Hiring difficulties may be forcing a delay of opening Trade Joe’s new UES store under the historic Queensboro Bridge. Bridgemarket was expected to welcome shoppers in October, but all that happened was the hanging of a banner about hiring. And there it stood, all month. But it wasn’t alone.
By David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
Now Hiring Difficulties
A job search on Trader Joe’s website displays multiple openings at the 59th Street site. Hiring difficulties are also apparent with similar notices out at nearby stores in Turtle Bay and Chelsea. Although the eagerly awaited chain is tight-lipped about missing the expected opening, struggles at finding and training workers for even above-average paying jobs is apparent.
News reports call it a nationwide phenomenon.
At this point, the chain gives up only a “this year” pledge for opening, but who knows? Not only have their own struggles held them back so far, but they compete with numerous other New York businesses for the same pool of workers.
Because Trader Joe’s is so hesitant about sharing their woes, we’re speculating here, but the evidence is clear. And nothing else appears as a genuine obstacle to opening Bridgemarket.
More from the Roosevelt Island Daily
- 700,000-home housing gap mapped by neighborhoodNYC’s path forward: meeting the 700,000 home housing challenge offers a roadmap for closing the city’s housing gap, with neighborhood-level solutions and coordinated action.
- Building Queens conference on Long Island City developmentLong Island City’s rapid development is driving discussions at the Building Queens conference, where stakeholders will address construction, housing, and the changing skyline.
- NYC Small Business Grant Program Invests $8.4 Million in Local Community OrganizationsNYC launches an $8.4 million small business grant program supporting community-based organizations to empower local entrepreneurs and boost neighborhood commercial corridors.
- Hate-crime charges after Central Synagogue Shabbat disruptionA man was charged with hate crimes after disrupting a Shabbat service at Central Synagogue in Midtown Manhattan. The incident raised concerns about worshipper safety and led to increased police patrols and community care.
- Forest Hills E train threat and Jackson Heights station stabbingTwo recent assaults on Queens subway lines have led to ongoing transit investigations, prompting increased safety measures and community response across key commuting routes.
“I Can Ask”
Chair Fay Christian opened the Operations Advisory Committee on February 12th, reading out member names from a prepared sheet that omitted Melissa Wade. It didn’t feel intentional, but it struck me as odd precisely because it came from something prepared. Lydia Tang gently corrected her, noting that Wade was, in fact, a member of the committee. Wade met the moment with grace, or perhaps she simply wasn’t bothered by it.
