Off Beat
PEABODY — If the nacho chips at Trader Joe's get too hot, perhaps Peabody firefighters can step in.
The Route 114 store's new-items shelves have been made over as a replica of the city's 1873 fire headquarters. The shelving is tucked in the back of the store near the food sampling station.
Store Captain Paul Krieg said Trader Joe's considers itself a neighbor and tries to reflect its community. Workers did their homework, found North Shore landmarks and created their own version for the store.
"We took some pictures of some buildings, particularly the old firehouse, and said here's something we can incorporate and make our own quirky renditions of in our store," he said. "We're trying to create almost a North Shore theme throughout the store."
He said they had a great photograph of the firehouse, and their red brick replica seemed to fit the shape and space of the shelves.
The market also pays homage to the area with murals of Crane Beach in Ipswich, Alfalfa Farm in Topsfield and Newburyport Harbor. The Peabody location is one of the chain's northernmost locations in the region and draws customers from as far as New Hampshire, Krieg said.
"Yes, we are the Peabody Trader Joe's, but we also serve the greater North Shore area," the store captain said.
The local images went up about two years ago, Krieg said. Before that, the store had a Tiki theme.
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Off Beat is a weekly feature of The Salem News. Please send ideas to sflynn@salemnews.com.
