SAN GABRIEL VALLEY : Trader Joe’s Store Founder to Take Helm at Sport Chalet

Joe Coulombe, who founded Trader Joe’s, the multimillion-dollar gourmet food and liquor stores, has been appointed president of Sport Chalet Inc., a La Canada Flintridge-based chain of sporting-goods stores that posted sales of more than $122 million last year.

Coulombe, a Pasadena resident who served on the Sport Chalet corporate board of directors during 1993-94, will replace Sam Allen, who is resigning after 11 years to pursue other opportunities.

“We are extremely fortunate to have available to us a person of Mr. Coulombe’s proven ability and retailing experience,” said Norbert Olberz, the company’s chairman.

Industry analysts also applauded the move, saying Coulombe is a solid name in Southern California retailing.

“We expect him to move in and basically fine-tune the operations as opposed to making any kind of radical changes,” said Martin Cosgrove, vice president of investment research at Wedbush Morgan Securities in Los Angeles.

“He’s familiar with the company, and yet he’s an outsider, which can bring new angles. It’s a good combination,” Cosgrove said.

Coulombe, 64, founded the first Trader Joe’s in South Pasadena in 1967, adding stores as the business grew. In 1979, Coulombe sold the chain to the Albrecht family of German grocery store tycoons, but served as chief executive until 1989. Recently, Coulombe was president and chief executive officer of Provigo Corp., a food retailer and wholesaler.