40. Trader Joe’s

40. Trader Joe’s
Tags: Top 100 Retail
April 6, 2010

The 310 Trader Joe’s locations across the country stand out from run-of-the-mill grocery chains, offering health foods, organic produce, nutritional supplements and more than 2,000 private-label products. But a culture of listening is what keeps customers coming back to their local store. A Southern California location started carrying a soy ice-cream cookie upon a customer’s request. A Phoenix location is sometimes crowded with customers before its official 9 a.m. opening, having unlocked the doors early to accommodate demand for earlier hours. These examples prove that listening leads to loyalty.

Download the complete Top 100.