Trader Joe’s patrons have mixed emotions about store’s move — VIDEO

When Huey David first moved to Las Vegas from Los Angeles, the local Trader Joe’s stores were like a taste of home.

David, 43, worked at the Trader Joe’s location in Anthem. Even after leaving the grocery chain, he has considered the location at Decatur Boulevard and O’Bannon Drive one of his main places to shop.

Though the Decatur location is relocating about 10 miles north to Centennial Hills, David said he will remain a customer.

“I’ll still go,” he said. “But not as frequently. Maybe once a month.”

Others affected by the loss of the Decatur location — the new location will open in May or June in the shopping center near Anne Road and U.S. 95 — did not feel so loyal.

Myrna Donato, who owns Amber Unicorn Books in the shopping center that Trader Joe’s will vacate, said the chain’s other locations are too far for her to travel.

Donato said she’s worried about losing foot traffic without an anchor tenant to attract people. She’s been in the book business for about 35 years and has been in the shopping center for almost nine.

She said it’d be nice if her rent changed now that the shopping center will lose its anchor, but she doesn’t think she’ll move.

When she came to Decatur from Rancho and Charleston, moving heavy boxes of books took around three months.

“I’m in my late 70s; I can’t move again,” she said. “It was tough enough eight years ago, when I was in my early 70s.”

Her store has about four employees working at a time. She said Trader Joe’s is making a mistake if it leaves, because the shopping center attracts tourists from the Strip. Wynn Las Vegas is about four miles away.

“I can’t believe it,” Donato said. “They are going to lose more customers than they’ll make.”

Trader Joe’s spokeswoman Alison Mochizuki said the new location is larger and will have room for more employees and parking. The store will also have longer hours.

The decision to leave Decatur after 21 years did not come lightly, she said. Trader Joe’s has started hiring for the Centennial Hills location. Applicants can apply at the Decatur store.

“We appreciate the welcome we received in Decatur and are hopeful that our loyal customers will continue to visit us in our new location,” Mochizuki said.

In the parking lot outside the former Fresh & Easy where Trader Joe’s will relocate, April Powell drove daughter Brooke, 8, after getting some frozen yogurt.

Powell cheered when she learned Trader Joe’s was coming to the shopping center. She said she has more reason to go there now.

“I’m so excited,” she said. “This will save me so much time.”

At Bella Grande Nails and Spa next door to the future Trader Joe’s, nail technician Arianna Dotson predicted even more foot traffic.

The location didn’t suffer much when Fresh & Easy left, Dotson said. The shopping center also has a Sportsman’s Warehouse and a Total Wine, plus access to a neighboring shopping center anchored by a Wal-Mart.

In fact, Bella Grande had been hiring nail technicians even before the employees there learned about the Trader Joe’s. The store has about 12 technicians making up to $900 a week, Dotson said.

“It’s more money for them,” Dotson said. “It’s going to be insane.”

Contact Wade Tyler Millward at wmillward@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4602. Follow @wademillward on Twitter.