Trader Joes China

The sign outside a Trader Joe's in Los Angeles is seen in a file photo. The specialty grocer is planning a location in DeWitt.

(Ric Francis | AP Photo)

DeWitt, N.Y. — One of the hottest retailers in the country has Erie Boulevard in its sights.

Trader Joe's, the specialty grocery store known for its Hawaiian shirt-clad employees and eclectic mix of products, has plans for a location at the Raymour & Flanigan plaza in DeWitt. The proposal is working its way through the town's planning board, according to meeting minutes.

Work could start soon.

The chain has about 400 stores around the country. The closest one to Syracuse at the moment is in Rochester. The company also has locations in Albany and Buffalo.

Trader Joe's is well-known for its own line of merchandise. Most of the items the stores carry are the company's brand.

Some of the chain's top items in 2013 included its pumpkin coffee, spinach and kale yogurt dip, cranberry goat cheese log and the ever-popular Charles Shaw Wine. The wine is also known as Two Buck Chuck in honor of its $1.99 price tag when it was introduced in 2002.

Of course, grocery stores in New York can't sell wine. No Chuck's for you Syracuse.

The company's brand will hold obvious appeal for Central New York foodies and health nuts. Its eggs come only from cage-free hens and products are free of things like MSG and genetically modified ingredients.

Everything bearing the Trader Joe's name gets reviewed and approved by a tasting panel.

The company was ranked 76 on the Stores magazine list of the nation's 100 hottest retailers last year. The rankings are based on how fast the companies are growing.

U.S. sales at Trader Joe's rose 7.4 percent in 2012 and its store count jumped 5 percent, according to Stores, a trade journal produced by the National Retail Federation's publishing group.

Follow Store Front on Twitter and Facebook and sign up for the weekly Store Front newsletter. Contact Kevin Tampone at ktampone@syracuse.com or (315) 454-2112. Follow him on Twitter @ktampone.