Clarence, N.Y. (WBEN) - Clarence Town Supervisor Pat Casilio has heard all the dire predictions about how traffic along Transit Road will be tied up with the opening of the region's second Trader Joe's store on Friday.
While Casilio thinks traffic issues may be a tad overblown, he is not taking any chances. That's why he has asked both the New York State Police and Erie County Sheriff's Office for assistance with traffic controls.
That said, Casilio - along with countless shoppers, especially those in the Northern suburbs - are ecstatic that Trader Joe's chose Benderson Development's Eastgate Plaza to open its newest local store.
"It will mean a lot to Clarence," Casilio said.
The 9,400-square-foot Trader Joe's replaces a former Applebee's that served as a Transit Road gateway into the Eastgate Plaza. Trader Joe's hired 60 people to work at the store.
Trader Joe's such tenants in the Eastgate Plaza as L.A. Fitness, BJ's Wholesale Club, Michael's and Walmart.
Casilio believes Trader Joe's will bring more customers to the plaza.
"And that's a good thing," Casilio said. "Remember, they have more than 900 parking spaces in and near the store and four exits on to Transit Road."
For Clarence, Trader Joe's will be the town's second pure supermarket joining a Dash's Market on Main Street, although the Walmart does sell some food items.
"How can you not see it as anything but an asset for Clarence," Casilio said.
Trader Joe's first entered the Buffalo Niagara market in the fall of 2013 with a location along Niagara Falls Boulevard in Benderson Development's "The Boulevard" shopping center. That location is one of the busiest among Trader Joe's 615 locations nationwide.
Longtime Eastgate Plaza shoppers said the presence of Trader Joe's is a plus, even if traffic counts do pick up.
"It won't be an issue to me," said Maddie Henning from Akron.
Williamsville resident Bob Benario said the Transit Road location is more convenient that Trader Joe's other site on Niagara Falls Boulevard in Benderson's The Boulevard shopping center.
Traffic is not an issue, Benario said.
"It's already a busy plaza," he said.
Benario is a big fan of a lot of Trader Joe's specially crafted foods like its sesame sticks and sourdough bread.
Having the store open now is like an early Christmas present, Benario said.
"I've waited a long time for this," Benario said.