Pasadena Village will host author Patty Civalleri as she talks about her book, “Becoming Trader Joe: How I Did Business My Way and Still Beat the Big Guys,” and signs copies on Thursday, June 16, at the Flintridge Center in Pasadena.
This engaging presentation will give you insights about Joe Coulombe, and how he established Trader Joe’s as a household name, first in Pasadena, and later throughout the United States.
The hosts will have some tasty snacks for you and a selection of wines and non-alcoholic drinks from this well-loved chain of stores.
Patty Civalleri wrote “Becoming Trader Joe: How I Did Business My Way and Still Beat the Big Guys” from notes and articles by Joe Coulombe, who founded 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 newsletter, The Fearless Flyer, providing customers with background on how they were sourced and their nutritional value.
He also gave his stores a tiki theme to reinforce the exotic tradership 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 for customers, and a work environment that employees love being a part of.
During the event, Civalleri will share the lessons Coulombe learned by challenging the status quo and rethinking the way a business operates.
Copies of the book will be available for purchase. Seating is limited so early registration is advised.
To register, call (626) 765-6037 or visit https://pasadenavillage.org/
Pasadena Village requires those who attend in-person gatherings be fully vaccinated, or have had a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours.
The Flintridge Center is at 236 W. Mountain Street Ste. 117 in Pasadena.
