Trader Joe's attempt to appeal to Harlem residents may have backfired, after a customer took to social media to blast the store for its graffiti-style artwork.
X user Harley Geffner (@gnarlyheffner) shared images of the new store and her criticism. The photos show two signs reading "Welcome to Trader Joe's Harlem" and "Uptown Love". The typeface is a graffiti style.
"You can open a store in Harlem but no need to do all that," the tweet read.
X users react to Trader Joe's Harlem
The post has racked up over 3.2 million views and 91,000 likes.
Trader Joe's first location in Harlem reportedly opened on July 25 on 125th street. The new store was meant to feature artwork of local landmarks like the Apollo Theater, Adam Clayton Park and other iconic Harlem locations.
You can open a store in Harlem but no need to do all that pic.twitter.com/RLOXedRWjY
— gnarly heff (@gnarlyheffner) August 9, 2024
The attempt to celebrate Black culture in the historic city appears to have rubbed many the wrong way. Some X users replied to voice their feelings about the store's artwork. The overall sentiment was negative. Some felt like the store was attempting to pander to local Black consumers.
“The blacks will love this” pic.twitter.com/EoTYtYcOHB
— Huey (@Huesofgreen_) August 9, 2024
"The Blacks will love this," user @huesofgreen_ replied.
"Gentrifying your neighborhood in style," user @Pedakin said.
Trader Joe's called out in the past
This is not the first time Trader Joe's shoppers have taken to social media to voice criticisms about the store's "racist" marketing practices. One user went viral after calling out the store for the way it named its cultural food offerings.
For example, it labelled its packaged Italian food "Trader Giottos" and its Soyaki was labelled "Trader Joe-San." One teen decided to publish a viral petition to get the store to remove its "racist" packaging. The petition received thousands of signatures. In that case, Trader Joe's actually issued a statement apologizing for its labels.
The Daily Dot reached out to Trader Joe's contact form and Harley Geffner via email for more information and comment.
Update Aug. 14, 2024: In a statement emailed to the Daily Dot, a spokesperson for Trader Joe's wrote, "The store's interior artwork highlights local landmarks, including the Apollo Theater, Adam Clayton State Park, and iconic 125th Street."
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