Trader Joe's Is Coming to Clairemont and San Marcos: How to Get Ready for the Jobs

Published: September 28, 2026 | By LocalJobPage Team

SAN DIEGO, CA — Trader Joe's is finally coming to Clairemont, and it is headed to San Marcos for the first time too. The grocer has put a Clairemont Mesa Boulevard store on its official "Coming Soon" list and confirmed plans for a store in San Marcos' fast-growing North City district. No opening dates or hiring numbers have been announced yet, which makes this the right moment for San Diego job seekers to get ready.

Two confirmed Trader Joe's stores are on the way in San Diego County. Here's what is known, what isn't, and how to be first in line when the crew hiring starts.

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Business	Trader Joe's (two new San Diego County stores)
Clairemont address	3962 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., San Diego, CA 92117 (Store 299)
San Marcos location	North City district near Cal State San Marcos; street address not yet published
Opened	Not yet; no opening dates announced
Concept	Neighborhood grocery; the Clairemont store will sell beer, wine and liquor
Industry	Grocery retail
New jobs	Not announced

📍 Clairemont Gets the Store It Asked For

The Clairemont store is Store 299, and it is listed on Trader Joe's official store locator as "Coming Soon!" at 3962 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. That puts it in Clairemont Town Square, in space that Burlington gave up when it downsized, according to local reporting by SanDiegoVille. Neighbors on the mesa have lobbied for a Trader Joe's for more than a decade.

Trader Joe's told NBC 7 San Diego in late August that new stores typically show up on its "Opening Soon" page three to six months before opening day. Read plainly, that points to a late 2026 or early 2027 opening, but the company has not named a date and neither will we.

🗺️ San Marcos Lands Its First Trader Joe's

Up in North County, a Trader Joe's spokesperson confirmed to The Coast News in August that the company plans a store in North City, the walkable district growing up around Cal State San Marcos between State Route 78 and Barham Drive along Twin Oaks Valley Road. It will be the first Trader Joe's in San Marcos. The developer, Sea Breeze Properties, has not released a street address, square footage or timeline.

Local outlets have also reported a planned second Encinitas store on Leucadia Boulevard, but that one does not yet appear on Trader Joe's own locator, so treat it as reported rather than confirmed.

💼 What the Jobs Will Look Like

Here is the honest part: Trader Joe's has not announced how many people these stores will hire or when applications open. When hiring does start, a new store needs a full crew at once. Trader Joe's crew members typically rotate through the register, stocking shelves and helping customers, so flexibility counts.

California law requires larger employers to include a pay range in job postings, so check the range on the official listing rather than trusting a number passed around online. The smart move now is to get your resume ready, watch the Trader Joe's careers page for postings tied to Clairemont or San Marcos, and build grocery or retail experience in the meantime if you don't have it.

🔎 Start Searching San Diego Grocery and Retail Jobs

You don't have to wait for Trader Joe's. San Diego grocers and retailers are hiring now, and a few months of register or stocking experience makes a stronger application when the new stores open.

Start here:

Frequently Asked Questions

When will the Clairemont Trader Joe's open?

No date has been announced. The store is on Trader Joe's "Coming Soon" list, and the company says stores usually appear there three to six months before opening.

Where exactly is the new Clairemont store?

3962 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., San Diego, CA 92117, in Clairemont Town Square.

Where will the San Marcos Trader Joe's be?

In the North City district near Cal State San Marcos. A street address has not been published yet.

Is Trader Joe's hiring for these stores now?

Not publicly. No hiring numbers or application dates have been announced. Watch the official careers page for listings that name the new locations.

How do I apply for a Trader Joe's job?

Through the official Trader Joe's careers page. Be wary of third-party posts promising new-store jobs before the company has opened applications.

Get Ready Before the Crew Hiring Starts

Create your free LocalJobPage profile at /register so your resume is ready when the new San Diego County stores start hiring, and browse all San Diego jobs in the meantime.

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