Canton’s long-vacant CVS on Ford Road may finally have a suitor, and it is a familiar name for fans of frozen mandarin chicken. Trader Joe's appears to be closing in on the former drugstore at Canton Corners, with township records and landlord materials all pointing to the empty unit as the chain’s next likely local landing spot.
The space, a roughly 12,309-square-foot former CVS at 42433 Ford Road, has been empty since CVS closed in April 2024. Now the landlord’s marketing materials show the unit as "lease pending," and a recent flurry of permit entries and application activity suggests early work may be starting behind the scenes, even though no public lease has been filed.
What filings and officials show
Canton planning staff told local reporters that Trader Joe's is pursuing the former CVS at 42433 Ford Road and that the property’s owner submitted a certificate of zoning compliance naming Trader Joe's as the proposed new occupant. Reporting also flagged a building permit entry labeled "Trader Joe's demo" along with other application items tied to a potential interior fit-out for the approximately 12,309-square-foot space.
According to the Detroit Free Press, the company has not publicly confirmed that a lease has been signed, keeping everything in the “strong hint, not done deal” category for now.
Landlord lists the space as 'lease pending'
On the landlord side, property owner Schostak Brothers & Company lists suite 42433 at Canton Corners as "Lease Pending" in its current marketing materials and pegs the unit at about 12,309 square feet, matching the footprint of the former CVS. The center’s tenant map highlights big-box neighbors like Hobby Lobby and HomeGoods, a lineup that helps explain why grocers are so interested in this busy stretch of Ford Road.
For the latest center layout and tenant roster, check the Canton Corners page from Schostak Brothers.
Permits, approvals and timeline
Even if Trader Joe's is the incoming tenant, Canton officials point out there is still a municipal to-do list. Any new occupant will need re-occupancy permits along with approvals for site and building plans before the doors can open, which means plan reviews and inspections are still ahead.
Canton economic development staff also noted to reporters that the move would cut travel times for many residents, since the nearest Trader Joe's currently runs about 20 to 25 minutes away for much of the township. At the same time, officials are clear that those conveniences come only after the full approval process is complete, as described to reporters by township staff and reported by the Detroit Free Press.
How this fits Trader Joe's Michigan push
Nationally, Trader Joe's has been steadily adding locations this year, and the chain recently tagged Farmington Hills as "Coming Soon" on its official website, signaling an ongoing push in the Detroit suburbs. That listing, along with other recent store-opening notes, offers a glimpse of the company’s rollout pace, even though specific opening dates typically are not posted in advance.
For Trader Joe's own updates, including the Farmington Hills entry, see the store openings page on Trader Joe's.
What to watch next
The big public tells will be a formally filed lease, an official tenant announcement from Schostak or Trader Joe's, and final site-plan approvals from the township. Until those drop, the "lease pending" tag on the landlord’s materials and the permit entries at town hall remain the strongest signs that a deal is moving forward.
If those milestones line up, Canton could see its own Trader Joe's open on Ford Road, on a timeline that will hinge on permit turnaround times and the retailer’s construction schedule.
