7 Things to Know About Grocery Store Joe

Getting eliminated on night one of The Bachelorette usually doesn’t bode well for reality fame and a following, but Grocery Store Joe is clearly the exception.

Sweet, down-to-earth Joe Amabile won viewers’ hearts despite his lack of air time, parlaying it into an appearance on Bachelor in Paradise, where he fell for Bachelor alum, Kendall Long. Now he’s a contestant on Dancing with the Stars.

Want to find out more about the guy with the killer smile? Here are seven things to know about Grocery Store Joe.

The Name Game
Although his real name is Joe Amabile, he doesn’t mind the nicknames bestowed upon him based on his profession. Well, at least some of them. He’s apparently fine with Joe the Grocer and Grocery Store Joe, but isn’t very fond of Grocer Joe, “because it kind of sounds like Joe’s Gross,” he admits.

Strictly Business
As per his ABC bio, Joe was one of the youngest traders on the Chicago stock exchange, turning a successful career in big finance into a successful career in small business. Following in his family’s footsteps, he owns and manages his own grocery store.

The Discovery
Joe was discovered while shopping in Whole Foods. A woman approached him, asked if he was single, and suggested he try out for The Bachelor franchise. He said sure, assuming he’d be the Bachelor. However, he ended up being one of the guys pursuing The Bachelorettte, Becca Kufrin.

Getting to His Roots
It’s pretty clear from his last name that the Chicago native is part Italian. But did you know he’s also 25 percent Norwegian?

Limbering Up
Joe candidly admitted that he knew diddly-squat about dancing when he signed on for Dancing with the Stars. However, he had a plan to limber up before starting to strut his stuff. “I’m going to start doing some yoga,” he said before the show got underway.

Dating 101
When it comes to his dream date, not surprisingly, Joe prefers things plain and simple. “Dinner,” he told Access Hollywood. “I don’t need to go travel to Bali or do whatever those [Bachelor] people do. Just take me to dinner… a little wine. That’s all.”

Picnic-ly Challenged
On Bachelor in Paradise, Joe told Kendall he’d never been on a picnic, when she mentioned she enjoyed them in an unusual setting — cemeteries. Since the show wrapped, the twosome have apparently embarked on one… amid the tombstones. Joe’s verdict? “It’s not bad.”