At last!

Trader Joe's unveils Woodlands store on Friday; date set for Montrose storeopening

The time is near.

Residents in The Woodlands have received a flyer announcing that the Trader Joe's in their neighborhood opens Friday at 8 a.m. The 13,500-square-foot store at 10868 Kuykendahl in the Woodlands Crossing Shopping Center is the first of three stores that the Monrovia, Calif.-based chain plans for the Houston area.

The wildly popular chain is known for its quirky offerings and private label brands. A typical supermarket might offer 50,000 items, but Trader Joe's stocks only about 4,000 brands.

The Montrose Trader Joe's, in the renovated Alabama Theatre at 2922 S. Shepherd, will open on Sept. 21, store officials told the Houston Chronicle. The Memorial store at 1440 S. Voss is scheduled to debut before the end of the year.

The wildly popular chain is known for its quirky offerings and private label brands. A typical supermarket might offer 50,000 items, but Trader Joe's stocks only about 4,000 brands. Stores are smaller and sparser to keep prices down, but offerings include gourmet foods, organic items, vegetarian and unusual frozen and imported foods aimed at a sophisticated clientele as well as staples like bread, cereal, eggs, coffee and produce and non-food items like household cleanser, plants and personal hygiene products.

The flyer touts the chain's Charles Shaw wines, otherwise known as "Two Buck Chuck," which retail for $2.99 a bottle. In anticipation of Trader Joe's entry into the Houston market, Whole Foods Market and H-E-B also offer wine at $2.99 a bottle.

In the flyer, Trader Joe's also trumpets eclectic offerings such as white corn tortilla chips ($2.99 a bag), Mandarin orange chicken ($4.99 for a 22-ounce package), Joe O's cereal (the in-house version of Cheerios at $1.99 for a 15-ounce box), Columbia Supremo Coffee ($7.99 a bag), roasted seaweed snacks (99 cents a bag), microwavable organic brown rice ($3.49 for three 10-ounce packets), and grass-fed New Zealand sharp cheddar cheese ($5.49 pound).

The store will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

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This affluent Houston enclave is the richest small town in Texas

Facebook / City of Bellaire, Texas

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Affluent Houston neighbor Bellaire is cashing in as the richest small town in Texas for 2025, according to new study from GoBankingRates.

The report, "The Richest Small Town in Every State," used data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey to determine the 50 richest small towns in America based on their median household income.

Of course, Houstonians realize that describing Bellaire as a "small town" is a bit of misnomer. Located less than 10 miles from downtown and fully surrounded by the City of Houston, Bellaire is a wealthy enclave that boasts a population of just over 17,000 residents. These affluent citizens earn a median $236,311 in income every year, which GoBankingRates says is the 11th highest household median income out of all 50 cities included in the report.

The average home in this city is worth over $1.12 million, but Bellaire's lavish residential reputation often attracts properties with multi-million-dollar price tags.

Bellaire also earned a shining 81 livability score for its top quality schools, health and safety, commute times, and more. The livability index, provided by Toronto, Canada-based data analytics and real estate platform AreaVibes, said Bellaire has "an abundance of exceptional local amenities."

"Among these are conveniently located grocery stores, charming coffee shops, diverse dining options and plenty of spacious parks," AreaVibes said. "These local amenities contribute significantly to its overall appeal, ensuring that [residents'] daily needs are met and offering ample opportunities for leisure and recreation."

Many popular Houston restaurants are setting their sights on this wealthy enclave. Detroit-style pizzamakers Gold Tooth Tony’s opened its second pizza joint in Bellaire in 2024. And most recently, Michelin-recognized Tex-Mex restaurant Candente announced it would open a second location just down the street from Gold Tooth Tony's at 5101 Bellaire Blvd.

Earlier in 2025, GoBankingRates ranked Bellaire as the No. 23 wealthiest suburb in America, and it's no stranger to being named on similar lists comparing the richest American cities.

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