Signage installed at Pure Green in Bethesda

Permanent signage is up at Pure Green at 7900 Wisconsin Avenue, in the 8001 Woodmont apartment building in downtown Bethesda. The artisan juice bar will serve juices, cold-pressed shots, smoothies, and acai and pitaya bowls. It will also offer catering services. Pure Green has three existing locations in Maryland, in Baltimore, Columbia, and Ellicott City.

Trader Joe's opens at 7900 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda (Photos)

Trader Joe's opened this morning at 7900 Wisconsin Avenue in the 8001 Woodmont apartment building, the culmination of Joe's odyssey to bring you this store that began in 2014(!) with my scoop that Trader Joe's would be the anchor tenant for the development. Parking is available in a garage beneath the apartment tower, which you access from the Woodmont Avenue side of the property. Elevators in the garage bring you up to the store. Here is a store tour, with some of the sights and Trader Joe's products seen inside downtown Bethesda's newest Trader Joe's this rainy day:

Word association: when I mention "Trader Joe's," the 
first word you think of is..."parking"

New Bethesda Trader Joe's to open March 17

Trader Joe's has informed me that their new Bethesda store at 7900 Wisconsin Avenue will open on Thursday, March 17, 2022. Located in the 8001 Woodmont apartment building, this will be the second Trader Joe's grocery store in downtown Bethesda. 

There are still lots of empty shelves and cases to be filled around the store, as you can see in these photos. Some interior signage has finally been installed in recent days, as final preparations are made for the St. Patrick's Day opening.

New Bethesda Trader Joe's watch continues (Photos)

There's still no official opening date for the new Trader Joe's at 7900 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda. Spotted inside the store: A new glass door at the top of the stairwell from the underground parking garage (accessed from 8001 Woodmont Avenue). You'll notice that virtually everything stocked on the shelves so far is non-perishable, which makes sense given that the store is still not immediately opening.

New glass door at the top of the
stairs leading down to the 
parking garage

I've noted a couple of times recently that there isn't even any wayfaring signage or aisle labeling yet inside the store. Sure enough, there is now a shopping bag with a note taped to it reading, "Signs for new Maryland stores." Mints and gum are now stocked at the checkout stands. Finally, a Trader Joe's shopping cart was caught "in-the-wild" out of its corral, as employees were putting it to use in their preparations.

More signage, more stuff but no opening yet at new Bethesda Trader Joe's (Photos)

The question of when the new Trader Joe's at 7900 Wisconsin Avenue will open continues to vex grocery shoppers in Bethesda. Let me assure you once again that despite rumors elsewhere, this store is not ready to open yet. I would estimate about 10-14 days, and I've heard something similar to that from an employee at another Trader Joe's location. A lot of this simply depends on how much progress they make each day, delivery of construction materials and inventory, etc., which is why they are not yet announcing a fixed opening date. 

A bucket truck assists in the installation
of more signage at Trader Joe's yesterday

Yesterday, the staff was working hard to continue stocking the shelves and cases. Large cardboard shipping boxes were spread out on the floor all over the store, and many essential things like wayfinding signage are yet to be installed. What was installed yesterday was a new exterior sign above the entrance.

Trader Joe's is the anchor retail
tenant in the 8001 Woodmont development

Stocking cases - note that the
whole bottom section is completely empty

Does this look like a store ready to
open last week? Yesterday? Today? Tomorrow?

Not likely