Nearly a year after first confirming its plans, Trader Joe’s is officially opening its doors in Columbia.

The store, located at 201 North Stadium Boulevard in the old Macy’s building at the Shoppes at Stadium, will welcome shoppers starting at 9 a.m. (Thursday)

after months of construction, the long-awaited sign went up earlier this fall. The 12,500-square-foot store has hired more than 70 new crew members, and will partner with The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri to donate all unsold, but still good food items daily.