Joe Coulombe, founder and namesake of Trader Joe's, died in Pasadena, CA, Friday, Feb. 28. He was 89.

In a statement Trader Joe's said Mr. Coulombe was an extraordinarily smart and accomplished entrepreneur who built a company that introduced something welcomingly different in the grocery retail space. Mr. Coulombe opened the first Trader Joe's store in 1967 in Pasadena. Notably thrifty and insightful, he went against conventional industry norms at the time, moving away from national brands and introducing Trader Joe's private label in 1972.

"Joe was the perfect person at the right time for Trader Joe's," said Dan Bane, chief executive officer of Trader Joe's. "He was a brilliant thinker with a mesmerizing personality that simply galvanized all with whom he worked. He was not only our founder, he was our first spokesperson. He starred in captivating radio ads for years, always signing off with his unique, 'thanks for listening.' Joe developed a cadre of leaders that carried on his vision and helped shape Trader Joe's in the early years."

Mr. Coulombe's curiosity, philanthropic generosity, and irreverent sense of humor were woven into the fabric of the culture that defines Trader Joe's stores. He retired in 1988, but that culture carried on and is evident in Trader Joe's stores today.

Mr. Coulombe has said he always believed that it is the people that set Trader Joe's apart, and the company said that started with Mr. Coulombe.