Trader Joe’s Wine Shop in Union Square closed its doors on Thursday (August 11) after 15 years in business with no prior warning to customers and little notice given to crew members about the closure.
Brown butcher paper covered the storefront windows, and a note was taped to the front door — the only notice customers received about the closure.
“Effective Thursday, August 11 our NYC Wine Shop in Union Square will be closed,” the note read. “It is now time for us to explore another location that will allow us to optimize the potential of our one and only license to sell wine in the state of New York.”
The note went on to say crew members would be paid for all shifts scheduled through Sunday, August 28th.
The wine store was Trader Joe’s only one in New York since state law prohibits corporations from owning or operating more than one wine or liquor store.
Trader Joe’s Wine Shop was known for its wide selection of cheap wines and had a loyal customer base.
Trader Joe’s employees received a similar note to the one taped to the store in their emails at midnight the night before, thanking them for “making the most of the limited space we had available.” It went on to state they would talk to each crew member individually about “the opportunity to transfer to another Trader Joe’s store in New York City.”
A spokesperson for Trader Joe’s did not elaborate on the abrupt closure.