Subject: Construction timeline for both Trader Joe’s and new Community Food Co-op

What they said then:

After years of rumors and innuendo, the national chain Trader Joe’s announced in September 2006 it would set up in the Sunnyland Square with a timeline of opening by July 2007. The store planned to take over the former Bellingham Red Apple space, located at 2410 James St., after the shopping center was renovated. The renovation and the presence of Trader Joe’s has led to higher rent for Sunnyland Square, and several businesses have left.

Meanwhile, an already established grocery store has been looking to expand. The Community Food Co-op’s second store was originally scheduled to open sometime in 2007. Permits for the new 18,600-square-foot store on the corner of Westerly Road and Cordata Parkway were under review in February.

What they say now:

Alison Mochizuki, Trader Joe’s director of national publicity could give no definite date for when the Bellingham store would have its grand opening, but said sometime this fall was still the target. The Sunnyland Square shopping center looks like it is nearing completion.

The Co-op hired Terry Parks in June to manage a new store in Cordata. New Co-op general manager Jeff Voltz said groundbreaking for the new store is still tentative, but that September seems likely. Owner’s construction representative Paul Enfield said they had expected the permit process to be finished in early July, but they are still waiting on it to be completed. Pearson Construction Corp. will be the general contractor for the project, and the Co-op expects to complete the building in 10 months. Enfield was not able to say how much the project would cost.