According to the official Trader Joe’s store locator, Trader Joe’s will open a new store at 125 W Lincoln Hwy in Exton, PA. The location is listed as “Coming Soon.” The address is located within Whiteland Towne Center, a shopping center that includes Kohl’s, Hobby Lobby, Rally House, Party City, and other national retailers. Trader Joe’s has not announced an opening date. The company also notes that this location will not sell alcohol.
Some online maps place the address near a nearby gas station, but the Trader Joe’s website confirms the store will be part of the Whiteland Towne Center.
This Spot Once Held the Exton Drive-In
Before Whiteland Towne Center existed, the site was home to the Exton Drive-In Theatre. The theater opened on June 10, 1955, with space for 800 cars, according to CinemaTreasures. It closed in the mid-1980s.
Aerial images from 1958 show the curved rows of the theater’s car bays. By 1982, the drive-in was still present. In later imagery from 1992, the current shopping center is visible, confirming the transformation occurred between those years.
From Rural Land to Regional Retail Center
In 1951, the area was entirely rural, made up of farmland and scattered homes. A two-lane Lincoln Highway passed through the area without any commercial development.
In the decades following, the Exton Drive-In became a local entertainment destination. After it closed, the property changed use. By 1988, the Whiteland Towne Center was completed, according to commercial property records.
Today, the shopping center is a busy commercial hub in Chester County. Trader Joe’s will join a range of existing national chains, continuing the area’s long shift from rural roots to retail destination.
Last Updated on May 11, 2025 by F.E.M