The meeting of two great institutions: Trader Joe’s and the Hillsdale Shopping Center in San Mateo.

For many years, the only neighborhood grocery store in Westwood Knolls has been Mollie Stone’s on 42nd Ave, but on October 30, 2009 Trader Joe’s opened its doors to local residents of Westwood Knolls and neighboring San Mateo areas, who couldn’t be more pleased. Not since Petrini’s was located on 31st Ave at the Mall has Hillsdale been home to a grocery store.

The Hillsdale Mall has had many transformations over the years, with stores coming, going and moving like Sears, which recently moved from Hillsdale Blvd at El Camino to the Emporium locale at 31st Ave and El Camino.

Trader Joe’s is expected to have a very long stay in this Westwood Knolls neighborhood just as Petrini’s did many years ago.