The Clarendon Trader Joe’s is Arlington’s most accessible grocery store for walkers, bicyclists and transit users, according to a new ranking for a local advocacy group.
Other winners in Sustainable Mobility for Arlington County’s ranking of 18 Arlington grocery stores include grocers in Bluemont, Cherrydale, Pentagon City and Penrose. The lowest-ranking businesses, based on the group’s rubric, were a pair of grocers in Yorktown.
The Trader Joe’s at 1109 N. Highland Street earned brownie points for its sidewalk quality and ample bike racks, as well as proximity to the Clarendon Metro station and several ART bus routes.
“Walking to Trader Joe’s is very easy and pedestrian-friendly,” the ranking reads. “Transit service is phenomenal, with a variety of all day bus and rail options to areas across the county.”
The Safeway in Bluemont (5101 Wilson Blvd) and the Pentagon City Whole Foods (520 12th Street S.) both received an “A,” while the Giant at Penrose Square (2501 9th Road S.) and the Safeway in Cherrydale (3713 Langston Blvd.) scored an “A-.”
The ranking considered the least accessible grocers to be a pair of neighboring stores off of Langston Blvd: Harris Teeter (2425 N. Harrison Street) and Safeway (2500 N. Harrison Street). Each received a “D+.”
“The sidewalks on Harrison Street are bad — they are frequently narrowed by utility poles and have no buffer between the sidewalk and the street,” the ranking reads.
In a press release, SusMo President Chris Slatt cited a recent county poll in which 62% of respondents indicated they’d like to take the bus and walk more. Another 41% and 20% of respondents said they’d like to do more bicycling and scootering.
“We hope that these reviews are both useful to those living a car-free or car-lite lifestyle in Arlington, as well as to business owners and managers looking to understand how to make their businesses more attractive to those who arrive in ways other than driving,” he said.
SusMo’s complete grocery store ranking is listed below.
Trader Joe’s – Clarendon (A+)
Safeway – Bluemont (A)
Whole Foods – Pentagon City (A)
Giant Food – Penrose Square (A-)
Cherrydale Safeway (A-)
Harris Teeter – Columbia Pike (B+)
Harris Teeter – Shirlington (B+)
Harris Teeter – Ballston (B+)
Mom’s Organic Market – Langston Blvd (B)
Safeway – Rosslyn (B)
Whole Foods – Clarendon (B)
Harris Teeter – Potomac Yard (B)
Harris Teeter – Pentagon City (B-)
Giant – Long Branch Creek (C+)
Giant – Virginia Square (C)
Costco (C)
Harris Teeter – Lee-Harrison (D+)
Harrison Street Safeway (D+)
