowl and bring this whole place down, taking away from usually excellent reporting and a lively comment thread.
Note that I am not saying that everyone needs to love everything. But your nastiness is really over the top. Very Trumpy.
Turd in the punch bowl — delicious! And I thought the roaches at Sweetgreens were just raisins.
And yet you just have to respond. Seems my posts have given you a new raison d’etre, so really you should be thanking me.
Maybe don’t go. Problem solved.
Wrong. We would not wait in lines if the products were mediocre. But you go where you like and I’ll do the same, no judgement. For everyone else, go in the morning and the lines are short. Can’t wait for it to reopen. I’ve been to the store on 125th and have to say it is beautiful–very wide aisles, lots of efficient cashiers and the same inventory.
Love that location! The one on 93rd is a nightmare, maybe due to the closure on 72
That is absolutely the reason. 93rd is great when 72nd st is also open. Employees are nicer, too.
I always found the 93rd St location to have lots of out of stock items. I never found out when they restock the shelves so I probably go at the worst time.
They restock daily in the last hour of operations. If you ask an employee, they are very helpful in either finding the item you want if it has yet to be unboxed or finding out when it is expected to be back on the shelves.
You are right! I have experienced such acts of kindness there too. The irbreads and produce are fresher than 72nd St. Were too.
The funny thing is, this post is an example of your tone when you are happy. Other’s would go with “Yay, my store will go back to a normal amount of customers”
Exactly. I’m ecstatic that this nuisance clientele will be out of my hair and even more amused by these comments.
No Christmas pudding for you.
Did you once own D’Agostino’s?
Yay!, my store will go back to a normal amount of customers.
Or… my store won’t be as crowded as it has been since TJ closed.
It’s the most affordable food store on the UWS. Affordability is going the way of the dinosaur and for those of us who aren’t rich, Trader Joe’s makes it possible to get fresh food for reasonable prices, for which I’m really grateful.
We UWSiders blew it by somehow losing the Wegman’s that was supposed to open on Bway and 61 (?).
Can the West Side Rag investigate and report how that happened?
The Wegmans upstate are supermarket crown jewels.
Overrated. In Western New York, there was (and still is) a serious dearth of quality grocery stores and/or specialty food shops (butchers, seafood purveyors, cheese-mongers, ethnic grocers, etc.). Not the case in NYC, so down here Wegmans is just another supermarket competing for the Whole Foods demographic. Danny Wegman can keep it.
I asked the cashier who checked me out at the Columbus Avenue store this morning (before this post was posted) what the story was about the 72nd street store. She said what she knew was that Friday this week was the last day for the crew who had been imported from 72nd street to 93rd street.
I was told the same thing by an employee in the 93rd St. store.
Important new evidence!
And they “checked you out.”
?
Yeah, colloquial American English.
At 4PM on Wednesday (yesterday) I saw a great big deliver of TJ frozen food. When I met one of the crew going into the store a moment later, he said it looked “really good” for THIS FRIDAY…tomorrow! He seemed genuine.
I’m going to stick with that story!
September 15 is my prediction for reopening and I can’t wait 😬
The TJs website says “Regular Hours on 9/7” for the 72nd street store!! Yay!
The TJs website, says “regular hours on 9/7” for the 72nd street store.
I also was told by a construction worker leaving there yesterday that the store would definitely open sometime in September. But said there’s still a lot of work to be done and couldn’t give me a date. Can’t wait!
It would be amazing to have TJ’s open before Rosh Hashanah. It will reduce my produce bill!
sarcasm is the lowest form of wit
It did pretty well for the Coen brothers.
Why did it need to be renovated? It’s one of the most modern grocery stores on the Upper West Side!
The overworked elevator and escalators were beginning to break down almost every day and badly needed replacing. I was thankful each time I went for the incredible patience and cheer of the overworked employees.
I heard the escalator broke down which replacement led to more extensive renovations. Not sure this Is true but the precipitous closure suggests it wasn’t planned.
The escalators haven’t been completely operational since the store’s original opening. And I’m looking forward to a fully functional elevator.
The building is around 20+ years old. The escalators break downs were frequent. I think they had to replace both of them. The rest of the store might look exactly the same.
The lines will be worst than before due to the inflation effects from the war in the Middle East.
The pasta and seltzer is still 99¢, but curb your enthusiasm.
So is the plain Greek yogurt.
I looked at the website and checked the other locations and they all say Regular Hours 9/7. So who knows what that means
Occurs to me that the 7th is a holiday so TJ is just saying that stores will be open and this status update was applied across the board.
Remember TJ’s needs to be restocked. All items may not be available. The website says 9/7 thru 9/10 and CLOSED 9/11 to 9/13. Very mysterious.
Does it? It says close Friday, Saturday, and Sunday but that may mean today, tonorrow and Sunday the 6th.
