Trader Joe's to Open New Reading, Massachusetts Store in 2026

Trader Joe's secured a new location in Reading, Massachusetts, with the town's municipal government confirming last week that the company will occupy 34 Walkers Brook Drive in the Crossing at Walkers Brook shopping plaza, the former Staples storefront.

The Town of Reading posted the official announcement on March 25, designating Trader Joe's as the flagship tenant for the Crossing at Walkers Brook and placing the opening within 2026. Municipal confirmations at this level typically follow lease execution and internal site planning, which means buildout, permitting, and contractor mobilization are the next operational milestones before the store can open.

For crew members eyeing a transfer and managers in the region, the timing matters. Trader Joe's historically posts store-level Crew openings on its careers portal roughly four to eight weeks before a grand opening, with positions surfacing on Avature and the company's store-search "Opening Soon" page. Anyone interested in getting in early should start monitoring both now.

Pre-opening stores are also a known accelerator on the Merchant and Mate track. Experienced crew asked to transfer into leadership roles at new locations take on outsized responsibility during buildout and the first weeks of operation, compressing hands-on experience that normally accumulates over years at an established store.

The Reading store follows a pattern Trader Joe's has applied at other openings: engage local community groups early, tailor the product assortment to neighborhood preferences, and staff grand-opening events with crew who can double as brand ambassadors. Regional managers will likely begin activating the pre-opening playbook in the coming weeks, covering recruiting timelines, store merchandising plans, and transfer windows for eligible crew.

No grand opening date has been set publicly, but with permits, contractor work, and hiring still ahead, the 2026 window keeps the calendar moving fast.