Rumors are once again sizzling up, even saying it’s “confirmed,” that Trader Joe’s is closer to opening a grocery store in Downtown LA. You remember earlier this year when the exciting rumors had surfaced that the holy-grail-of-all-markets-for-Downtown LA, Trader Joe’s, was sniffing out potential sites? This would obviously be after their “three year ban” on downtown finally comes to an end later this year. LA Weekly even ran an update to the rumor reporting that a rep from Trader Joe’s said “Downtown Los Angeles is not in our two-year plan.” This all makes sense now (explained below) given that the latest rumor says Trader Joe’s may have found a new home at The Bloc — the highly anticipated and super exciting $160+ million makeover of Macy’s Plaza located in the heart of the Financial District opening in late 2015/early 2016.

According to the most recent rumors, Trader Joe’s will be opening in the lower level of The Bloc taking over the surrounding space of what used to be a large Carl’s Jr within the mall’s food court area. Trader Joe’s would be located ideally at the corner of 8th and Hope, which would be pretty much equidistant from both Ralph’s Fresh Fare a block south and the new 42,000 square foot Whole Foods a block east (read: synergy). Since the existing loading area is also located on 8th Street in “the back” of The Bloc, putting Trader Joe’s next to 8th Street grants imperative access to the loading area.

And what about the “two-year ban” reported by LA Weekly? Well, it all makes sense when you do the math. See, the three-year ban started in Sept 2011, which means that Sept 2014 would be the end of that. Since the LA Weekly story ran in early 2014, the updated two-year figure would end in early 2016, which is right around the same time The Bloc is supposed to be reopened to the public from ugly duckling to swanky swan.

Crossing my fingers!

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