Trader Joe’s petition surges past 3,000

You want the good news or the bad news first?

Good news is that yesterday’s Bring Trader Joe’s to KC post helped push membership in the group to a couple hundred people above 3,000. Not only does that mean that Kansas City has bettered Nashville’s petition numbers (suck it Nashville!) but, according to my unscientific calculations, Kansas City has passed Austin, Texas and become the biggest TJ petition group on the Web. 

Bad news is that a Trader Joe’s didn’t miraculously ascend from the heavens upon a chariot made of gold and set up in Kansas City, Missouri. In fact, Trader Joe’s appears to be giving KC the brush-off. I called the top marketing person at Trader Joe’s twice yesterday and got no response.

Web group founder Rachel Perry Hanses is asking people to twitter Trader Joe’s. And you can always request a location online. A squeaky wheel gets a grocery store — just ask downtown.

And to answer a question in several comments yesterday about why Kansas City needs a Trader Joe’s. Let’s face it: Kansas City doesn’t really need another grocery store. But to keep attracting those young adult professional types that cities so desire, they have to give these people stuff they like. Quality grocery items at dirt-cheap prices in an eccentric environment are loved by young professionals, old professionals, non-professionals and just-plain-poor-asses like me. That, and two-buck chuck.