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Becoming Trader Joe: How I Did Business My Way and Still Beat the Big Guys Paperback – June 22, 2021
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Build an iconic shopping experience that your customers love—and a work environment that your employees love being a part of—using this blueprint from Trader Joe’s visionary founder, Joe Coulombe.
Infuse your organization with a distinct personality and culture that draws customers in a way that simply competing on price cannot.
Joe Coulombe founded what would become Trader Joe’s in the late 1960s and helped shape it into the beloved, quirky food chain it is today. Realizing early on that he could not compete and win by playing the same game his bigger competitors were playing, he decided to build a store for educated people of somewhat modest means. He brought in unusual products from around the world and promoted them in the Fearless Flyer, providing customers with background on how they were sourced and their nutritional value. He also gave the stores a tiki theme to reinforce the exotic trader ship concept with employees wearing Hawaiian shirts.
In this way, Joe laid down a blueprint for other business owners to follow to build their own unique shopping experience that customers love, and a work environment that employees love being a part of.
In Becoming Trader Joe, Joe shares the lessons he learned by challenging the status quo and rethinking the way a business operates. He shows readers of all types:
- How moving from a pure analytical approach to a more creative, problem-solving approach can drive innovation.
- How finding an affluent niche of passionate customers can be a better strategy than competing on price and volume.
- How questioning all aspects of the way you do business leads to powerful results.
- How to build a business around your values and identity.
- Print length288 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherHarperCollins Leadership
- Publication dateJune 22, 2021
- Dimensions5.46 x 0.79 x 8.36 inches
- ISBN-101400225434
- ISBN-13978-1400225439
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From the Publisher

What You'll Learn From Joe Coulombe


Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Joseph Hardin Coulombe was an American Entrepreneur. He founded the grocery store Trader Joe’s in 1967 and ran it until his retirement in 1988. Coulombe graduated from Stanford University in 1952 with a degree in Economics. He earned an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1954. Coulombe was a member of Alpha Kappa Lambda. Joe recently passed away on February 28, 2020.
Product details
- Publisher : HarperCollins Leadership
- Publication date : June 22, 2021
- Language : English
- Print length : 288 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1400225434
- ISBN-13 : 978-1400225439
- Item Weight : 10.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.46 x 0.79 x 8.36 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #28,997 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
As a historian with a passion for global archaeology, Patty Civalleri has traveled for 17 years to the deepest corners of our ancient past in search of lost civilizations all over the planet. She has had the privilege of doing so with some of the foremost archaeologists and scientists in the world.
Patty was the co-author of the best-seller "BECOMING TRADER JOE" the founding story of America's Sweetheart retail grocery brand, with the "real Trader Joe" himself, Joe Coulombe. Joe's voice can be heard in every single sentence as he tells the brilliant, deep, humorous, and sometimes even touching story of how he started Trader Joe's.
In her travel books, Patty presents the world with the same intellectual excitement that has driven her through lost caves, ancient tombs, and historical personalities that have been lost to time. Civalleri sees the world as a huge playground of personal enrichment that is open 24/7 to anyone with an adventurous heart and a curious mind.
Her Travel Books have won over 15 global awards including:
► 2022 GOLD MAGELLAN Award for Destination Excellence: Europe
► The Irwin Award for the Best International Travel Book of the Year
► The Ian Award for the Best Non-Fiction Book of the Year, as well as the Best Travel Book of the Year
As a Public Speaker, Patty's naturally animated personality dominates the stage with a huge variety of discussions including Why & How we can Travel Differently, Deep Italy Travel, the Roman Empire, Renaissance Art History, World Travel, Archaeology & Travel, Women in Egypt, Women & Travel, Applying Trader Joe Tactics to Your Business, and so much more.
Patty enjoys the honor of serving on
► the Director's Council of the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA),
► the Board of the Center for Medieval & Renaissance Studies at California State University in Long Beach (CSULB),
►as 2018-2023 Commodore of the Alamitos Bay Chargers boating club in Long Beach, Ca.
►as the 2019-2022 Prospective Member Mentor for the Corsair Yacht Club in Catalina Island, Ca.
►various committees for the Long Beach Yacht Club, Ca.
As a writer, photographer, graphic designer, and technology professional, Patty has had the pleasure of building websites, photographing, marketing, and writing for over a hundred commercial business clients across the US.
Civalleri is an avid cook, mom, sailor, photographer, historian, singer, and classical pianist residing in Long Beach, California.
Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.
Customer reviews
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book to be a must-read with a breezily written account, and one customer notes it's steeped in the history of Southern California. Moreover, the book contains great marketing lore and anecdotes, with one customer highlighting its excellent insights into successful retail business practices.
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Customers find the book's story fascinating and appreciate its true nature, with one customer noting it is steeped in the history of Southern California.
"...Always fascinating to learn the story behind what you might think you know or have heard only to find out there is so much more than meets the eye...." Read more
"Very interesting story of history of TJ." Read more
"Super interesting story. Thought my dad would love this so giving it to him for Christmas...." Read more
"...As a huge fan of Trader Joe's I loved learning about its history and the logic behind their decisions...." Read more
Customers appreciate the marketing lore and anecdotes in the book, with one customer noting it provides excellent insights into successful retail business practices.
"Very interesting. Lots of retail info. Very candid." Read more
"Lots of history and business tips but shows how TJs evolved into what it is now and why its so special" Read more
"...written account of the history of the store, with great marketing lore and anecdotes...." Read more
"Filled with interesting details of the ups and downs of running a business, with much wisdom for any young person just starting a career ...." Read more
Reviews with images

