Grocery Store Joe has landed in the Big Apple! Joe Amabile has made the move to New York City to be with his Bachelor in Paradise girlfriend, Serena Pitt.
The couple met on the seventh season of Bachelor in Paradise and have been inseparable ever since their engagement on the show’s finale while splitting their time primarily between Chicago and Toronto.
Joe Amabile tagged New York in a post with moving truck
The Chicago native and enthusiast announced on Instagram earlier this week that he is settling in New York after a year of traveling around alongside Serena.
He took to his Instagram page with a “New York, New York” geotag and a photo holding a large cardboard box. Standing next to a pink Roadway Moving truck, Amabile made the official statement about where he was settling down.
“Just got a place in NYC and I had a lot to move,” he wrote. “I usually can’t stand moving but @roadwaymoving makes it way too easy! Now its time to unpack.”
His girlfriend Serena, who was first seen on Matt James’ season of The Bachelor, is originally from Toronto. In an interview with US Weekly in early March, the couple announced that their “happy medium” location would be New York City.
“We are going to New York next week and we are planning on signing a lease. That’s the plan. I think [in] Brooklyn,” Joe said. “We wanted something a little more low-key in New York. We’ve been going back and forth splitting time between Chicago and Toronto and it does get exhausting traveling back and forth and back and forth. I think Serena’s literally been living out of a suitcase for eight months. So to find somewhere mutual that we both are still close to our families and wanna be, that’s how we came up with that.”
Joe says he will go ‘back and forth’ from NYC to Chicago
Although many fans and followers have shown excitement for Joe’s move from the Windy City to The Big Apple, others are surprised to see him leave his native city. However, Joe has replied to concerned comments on his Instagram to clarify that he plans on still traveling to Chicago as often as possible for work purposes.
One concerned follower wrote, “YOU LEFT CHICAGO?” Joe responded simply – “going back and forth.”
Another user wrote, “Good luck..don’t forget about us here in Chicago.” Joe replied, “haha never I’ll be there Saturday.”
Joe’s previous breakup with Kendall Long over Chicago move
The news of Joe’s move may come as a bit of a surprise to fans of the franchise who remember the reason behind his previous Bachelor breakup.
Kendall Long, Joe’s previous Bachelor in Paradise Season 5 girlfriend, said in an interview with ET that their relationship of nearly two years ended primarily due to moving issues.
“It was a little bit of a surprise,” Kendall said, “But I think, ultimately, Joe foresaw his happiness and work in Chicago, and I can’t resent him because of that. And for me, I just never foresaw a future there.”
Ultimately, Kendall said that Joe was not willing to move out of Chicago, and she couldn’t picture moving to the city herself. “So I think that it became an ultimatum within itself, where either I move to Chicago or we break up, and I didn’t really wanna have a relationship like that,” she added.
The quirky couple officially called it quits due to the issue, and even though Kendall surprised Joe on the 7th season of Bachelor in Paradise for another chance, Joe ultimately decided to pursue his relationship with Serena.
Now, Grocery Store Joe has officially embraced the New York lifestyle and is ready to plant roots for his next phase of life alongside his new fiance.
Bachelor in Paradise is currently on hiatus.