Trader Joe’s opening Canyon Country store in coming days

Trader Joe’s will throw open the doors Wednesday, Oct. 9 on its first Canyon Country store.

The grocery store, known for its fan-favorite foods like orange chicken, “Unexpected Cheddar,” and chili-lime tortilla chips, is the second for the broader Santa Clarita community and part of an eight-store expansion in Southern California by the Monrovia-based grocery chain.

The store at 19037 Golden Valley Road in the Golden Valley Plaza opens at 8 a.m.

Shoppers familiar with the shopping center will recall the spacious, 12,000-square-foot store used to be a Party City. The seasonal Halloween City shop has taken advantage of the empty space in years past.

The Canyon Country store captain is Monica Deutscher.

Trader Joe’s noted that its newest store will donate all products that go unsold but fit to consume or use to local nonprofits.

The company’s other Santa Clarita-area store is at 26517 Bouquet Canyon Road.

Other Trader’s Joe’s opening in the expansion include:

— Sherman Oaks (Sunkist): 14130 Riverside Drive

— Northridge: 9224 Reseda Blvd.

— South Pasadena: 1129 Fair Oaks Ave.

—Ladera Ranch: 27542 Antonio Parkway

— Murrieta: 40388 Murrieta Hot Springs Road

San Diego County:

— Poway: 13644 Poway Road

— Santee: 9680 Mission Gorge Road

The chain, founded in Pasadena by Joe Coulombe, has a loyal fan base that has grown from California to the East Coast. The chain operates 555 stores in 42 states and Washington, D.C.

Each year, fan favorites are ranked in a “Customer’s Choice Awards.” The winners range from Mandarin orange chicken, to dark chocolate peanut butter cups, spicy chips and cheddar cheese dip.

Coulombe sold Trader Joe’s in 1979 to the Albrecht family, owners of the Aldi Nord supermarket company. Trader Joe’s is run separately from the Aldi discount grocery chain.