A Yahoo! Style article suggests that Trader Joe’s will be closing its doors in January 2017.
April Fool’s
The article, entitled, “Trader Joe’s to Close All Stores by 2017, Plans to Discontinue Products” stated that all Trader Joe’s locations would be closed by January 2017 due to financial problems.
“In a surprising press release this morning, Trader Joe’s announced they will be closing all 457 locations by January 2017. The company has been having financial problems for a while, and with online sales and so many new organic food stores opening competition has been incredibly stiff. The past year they have been slashing prices to combat their main competitor Whole Foods, however this was not enough to keep up.”
Many readers apparently failed to make it to the end of the article which came clean on the nature of the story, “If this shocking news hits you as hard as it hit me, fear not. It’s merely April 1st. Now go celebrate being a fool with your favorite cheap wine.”
The April Fool’s jokes have begun… pic.twitter.com/8DAAzcfabq
— Waffles At Noon (@wafflesatnoon) April 1, 2016
The “news” came a day before April Fool’s Day, which is perhaps one reason it was so believable. That, and the fact that it appeared on Yahoo! Style.
This story is only the first in what is likely to be a deluge of phony stories to circulate as part of the April Fool’s tradition.