Trader Joe’s Founder Joe Coulombe Dies at 89 | Eater

"Founded by Joe Coulombe with the idea of serving “overeducated and underpaid” customers like classical musicians and museum curators, this grocery chain began with a 1967 Pasadena location and built a reputation for offering high-quality international goods and affordable wines at strong value. Early and enduring hallmarks include a focus on natural and organic items, a private-label sourcing model, maritime-themed stores, a deliberate “policy of discontinuity” that keeps inventory rotating, and an expansive selection of budget-friendly wines exemplified by the Charles Shaw “two-buck Chuck.” Coulombe emphasized fair employee compensation and benefits—contributing to the chain’s friendly, Aloha-shirt-clad staff—and after selling his interest to Germany’s Aldi Nord in 1979 and retiring as CEO in 1988, he left a legacy that grew into a network of more than 500 U.S. stores built on the principle of good food and good value; he died at age 89." - Jenny G. Zhang