I am an employee of Trader Joe's with a fervent request that stands on both personal and community grounds. My family resides in Joplin, Missouri, and my greatest desire is to be able to live closer to them without giving up on the job I love. Unfortunately, there is currently no Trader Joe's store in Joplin. By establishing a store in this city, you would not only fulfill my personal wish to be closer to my family while continuing to work at Trader Joe's but also provide a boost to the local economy and provide residents with greater access to high-quality, affordable grocery products.

Trader Joe's presently operates in 43 states, with each store serving as a vital part of the economy (Source: Trader Joe's official website). In 2019 alone, Trader Joe's added 21 new stores, demonstrating their continuous, comprehensive expansion (Source: Trader Joe's official press release, 2020).

Joplin Missouri, with a population of approximately 50,000 residents, lacks an affordable, high-quality grocery retailer like Trader Joe's (Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2019). Currently, residents have to commute to Tulsa, Oklahoma, nearly a two hour drive away, to shop at Trader Joe’s. Undoubtedly, the establishment of a Trader Joe's store in Joplin would not only meet the needs of our residents but also stimulate the local economy via employment opportunities and tax revenue.

I urge Trader Joe's to take this proposal into serious consideration and value the positive influence it could have on Joplin's community and economy. Sign this petition to show your support for establishing a Trader Joe's in Joplin, Missouri.