Thread: Trader Joe's is coming to a corner near me!

Lynn from Fargo wrote:

> We're supposedly getting a Trader Joe's grocery less than two blocks
> from my apartment. Right now, I can't even walk to the closest
> stupid market or "real" convenience store. The little corner drug
> store sells late dated milk $4 a loaf wonder bead and is not open
> after 5 pm or at all on Saturdays and Sundays.

Congratulations! TJs is wonderful.

> Will this be a good thing? Do you shop Trader Joe's? what do you
> like? what don't you like? How's the meat? fish? produce? selection?

Produce is good. Selection good. We like their organic soups, broths and
simmer sauces. Oh, and "Two-Buck Chuck" wine. Not sure if you will get
that where you are at. (I suspect it's the reason why they aren't in
states like Oklahoma -- damned liquor laws). Interesting things in the
freezer cases. We don't buy our meat there so I can't comment on it, but
overall we've been very pleased with the quality and variety of the
things they carry. Plus, it's fairly inexpensive (by California standards).

I think you will be pleased!

--Lin

Lin wrote on Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:29:44 -0800:

>> We're supposedly getting a Trader Joe's grocery less than two
>> blocks from my apartment. Right now, I can't even walk to
>> the closest stupid market or "real" convenience store. The
>> little corner drug store sells late dated milk $4 a loaf
>> wonder bead and is not open after 5 pm or at all on Saturdays
>> and Sundays.

> Congratulations! TJs is wonderful.

>> Will this be a good thing? Do you shop Trader Joe's? what
>> do you like? what don't you like? How's the meat? fish?
>> produce? selection?

> Produce is good. Selection good. We like their organic soups, broths
> and simmer sauces. Oh, and "Two-Buck Chuck" wine. Not
> sure if you will get that where you are at. (I suspect it's
> the reason why they aren't in states like Oklahoma -- damned
> liquor laws).

They don't seem to need to sell wine. The branches in Bethesda and
Rockville, MD don't sell beer or wine. Mind you, my county has an
interesting leftover from the compromises to end Prohibition. You can
only buy liquor in a State-owned store. The state stores have quite
decent prices on wine but can't sell *cold* beer or any soda and the
selection available can be a bit eccentric.

> I think you will be pleased!




--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

Lynn from Fargo <[email protected]> wrote:

>We're supposedly getting a Trader Joe's grocery less than two blocks
>from my apartment. Right now, I can't even walk to the closest
>stupid market or "real" convenience store. The little corner drug
>store sells late dated milk $4 a loaf wonder bead and is not open
>after 5 pm or at all on Saturdays and Sundays.

> Will this be a good thing? Do you shop Trader Joe's? what do you
>like? what don't you like? How's the meat? fish? produce? selection?

First, there are are two key things to keep in mind about how
TJ's does its marketing. One, they never change the shelf
price of an item as long as they still have it in stock from
the same shipment. Two, they have no bulk food or produce --
there are no scales at checkout. So the produce is all
pre-packaged

In my region, TJ's has some of the best values on on the following:
Alvarado St. bread (re-labeled), organic dairy products,
commodity (i.e. non-local) organic produce, breakfast cereal,
frozen pizza, vegie burgers, soy nuggets, waffles; various
Niman Ranch meat products; kosher chicken; tofurkey and
similar products; cat food; bottled water. There are also many
good wine values, less true for liquor and beer.

Some common products they seem never to have in really good
quality are coffee and tofu.

A person could do about 80% of their shopping there and
not miss out on much other than local produce and local meat.

Steve

Steve wrote on Thu, 5 Mar 2009 23:55:57 +0000 (UTC):


> Some common products they seem never to have in really good
> quality are coffee and tofu.

I'd disagree with you about coffee since I buy all mine at TJs. I can't
argue about tofu; who can tell about quality in tofu; it's got no taste
anyway!
--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

"Lynn from Fargo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> We're supposedly getting a Trader Joe's grocery less than two blocks
> from my apartment. Right now, I can't even walk to the closest
> stupid market or "real" convenience store. The little corner drug
> store sells late dated milk $4 a loaf wonder bead and is not open
> after 5 pm or at all on Saturdays and Sundays.
>
> Will this be a good thing? Do you shop Trader Joe's? what do you
> like? what don't you like? How's the meat? fish? produce? selection?
> Lynn in Fargo

Hi there;

Yes TJ'S is a good thing. Their Dairy, & egg prices are usually the most
competitive as are their cheeses. The bread is upscale - sorry no wonder
bread. :-)

They carry a good variety of frozen foods also.

Their wines are goes especially their 2 buck chuck and their TJ'S brands -
the hard stuff I find a little high priced..

They also carry a good selection of hot and cold cereals as well as dried
fruits and nuts.


You'll enjoy the store.

Go to their website and look at their FEARLESS FLYER (AD)

Enjoy.

