By Clyde Noel

If you’re planing to dine at Caffe Dijon in the Foothill Plaza, think twice: The building is empty. It is scheduled for demolition to make room for a Trader Joe’s specialty retail grocery.

The company plans to replace the 4,500-square-foot former restaurant site with an 11,000-square-foot building.

No other businesses will be affected while the shopping center is renovated with a parapet to update the look of the center.

Trader Joe’s applied for a license to sell off-sale alcohol beverages Oct. 16.

Los Altos City Planner David Kornfield said the planning commission has approved the plans, and the application will be presented to the Los Altos City Council for approval Tuesday.

Project Manager Michael Anderson was in the back of the former restaurant cutting electrical lines to the building.

“I expect we will start work on the site in the next month or so. As soon as everything is approved,” he said.

The Foothill Plaza is an unusual arrangement of stores since part of the shopping center lies within the city of Cupertino and the other portion is located in the city of Los Altos.

Trader Joe’s will be in the Los Altos boundary.

Present tenants in the shopping center are ecstatic that a company like Trader Joe’s is moving in.

Carmen Takemoto, partner at Holly Hocks, said, “I’m excited. They will have a lot of new items that bring in customers. This center needed something.”

Jane Jang, owner of the Dry Cleaners has been there 14 years. “It’s better than empty like some stores have been for years. It gets bleak around here in the late afternoon.”

A Cupertino resident from the adjoining apartments was shopping at Rite-Aid and excited about the change. He said Trader Joe’s is a great place for specialty foods and they have some really fantastic buys on wine.

“I find them a real step up from the average chain store. They have some national brands; but I like their own brands in breads, cookies and cheeses. I frequently shop at the Sunnyvale store for wine and specialty foods I can’t get around here.”

The restaurant location has been through some hard times. Originally a Denny’s, other restaurants have tried at that location but failed to build a clientele.