About a year ago, Trader Joe’s had to make a decision on where
they would build their new store in the South County, Gilroy or
Morgan Hill.
Trader Joe’s Picks Wrong City, Wrong Location and Now They’re Whining
Dear Editor,
About a year ago, Trader Joe’s had to make a decision on where they would build their new store in the South County, Gilroy or Morgan Hill. Well according to company officials, they did EXTENSIVE studies and research on locations in both cities.
They quickly chose the site where they are now in Morgan Hill. Now they are whining and crying for a freeway sign. Come on Trader Joe’s. After all your research, you should have known Morgan Hill’s specific requirements for freeway signage. Obviously not. You could have built your store 15,000 square feet to fill at least that one requirement. The other requirement is to have your store within 200 feet of freeway. Well you chose that location and I am sorry to say but you are 300 feet away.
The city might have worked with you here but you chose to totally ignore both basic requirements. Now you want the city of Morgan Hill to change its laws for you. If they do that, then every business within 300 feet should be allowed a sign. That means a sign for Walgreens, Starbucks, and Scramblz. These corporations chose their locations and are not whining to the city for a freeway sign.
Now Trader Joe’s live with your decision, by the way which I think was the wrong one, and hope and pray they find you.
Chris Walling, former Gilroy resident
Enjoyed the Presidential Quiz, But One Answer Needs to Be Corrected
Dear Editor,
I really enjoyed the quiz on presidential trivia in Friday’s Dispatch. I just wanted to be a nit-picker on question, number 30, that asked which president used the middle initial “S.” The printed answer is Harry S. Truman.
There is no period after the “S” in President S Truman’s name. That is because it does not actually stand for anything. When he was born, a disagreement arose over whether to make his middle name Shippe, after his paternal grandfather or Solomon, after his maternal grandfather. The issue was never resolved and “S” was put on the birth certificate as a compromise.
The word initial implies that it actually stands for a name, which is not the case here. “S” is President Truman’s whole middle name and not an initial of his middle name,
Kai Lai, Gilroy
