TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD. — Page 3

#51

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 1/28/08 at 7:53pm

TJ's is not for normal shopping.

It's for specialty items, some fancy nuts, cheeses and desserts and a great selection of wine.

If you are going in to do the regular shopping, you will be disappointed.

I had avoided it for a while because I always assumed that it was much higher in cost, but it's not.

I get all my cheese there, and they have some great ice cream. Also, I love their frozen tamales. They are cheap, taste great, and are ready in a couple of minutes.


AND they carry Black Licorice Altoids!

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"TheatreDiva90016 - another good reason to frequent these boards less."<<>> “I hesitate to give this line of discussion the validation it so desperately craves by perpetuating it, but the light from logic is getting further and further away with your every successive post.” <<>> -whatever2

#52

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 1/28/08 at 8:11pm

For a single person who cooks for one, it is great. You do have to read the labels, but I often buy most of my food for the week there.

Rarely do I go to the supermarket - I go to Costco for most of my meat.

Staples such as sugar and flour are not on my Costco list, but just about everything else is.

For wine, try the Black Mountain "Fat Cat" Cabernet for just a couple of dollars more!

#53

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 1/28/08 at 10:28pm

aww man I love Trader Joe's! Seriously, I'm much much healthier since I started going there - it's helped a lot with the vegetarian thing. I recently discovered their chocolate-covered edaname beans. Delicious! Along with everything else, of course.

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"The art of Illusion is the art of love; and the art of love is the blood-red heart of the world." - Tony Kushner, "The Illusion"

#54

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 1/28/08 at 10:34pm

As someone who spent her college years intimately familiar with Trader Ming, Trader Jose, and all those other traders, this entire thread is hysterical. I think I agree with ALL the good AND bad points to a certain degree...

What took TJ's so long to get to NYC?

They are EXTREMELY picky with where they open, plus they like to open several in one area if it's totally new -- logistics with warehouses and such.

You guys might want to check this out, too: https://www.yelp.com/topic/san-carlos-trader-joe-products-are-disgusting

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"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#55

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 1/28/08 at 10:40pm

They need one or two more stores in Nyc. Waiting in an express line for 40 minutes and then in another 15 at their wine outpost kind of takes the joy out of shopping there.

#56

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 1/28/08 at 10:44pm

That sucks! I never got to visit the ones in NYC when I was there.

40 minutes?!

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"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#57

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 1/28/08 at 10:50pm

I'm wondering the same thing. If there's one thing TJ'S has down pat, it's keeping those lines moving rapidly.

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<-----I'M TOTES ROLLING MY EYES

#58

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 1/28/08 at 10:52pm

I love the dark chocolate covered edamame too!

And even when the line is snaked almost to the door, I've never been in it more than 15 minutes.

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Have I ever shown you my Shattered Dreams box? It's in my Disappointment Closet. - Marge Simpson

#59

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 1/28/08 at 10:55pm

Yep. I learned to never ever go after like, 4pm. Their one express line always went all the way down the dairy isle and wrapped along the back of the store.

I really want some mochi ice cream and puffin cereal right now. Damn it.

#60

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 1/28/08 at 10:58pm

I've only ever been there after 6:00 p.m.

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Have I ever shown you my Shattered Dreams box? It's in my Disappointment Closet. - Marge Simpson

#61

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 1/28/08 at 11:11pm

If you're in a hurry and/or generally hate people, don't EVER shop at a Trader Joe's on a Sunday, or any day between 3 and 5 p.m.

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"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#62

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 1/28/08 at 11:13pm

Well I guess they were having some sort of cashier meltdown crisis the last time I went because it took 40 minutes. It was before I was going to see a show and I had tons of time and I needed some cashback on my debit for a taxi and whatnot so I grabbed a couple things and I waited and waited and waited and it took forever to get out of the store... and I ended up getting to the theatre at like 7:58.

But in SF the lines are usually super long and I never usually wait longer than around 10 minutes.