And today, Saturday, itvsays close Saturday and Sunday then open M-F. I think they plan to reopen monday morning. I’m going to get in line now.
I am so happy to hear this! Thank you!
Yesterday (9/3) I saw deliveries of non-perishable TJ-branded items in the delivery area. There should be a street party for the re-opening.
On a related note, since I can only assume it was all a cruel joke, when will the Wegmans signage come down?
I saw somebody working on the entranceway a couple of days ago, and I thought that might mean they were getting to the end of the to-do list ….
Guys, I’m as excited as anyone about what appears to be an imminent reopening, but the “regular hours 9/7” thing just seems like a reference to Labor Day hours at TJ’s locations that are open.
As Priscilla noted above, it’s on the webpages for every TJ’s location, so it was presumably applied automatically across the entire TJ’s website.
Personally I like the lines. It gives me the opportunity for my 73 year old brain to remember and grab some of the things I wanted since I don’t write lists. Also, I look at everyone’s cart for inspirition. I am a terrible cook and when i see an interesting assortment, I get inspired. What I especially love is the couples who get on the line with an empty cart. One of them holds their place, while the other does the shopping. Darting from place in an orchestrated dance of percision and completion just prior to the line manager directing them to a cashier. Kentic art at it’s best. Not to mention the always fun people watching. Who needs a museum when you have the TJs Gallery? And finally, where else can you feel like Lionel Messi kicking your basket along the floor towards the ultimate cashier goooooooooooal!
Good news, Now, what’s the deal with the UWS Wegman’s??
My hair is on fire!
Not to overwhelm the staff at the WSR, but can we get a ETA for the new super elevators across the street at the northside subway station. There seems to be nothing going on for months since someone’s complaining made the local TV news.
I’m sure you guys have the funds in the budget for a low level monthly membership at the Truth API.
I hope they have the decency to reopen the bathrooms and not discriminate against certain neighborhoods.
what are you talking about
This is what I’m talking about.: TJ on 72nd Street used to have bathrooms on the lower level. A year or two ago, they closed them, citing security concerns. Although they’ve also closed restrooms in a couple of their other stores, many TJs in NYC still have bathrooms, like the one on East 59th Street and several others.
Honesty, I didn’t mind going to the location in the 93rd Columbus location. I liked not having the lines all around the store, and the checkout was faster. The 72nd is closer to the subway, which is nice. I will go back to the 72nd street location, but 93rd was definitely not a bad alternative. The 72nd location is bigger, I guess, with more selections, I think.
The East 59th Street store is worth the trip. Long lines that move at warp speed.
It’s been such a relief NOT to have TJ’s here! Sorry to say they brought trash and crowds to our neighborhood and panhandlers and on and on. TJ’s on 1st ave. @60 th is calm and clean -they have their own territory NOT near a subway and on street level. The W.72nd store is dank and often has spoiled food and produce. Another degradation of our neighborhood which prior had fine clothing stores and interesting shops.
Utter nonsense
Oh, my. Probably you should go into the renovated W.72nd one; it sounds as though you had never been in it. Are you perhaps someone who would prefer to live on UES?
Was just at that TJs a week ago it’s very nice and big with arched ceilings—agree it’s nice
Sby, those are Gustavino tiled arches, original to the Queensboro bridge construction! Have you ever tried the Whispering Gallery at Grand Central just outside the Oyster Bar? Same Gustavino. New York City destination.
Lucky TJs to be in that location!
The tile engineer family name that much enhanced NYC is Guastavino
Thank you for the cool info—I worked around Grand Central for many years and I’m not sure I ever knew that— it is beautiful architecture
Interviewees: “Multiple cashiers” v. “both” is funny, but it’s all good news if TJ’s is open again very soon! Would you please explain how TJ’s and Aldi’s compare? (founded by brothers, I think) I’ve never been to an Aldi, but hear it’s “reasonable.”
It’s also very far away (East 117th Street and East river).
There is now another Aldi’s location on west 42nd st off 8th avenue (north west corner between 8th & 9th). They opened on June 19th. You’re welcome!!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!!!
—WSR—
They are answering the phone at the store, so that’s probably good news.
I love the original artwork and skillful signage! I hope the renovators preserved them. Please remind us of the artist’s name.
They have just out artwork up, the little one can see from the street. Signs of progress
I don’t wait on a long line. I take a bus and then walk, and then shop at my leisure, and THEN stand on a long line, which goes much faster than your short, expensive line.
9/6 update- I called the store, they indicated that they are NOT opening on 9/7…. They won’t say for sure but it seems like sometime later this month is when they plan to open
In pursuit of further intel, called the number for the 72nd street TJs on their website today and the person told me they are planning to open in the next 1-2 weeks.
Wednesday 9/9 about 11 a.m., the fellow overseeing the exterior work said they were aiming to be open on Saturday. so not Labor Day, but Labor Day week. I’ll take it!