Polaris’ shopping list is getting longer.
A proposed Trader Joe’s and six new Polaris Fashion Place tenants are the latest additions to a growing retail corridor that continues to make headlines for new investment. By the end of August, the mall, located at 1500 Polaris Parkway, will have added a handful of new businesses ranging from a children’s boutique and fruit snack bar to an interactive craft workshop.
About a mile away, California-based grocery retailer Trader Joe’s has filed plans to open a new store. If those come to fruition, the new location at 2109 Ikea Way would mark central Ohio’s third Trader Joe’s site and Columbus’ second.
These announcements add to a broader surge of retail and entertainment development across the Polaris area. The last year has brought a new Wayfair store, pickleball “eatertainment” destination Smash Park, Puttshack and multiple new retailers at Polaris Fashion Place, including CAVA and Fabletics.
Here’s what to know about the new businesses headed to Polaris.
New Polaris Fashion Place tenants
In a press release announcing the additions, Polaris Fashion Place said the new retailers further cement the mall’s role as a leading regional shopping, dining and entertainment destination.
“Mall guests are looking for unique brands, personalized shopping experiences and destinations that offer something for everyone,” the mall’s general manager Tamra Bower said in the release. “The addition of these retailers reflects our ongoing investment in creating a vibrant shopping environment where visitors can discover the latest fashion trends, express their creativity, and find products for every member of the family.”
Trader Joe’s adds to Columbus
The proposed Trader Joe’s site would be built on Ikea Way across the street from The Galaxy at Polaris, a mixed-use housing and event space project that opened in October 2025, and Puttshack, the tech-driven mini golf venue that opened in later May. The site is currently an open field, according to Google Maps.
Plans filed with the city indicate its interior occupancy area – or usable space inside the building – would be just over 11,700 square feet.
Permits records list NP Limited Partnership, represented by Polaris Real Estate Company, as the property owner and Oculus Incorporated as the design professional. A general contractor has not yet been identified, according to the permits.
Cynthia Rickman, a spokesperson for the city’s Department of Building and Zoning Services, said permits have not been issued because the plans remain under review.
Trader Joe’s did not respond to The Dispatch’s request for comment in time for publication.
The grocery chain currently operates two central Ohio stores, one located at 6355 Sawmill Road in Dublin and the other in Easton at 3888 Townsfair Way.
Reporter Emma Wozniak can be reached at ewozniak@dispatch.com or @emma_wozniak_ on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Trader Joe’s, new mall tenants to boost Polaris business boom
Reporting by Emma Wozniak, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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By Emma Wozniak, Columbus Dispatch | USA TODAY Network