#63

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 1/29/08 at 8:54am

It can't be worse than Fairway. The lines haven't been as long as the TJ ones quoted here, but man is the staff there rude as hell.

#64

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 1/29/08 at 9:11am

"TJ's is not for normal shopping."

It's for sick shopping!

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<-----I'M TOTES ROLLING MY EYES

#65

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 1/29/08 at 10:45am

The secret is to go in pairs. Have one person get in line immediately and pick up anything needed on the perimeter as he/she passes it. Have the other person rush around the aisles to grab whatever else is needed, then meet just before it gets into the roped off section. (person 2 really needs to know the store layout, though!)

#66

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 1/29/08 at 11:08am

I totally agree about avoiding 3-5pm in general if you don't like crowds.

It's annoying when the line is 2 or 3 carts deep and you can't even reach the product you need to grab.

Plus all those germs.

But even when the line was at its longest, I've never waited more than 10-15 mins to check out.

Besides, there are loads of cute guys who shop there to flirt with.

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#67

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 1/29/08 at 12:14pm

The one in Manhattan is overly crowded. You can't even get to some of the items because the line snakes all around the store.

And everytime I go in there, the cashiers try to be friendly. "Ooo, I bought these and they are wonderful." or "Oh these look great, I didn't know we sold these. I'm going to buy some when I get off work." Who cares? Just give me my groceries so I can get out of here.

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If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

Updated On: 1/29/08 at 12:14 PM

#68

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 1/29/08 at 12:53pm

We've gotten to the point where pretty much everyone in my medium-sized town shops at TJs - which is about a 30 minute commute. Not too bad, but everyone is constantly tossing about this idea: just put one in our town?? They would get tons of business. But, as has been stated, they are so, so picky about where to put new stores. Community groups have approached TJs offices several times, always to no avail. I think by now we're just annoying them. But they still get our business.

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"The art of Illusion is the art of love; and the art of love is the blood-red heart of the world." - Tony Kushner, "The Illusion"

#69

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 1/29/08 at 2:33pm

They need to open one on the UWS in the spot that used to be TOWER RECORDS. That would make my life so much easier. Fairway lines are much shorter but they don't have the extensive asian groceries. I am addicted now to the thai shrimp dumplings.
They are so good. I wish they carried shrimp shumai.
The orange chicken mixed with the frozen asian snowpea blend is orgasmic to say the least.
Not quite as good as Shun Lee but a meal is about $1.00, which is worth it.

#70

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 1/29/08 at 2:34pm

I think we're going go get some Trader Joe's nuts today. WEEEE!

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#71

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 1/29/08 at 2:54pm

I have yet to go to the Manhattan location, but in Tucson and Seattle the guys who worked there were all tattoo-y and kewt!

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"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.” ~ Muhammad Ali

#72

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 1/29/08 at 3:02pm

We got our Thanksgiving meal at one of the TJ's in New York when I was there. It was Delicious!

#73

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 1/30/08 at 9:54pm

And everytime I go in there, the cashiers try to be friendly. "Ooo, I bought these and they are wonderful." or "Oh these look great, I didn't know we sold these. I'm going to buy some when I get off work." Who cares? Just give me my groceries so I can get out of here.

Blame all the videos they make the new hires watch.

Someone should put those on YouTube sometime.

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"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#74

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 1/30/08 at 10:09pm

"Blame all the videos they make the new hires watch."

At least it wasn't like my experience at Costco. I bought some rosemary-mint scented conditioner. The cashier looks at it and says "I bet this smells wonderful." Then she unscrews the cap and sticks her nose in the bottle. I'm trying to decide if I should put that story in my autobiography.

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If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

#75

re: TRADER JOE'S LOVE THREAD.

Posted: 2/1/08 at 3:43pm

Best thing about Trader Joes--3 buck Chuck!! i am for sure no wine expert (and im also very cheap) but i think it tastes pretty darn good for 3 bucks a bottle!