UPDATE: Several other elected officials have added their support.

Original story below…

MIDDLE RIVER, MD—The Middle River community wants a Trader Joe’s, and an online petition that was created to underscore that desire has amassed over 2,400 signatures.

“As residents of the Greenleigh community in Middle River, MD, we face a daily struggle. Our community is in desperate need of a grocery store. Currently, we have to drive too far away from our community just to buy our basic necessities,” reads the petition created at Change.org. “Most of the residents who have spoken up about this concern feel that a Trader Joe’s grocery store would be the perfect operator in terms of size and quality food offerings to serve our growing community of 2,200 homes and more than 3,000,000 Sq. Ft. of commercial space…St. John Properties Inc., as owner of all of the retail land and buildings in our community, is prepared to get creative and offer financial incentives for Trader Joe’s to open a new grocery store within our community.”

Councilman David Marks has thrown his support behind the petition as well.

“I’m lending my strong support to a Trader Joe’s on the Eastside,” said Councilman Marks last week. “Let me make it clear – we’ve heard for years about the need for diverse grocery store options, and have actively made that suggestion to developers and shopping center owners. A Wegman’s, Trader Joe’s, Graul’s, or other store would be welcome on the Eastside, but the developers of Greenleigh are specifically targeting Trader Joe’s for the vacant lot there.”

The online petition can be signed here.