Joe Coulombe

Joseph Hardin Coulombe (June 3, 1930 – February 28, 2020) was an American entrepreneur who founded the grocery store chain Trader Joe's in 1967 and served as its CEO until his retirement in 1988.

Early life and education Coulombe was born in San Diego, California, and grew up on an avocado farm in nearby Del Mar. 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. Coulombe was a member of Alpha Kappa Lambda.

Career 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. Coulombe continued with Trader Joe's as chief executive officer until retiring in 1988.

Personal life and death In 1952, Coulombe married Alice Steere, whom he met at a party while they were students at Stanford. Alice served on the board and was a life trustee of the Los Angeles Opera. They had three children, Joe, Charlotte, and Madeleine. Coulombe and his family lived in Pasadena, California. the Colburn School, and the Los Angeles Opera.