Has a new Trader Joe’s been proposed for the Sarasota area?

Benderson Development Co. has applied for permits in Sarasota County that propose the construction of a new Trader Joe’s.

The prep permit –– part of the initial process for getting a building permit –– documents list the space as a “future grocery store,” and the site plan notes the “proposed Trader Joe’s” on it. The permits are for 8199 S. Tamiami Trail, in the place of a former Staples store near the intersection at Beneva Road.

Nothing has been approved or finalized by the county, and Trader Joe’s company representatives would not confirm a new location in Sarasota. It’s still early in the process, and Trader Joe’s has yet to apply for a build-out permit or sign permits, which would signal a path toward construction. 

This would become the third Trader Joe’s store in the Suncoast region.