With a live band, face painting and an extra large staff, the newly constructed Traders Joe’s across Embarcadero Road opened to crowds of Paly students Friday morning.

Although earlier billboards had promised the store’s opening this spring, supervisor specialist Tiffany Bradley said that the store had to wait for the City of Palo Alto to approve plans for the completion of the parking lot.

“We decided to open this store because of requests from the people of Palo Alto, so we wanted it to be perfect,” Bradley said. She noted that crowds of people were waiting outside the store for its 8 a.m. opening, which is an hour earlier than the typical 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. hours seen at most Trader Joe’s stores. This Trader Joe’s also closes at 10 p.m., an hour later than most.

For its opening day, Trader Joe’s hired a balloon artist and a jazz band to entertain customers.

“I’m just contracted out,” Buster Jordan, the specialist, said. He noted that most of the customers were Paly students.

“At the beginning it was all adults,” Jordan said. “Every break people have been lining up and running over here [from Paly]. They’re all running across the street.”

Many students expressed excitement about the entertainment, free food (which included pumpkin coffee, pecan pie, and cat-shaped chocolate cookies), and healthy, quick lunches. Despite the crowds of customers, the lines never got very long because many registers were open. The store even seemed overstaffed, with helpful red-shirted staff and flowery-shirted managers and supervisors ready to help out any confused customers.

“They’re quick and efficient,” senior Veena Subramanian said, “and they have bands and balloons.”

Some of the students feel that Trader Joe’s popularity will soon die down after it loses the excitement of its opening.

“Whenever there’s something new, people want to come,” senior Kianna Evans said. “I think it will definitely die down after a few weeks.”

Others disagree, claiming that Trader Joe’s is a unique new addition to Town and Country.

“A lot of the stuff here is organic and healthy, which is like a Palo Alto thing,” sophomore Molly Chen said. She also noted a lasting attraction that all Trader Joe’s locations have to offer. “I remember at the San Antonio Trader Joe’s, they have a free sample booth too,” Chen said.

Some students have no doubt about Trader Joe’s future.

“Paly will never eat the same way again,” senior Christine Chang said.