Thousands of Kansas City consumers lined up for the grand opening of the two newest Trader Joe’s supermarkets, which opened July 15. The Leawood, Kansas, store, in the One Nineteen center at 119th Street and Roe Avenue, and the Kansas City store, in the Ward Parkway Shopping Center, opened at 8 a.m. that day. The Leawood store is the first Kansas location for the grocer. The Kansas City store will join four other Missouri locations, all in the St. Louis area.

Trader Joe’s is known for uniquely distinctive products, including such offerings in the bakery at Rockin’ Chocolate Chip Fudge Cake, Vanilla Bean Mini Cupcakes, Petite Brownies with Sea Salt, and Flourless Chocolate Cake.
Trader Joe’s began in 1958 and has more than 300 stores nationwide. In 2000, the chain opened its first stores in the Midwest, in Illinois.