Brevard County is one step closer to getting a Trader Joe’s.
An “early start permit” was approved by county officials July 11. The permit was submitted in March for Trader Joe’s to start construction at 2221 Town Center, located in the Avenue Viera. That address was home to Michaels crafts store, which closed earlier this month.
The description on the application reads, “interior buildout Trader Joe’s.” Although Trader Joe’s and The Avenue Viera officials haven’t officially confirmed the popular grocery store chain is coming to the Space Coast.
Will construction start soon on Trader Joe’s in Viera, what’s next?
“Yes, per the terms of the “Request for Early Start Permit,” the contractor can start the work delineated in the building permit application and plans identified prior to the final approval and issuance of the permit,” according to Brevard County officials. “As for the next steps, the work may be started prior to the final approval and issuance of the permit provided any work completed is entirely at risk of the permit applicant and the work does not proceed past the first required inspection.”
The building contractor is listed as Thomas-Grace Construction, Inc.
Rumors about Trader Joe’s coming to Brevard come up often
Back in December there was a lot of online buzz about Trader Joe’s coming to the Space Coast, but the grocery store’s officials shut down those rumors.
And if you feel like we’ve been down this permit application process with Trader Joe’s before, it’s because we have.
Back in 2017, residents got their hopes up when the grocer applied for a permit with the county, and a former county commissioner announced on social media that Trader Joe’s was coming to Merritt Island.
The plan was for it to move into an abandoned building on State Road 520 that once housed a Barnes & Noble. Trader Joe’s officials never confirmed the Merritt Island location, and it never came to be.
Hopes were raised once again in 2019. That’ when an Eau Gallie Arts District grassroots social-media campaign unsuccessfully attempted to lure Trader Joe’s to open a store inside the shuttered Walgreens. A sign with the Trader Joe’s logo was hung on the building, which got the public excited.
Where are the closest Trader Joe’s to Brevard
There are two in Central Florida
It was recently announced that a Trader Joe’s will open in Daytona Beach.
Spitzer is a Trending Reporter. She can be reached at MSpitzer@Floridatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Brevard County is one step closer to getting a Trader Joe’s. Here’s the latest development
Reporting by Michelle Spitzer and Amber Olesen, Florida Today / Florida Today
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