Joe Coulombe
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Coulombe in 1986
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| Born | Joseph Hardin Coulombe (1930-06-03)June 3, 1930
San Diego, California, U.S.
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| Died | February 28, 2020(2020-02-28) (aged 89)
Pasadena, California, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Stanford University (BA, MBA) |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Known for | Founder and CEO of Trader Joe's |
| Spouse | Alice Steere |
| Children | 3 |
Joseph Hardin Coulombe (June 3, 1930 – February 28, 2020)[1] was an American entrepreneur. He founded the grocery store chain Trader Joe's in 1967 and ran it until his retirement in 1988.[2]
Coulombe was born in San Diego, California, and grew up on an avocado farm in nearby Del Mar.[3][4] After serving a year in the U.S. Air Force, he attended Stanford University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in economics in 1952 and a Master of Business Administration degree in 1954.[4][5] Coulombe was a member of Alpha Kappa Lambda.[6]
Coulombe started his career at Rexall, a chain of American drugstores. In 1958, he was asked to test the launch of Pronto Markets, a store brand to compete against 7-Eleven. After running six Pronto Markets in the Los Angeles area, Rexall asked Coulombe to liquidate them; he decided to buy them out instead.[2] In 1967, Coulombe changed the name Pronto Markets to Trader Joe's. He led the chain to success and sold it in 1979 to German billionaire Theo Albrecht, co-founder of the Aldi supermarket chain.[2][7] Coulombe continued with Trader Joe's as chief executive officer until retiring in 1988.[2]
Coulombe served on the corporate boards of Cost Plus World Market, Bristol Farms, True Religion, and Imperial Bank.[4][8]
In 1952, Coulombe married Alice Steere, whom he met at a party while they were students at Stanford. Alice served on the board and is a life trustee of the Los Angeles Opera.[9][10] They had three children, Joe, Charlotte, and Madeleine. Coulombe and his family lived in Pasadena, California.[4]
Coulombe was a board member of the Huntington Library,[11] the Colburn School, and the Los Angeles Opera.[4]
On February 28, 2020, Coulombe died at his home in Pasadena, at age 89.[12][4][1]
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