[EXCLUSIVE] Trader Joe's Joining Johns Creek Development, Likely Coming to Decatur Too

According to several well-placed sources, Trader Joe's has joined the lineup of tenants opening at the upcoming Medley project in Johns Creek.  Those who spoke to ToNeTo Atlanta did so on condition of anonymity, given the grocer's strict NDA (non-disclosure agreement) policy.  

The Johns Creek location would mark at least the third new store in the market for the Monrovia, California-based grocer.  ToNeTo Atlanta was first this past March to report on the Trader Joe's planned for Chastain Market along Roswell Road in Sandy Springs and also reported on the new Trader Joe's coming to Phase 2 of Halcyon in South Forsyth.  

First announced in 2021, Medley is expected to be a 43 acre project at the center of a 192 acre town center development in Johns Creek.  In Medley, Trader Joe's joins previously announced tenants including 26 Thai Kitchen and Bar, Five Daughters Bakery, Amorino gelato, Minnie Olivia Pizzeria, and Fogon and Lions, a local Spanish restaurant.  Others signed to take residence at Medley are Drybar, a Burdlife jewelry store, healing modalities provider Pause Studio, and Clean Your Dirty Face, a facials provider. 

The first openings at Medley are currently expected in late 2026.  

Trader Joe's looks to be coming to Decatur, too.   

Our friends at Decaturish reported September 6 on a grocer being planned as part of the upcoming redevelopment of the "baby Kroger" on Commerce Drive in Decatur that closed in 2022.  A representative from Pope & Land, the firm developing the mixed-use project, referred to the grocer as "reputable" and one that the community would be "excited about."  The unnamed grocer is identified in site plans as 14,500 square feet which is far smaller than any traditional grocer but is basically the exact size of a prototypical Trader Joe's.  

Multiple real estate sources confirmed to ToNeTo Atlanta that Trader Joe's is the planned grocer, but the deal is not yet 100% done.  

Trader Joe's opened its first stores in metro Atlanta in October 2006.  Today, the company operates six stores in metro Atlanta: Midtown, Buckhead, Sandy Springs, Roswell, Peachtree Corners, and East Cobb, with a seventh Georgia store in Athens which opened in late 2010. 

ToNeTo Atlanta reported this past December that the grocer was looking to open as many as six new stores in the greater metro Atlanta area.  

The Chastain Market store is well underway and is reportedly expected to open sometime between mid-October and mid-November slated to open November 1!  The Halcyon store is expected to follow sometime thereafter in December.  ToNeTo Atlanta is tracking two other potential Trader Joe's stores, one of which would come to an existing development in Peachtree City.     

Are you excited about the continued expansion of Trader Joe's in metro Atlanta?  What is your favorite product from Trader Joe's?  Where else in metro Atlanta would you most like to see Trader Joe's open?  

Please share your thoughts below.