The Unique Trader Joe's Location With Ties To George Washington

Before George Washington became a legend, he took more than a few hard knocks. Perhaps the biggest body slam came from British general, William Howe, who all but crushed the fledgling Continental Army at the Battle of Brooklyn. Indeed, had not a fog set in at night to cover Washington's escape, that might have been the end of him — and any United States. The future first president and one dollar would certainly, and perhaps gratefully, not recognize an iota of the 1776 battlefield in Brooklyn today. Now one of the most densely developed areas of the country, the ground is now covered by several Brooklyn neighborhoods, from Park Slope to Brooklyn Heights, where Washington made his escape.

That puts the footsteps of Washington almost continually under any stroll in the area, especially at the Trader Joe's on Court Street, on the border of Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill. From this spot, Washington reportedly watched the rout ensue. "Good God, what brave fellows I must lose," he declared before sending 400 Marylanders against a tide of British soldiers to hold open the escape route. A plaque on the building marks the occasion, as does the flag on top, whose tip represents the original height of the hill . Recognizing the tactical advantage for future attackers, the British knocked it down several pegs soon after. The spanking might also explain how much our Founding Fathers drank at George Washington's farewell party after victory and why Washington enjoyed this cocktail so much.

One reason the plaque gets little notice is the building itself. Opened in 1924, the handsome limestone building was home to a bank and remained so until 2008, when Trader Joe's opened its first Brooklyn branch inside to much fanfare and Hawaiian-themed attire. That amplified as shoppers stepped inside to buy popular Trader Joe's items that sell out quickly amid sunbeams filtering through arched windows, marble paneling, and an ornamented ceiling with antique chandeliers. Then-borough president Marty Markowitz enthused at the time to The Brooklyn Paper, "Trader Joe's is unconventional, diverse and quirky — just like Brooklyn — and bringing one to our borough has been a dream since the day I took office as borough president."

If the Washington connection is too buried here for history seekers, the nearby neighborhoods offer several more related to that fateful battle. Walk 30 minutes southeast and reach The Old Stone house, a replica of a 1699 home that stood there that now is home to a museum on the battle. Alternatively, walk northeast on foot from Trader Joe's for another 30 minutes and reach Fort Greene, called Fort Washington until 1897. Atop the hill today is Prison Ship Martyrs Monument to commemorate the 11,500 men and women died in harsh conditions after Washington's retreat. West and north of the Trader Joe's find another marker in Brooklyn Bridge Park that memorializes Washington's daring escape across the East River that foggy evening to fight another day.