We went to Trader Joes tonight, and fully HALF of my party waited in the car.

[MrCoffee]

i can't stand setting foot in TJ's. i get all claustrophobic and paranoid. i think it's the wonky angle they install their shelving at. or maybe the throngs of people grabbing desperately for the last box of Joe's O's.

either way, me and BabyCoffee hung out in the car, then went to the Half-Price Books next door.

[gbate]

1. As she fights her way over to the frozen chocolate bananas.

I wish our TJ's was bigger. Is ay "our" TJ but it's actually about 25 minutes away.
Well worth the drive, though.

[MrCoffee]

2. i love the stuff MrsCoffee gets there...i just won't help her get it

that store gives me the heebie-jeebies.

[Phillycat]

9. None of them is any bigger.

They build them small on purpose, to keep prices low.

I love Trader Joe's, but yeah, it's claustrophobic in there.

[LynneSin]

3. I'm just not a fan of Trader Joes, although I like their Virgin Olive Oil

But they have limited produce & meat products - so I find the trip to Trader Joes an inconvience.

[MrCoffee]

7. i find the trip to be a mind-crippling blend of panic, rage and loathing

but they do have a damn good frozen pizza section.

[Midlodemocrat]

4. Oh c'mon. You're just afraid of all that flannel.

:hide:

[MrCoffee]

5. i'm in Seattle

of course i'm terrified of flannel. why else would i have moved here?

[supernova]

6. There's a new TJ in Chapel Hill

but I haven't been in there yet.

Is it really all that?

[Midlodemocrat]

8. I wish we had one near me. The only one I've been in is in San Francisco.

I thought it was awesome. The closest one here is 2 hours away.

[supernova]

12. Hmmm I'm supposed to go over the CH this PM

maybe I'll stop in there on the way home. :-)

[kwassa]

10. I am a devotee of TJs. I worship at the altar.

Since 1979, when I first encountered their blue tortilla corn chips and salsa, it has been a deep and passionate relationship.

and it has been reciprocal. Trader Joes followed me to Maryland from California, and set up shop less than a mile away. I shop there every week, and we can't even get the beer and wine here!

They have many excellent products. And, they are CHEAP! Compare to Whole Paycheck, er, Foods.

[Mountainman]

11. I hate TJ's too. My mother-in-law and wife like it. They buy those little bags of burnt chips in

weird flavors like honey dijon garlic or something like that. I think it is the "up scale" angle that gets them to go there. Like Starbucks and such. They do have veggie meat balls which is the only thing I'd consider buying there.
I have no use for TJ's.

[Bullwinkle925]

13. I've found absolutely nothing to complain about regarding TJ's . . .

personally, i like the smaller, more independent grocery-store aspect of it.
i feel more weirded out at safeway or some other metropolis food-chain.

the products at TJ's are outstanding and the prices are certainly *user-friendly*.