Trader Joe’s has submitted an application with all the associated fees to the Brookhaven Town Planning Department to build a grocery store in Miller Place. According to Brookhaven Town Councilwoman Jane Bonner, if all goes well, the company plans to build on a lot just west of Walgreens on the south side of Route 25A.

This has been a long time coming for Bonner who has been attempting to entice the retailer here for a while.

“I’ve been trying for years to get Trader Joe’s to come to the area,” she said when confirming the news.

The vacant King Kullen shopping center up the road to the west in Mount Sinai was one location considered but Trader Joe’s prefers smaller stores with less square footage.

When the Walgreens was originally built, the developer was required to put in a traffic light anticipating future development, according to Bonner. That development was sidelined when the economics of retail changed with the massive rise of online shopping and then the pandemic.

The Trader Joe’s application was submitted about a month ago but don’t expect a quick process. The company has to go through not only Town but State and County level agency reviews before they can put a shovel in the ground. Bonner expects it will take a year and a half before the store opens.

According to Breslin Realty, who has the listing for the property, the development site is around 2.5 acres and the land is for lease. Breslin did not respond to a request to comment.

Trader Joe’s corporation – who are notoriously tight-lipped about new locations – did not confirm the Miller Place store application was in process.

No plans are available for review as of yet.