But is there parking? New Trader Joe’s set to open in Waterford Lakes

A new Trader Joe’s in the Waterford Lakes area is giving shoppers near UCF and East Colonial Drive a closer option than the chain’s Winter Park store.

The grocery store on Alafaya Trail is scheduled to open at 8 a.m. Thursday.

The location is just over 9,000 square feet, making it slightly smaller than the Winter Park store, but its layout is designed to feel open, with lower shelving that allows customers to see more of the store as they shop.

Trader Joe’s will carry many of the brand’s familiar favorites, including chili lime tortilla chips and Scandinavian Swimmers, along with everyday grocery staples such as eggs and milk.

Store captain Randy Stewart said the company wants the new location to serve as a neighborhood grocery store, not just a destination for specialty items.

Stewart said the surrounding community played a major role in building the team that will staff the store.

“There’s so many people in the neighborhood that are just so genuinely nice,” Stewart said. “They care about people. It was real easy to find people to staff the store.”

More than 3,000 people applied for about 70 positions, according to Stewart.

The store also includes local touches, including murals inspired by UCF. In keeping with Trader Joe’s tradition, the location has its own hidden store mascots: a pair of flamingos named Al and Fay. Fay can be found near the health and beauty section.

One of the biggest questions for shoppers is whether parking will be easier than at some other Trader Joe’s locations in Central Florida, where small lots have become an ongoing joke among customers.

Stewart said parking challenges often come down to the size and layout of available properties.

“The Trader Joe’s parking lots generally are a result of the size of the property,” Stewart said. “We will have a smaller square footage than a traditional grocery store. So being able to find a place that has the right square footage to go along with the number of parking spaces that are aligned with that, it sometimes can be a challenge.”

For the Alafaya Trail store, Stewart said the parking situation was a plus.

“For us, being able to go, ‘OK, we got a good size space that also has exceptional parking,’ was a bonus,” he said.

The new Trader Joe’s shares a plaza with other retailers, including Hobby Lobby. While the lot appeared spacious before opening day, the real test will come once shoppers begin arriving Thursday morning.