A Fascinating timeline and history of a beloved store!
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2025Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseVery interesting. Lots of retail info. Very candid.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2025Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseWe go to Trader Joe's every week, and we love this place. It has so many unique items that are different from other grocery stores. when I found this book, I ordered it, and I can't wait to know more about TJ.
- Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2025Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseLots of history and business tips but shows how TJs evolved into what it is now and why its so special
- Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2023Format: KindleVerified PurchaseI have referred many people to check out this book and bought it when it first came out June 21, 2021. After going through the book a few times there are so many lessons to absorb and I am able to review the ideas with Joe Coulombe Jr, the son of Trader Joe’s Founder. Joe and I have been friends for almost 20 years as we were both at Microsoft in the same group. With Joe Jr’s retirement from Microsoft we can chat more often and part of our discussions regularly are around points made by his dad.
What helps to learn from Joe is that when I read the words of Joe Sr, Joe Jr says he hears the words from his dad. As we discuss the words we visualize how to apply the ideas now. One example is the following from page 93.
“ The fundamental job of a retailer is to buy goods whole, cut them into pieces, and sell the pieces to the ultimate consumers. This is the most important mental construct I can impart to those of you who want to enter retailing.”
When I read this I reversed it to composing many pieces into a whole that has higher value meets the needs of consumers. Almost everything is either decomposition from whole into pieces or composition of pieces into wholes. Simple yet powerful. And would not have learned this lesson without reading the book and sharing it with Joe Jr.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2025Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseToo vague for my liking. Maybe he had to write that way because of privacy laws to protect Trader Joe's?
Many better business memoirs out there.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2025Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseAs a loyal Trader Joe's customer I wanted to know the secrets of its ongoing successes. This book revealed how the company evolved and became what it is today.
- Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2023Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseInteresting to read first hand how Joe built up his store from the beginning. Always fascinating to learn the story behind what you might think you know or have heard only to find out there is so much more than meets the eye. If you like the store, you will find the backstory intriguing.
Top reviews from other countries
- stanley magdaReviewed in Canada on September 3, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Read This.
Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseA great guide to business and life success.
- MavericoshReviewed in India on June 24, 2025
5.0 out of 5 stars Superb
Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseInteresting journey, after reading this I realized how i messed up my retail counter. Joe is technical sound and from Stanford, which can be seem in his all decision, minute details they way they used mechanical scales.
- TanyaReviewed in India on March 25, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars A good overview of retail
Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseThis book came in good condition. Loved the first hand experience shared by chief.
- Amazon CustomerReviewed in Canada on October 27, 2022
1.0 out of 5 stars Book
Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseHe is not a good writer and I lost interest. To bad because I like his stores very much