Dimitri

"Lynn from Fargo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> We're supposedly getting a Trader Joe's grocery less than two blocks
> from my apartment. Right now, I can't even walk to the closest
> stupid market or "real" convenience store. The little corner drug
> store sells late dated milk $4 a loaf wonder bead and is not open
> after 5 pm or at all on Saturdays and Sundays.
>
> Will this be a good thing? Do you shop Trader Joe's? what do you
> like? what don't you like? How's the meat? fish? produce? selection?
> Lynn in Fargo

We couldn't live without TJ's. Milk, butter, sour cream, yogurt and other
dairy stuff is all cheaper than the local supermarket and always of good
quality. Orange juice is better and cheaper. Two buck Chuck wines, all
varieties, are good and very inexpensive, depending on your local and state
liquor taxes. I think we do over 50% of our food shopping at TJ's. This will
change your life positively.

As well the TJ's in our area have excellent customer service. As I recall
they got very high marks in Consumer Reports for that.

Hugh

James Silverton <not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not> wrote:

> Steve wrote on Thu, 5 Mar 2009 23:55:57 +0000 (UTC):

>> Some common products they seem never to have in really good
>> quality are coffee and tofu.

> I'd disagree with you about coffee since I buy all mine at
> TJs. I can't argue about tofu; who can tell about quality in
> tofu; it's got no taste anyway!

I am guessing from the latter that you've never had really good
tofu, which is not too surprising since it's not very available.
I'm fortunate in having a good local supplier (Hodo). I
have heard that there's good tofu in the south bay area too.

Coffee, well TJ's is better than some options, but there I
am also spoiled.

In fact I'm just spoiled in general.

Steve

"Lynn from Fargo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> We're supposedly getting a Trader Joe's grocery less than two blocks
> from my apartment. Right now, I can't even walk to the closest
> stupid market or "real" convenience store. The little corner drug
> store sells late dated milk $4 a loaf wonder bead and is not open
> after 5 pm or at all on Saturdays and Sundays.
>
> Will this be a good thing? Do you shop Trader Joe's? what do you
> like? what don't you like? How's the meat? fish? produce? selection?
> Lynn in Fargo

I like their frozen fish a lot, especially red snapper. My faves are their
salsas, nuts, chocolate, and frozen ethnic and ready-made foods. We once had
a TJ raspberry torte on shortbread crust at a friends house that was
absolutely wonderful.
Their soaps and shampoos are pretty good too!
I used to drive quite a ways to get to a TJs but one opened up down the road
last fall. :-)

Dimitri wrote:
>
> Their wines are goes especially their 2 buck chuck and their TJ'S brands -
> the hard stuff I find a little high priced..

I've compared certain of their hard liquors against
various other local stores (supermarkets, drugstores,
etc.), and for the same item they are always cheapest.

"Mark Thorson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
> Dimitri wrote:
>>
>> Their wines are goes especially their 2 buck chuck and their TJ'S
>> brands -
>> the hard stuff I find a little high priced..
>
> I've compared certain of their hard liquors against
> various other local stores (supermarkets, drugstores,
> etc.), and for the same item they are always cheapest.

For the low volume stuff I believe you're correct but 99% of the time I can
beat their prices on popular brands like Jack, or Chivas or Cuervo - one
needs to be careful in comparing price as they usually will stock a full
liter not a 750 ml. ergo one needs to take 3/4 of the price for comparison.

I think their prices on single malts are quite reasonable.

After all there's nothing like an Oscar Mayer bologna sandwich on sourdough
with a Laphroaig.

Dimitri

Lynn from Fargo wrote:
>
> We're supposedly getting a Trader Joe's grocery less than two blocks
> from my apartment. Right now, I can't even walk to the closest
> stupid market or "real" convenience store. The little corner drug
> store sells late dated milk $4 a loaf wonder bead and is not open
> after 5 pm or at all on Saturdays and Sundays.
>
> Will this be a good thing? Do you shop Trader Joe's? what do you
> like? what don't you like? How's the meat? fish? produce? selection?
> Lynn in Fargo


Am not impressed in general with Trader Joe's. If you don't have much
selection in your area, you might well like it. They do sell a lot of
things under their own label, which makes it difficult to know who
actually made the product. Was looking for a particular brand of
biscuit/cookie before Christmas and thought they were out of stock.
Found it eventually, rebranded; seemed to taste the same.

The one nearest us does have an excellent selection of wine with a wide
price range and locally-produced wines as well. Most of the other things
we've tried there were good enough but not top of the line. Fruit and
veg are ordinary and more expensive than where we usually buy them.

Keep in mind that each TJ's is modified to the local market. The one
opening near you could well sell very different product lines than the
one we've been to.

On Mar 5, 6:42*pm, "dejablues" <dejabl...@comcast.net> wrote:
> "Lynn from Fargo" <lynng...@i29.net> wrote in messagenews:[email protected]...
>
> > We're supposedly getting a Trader Joe's grocery less than two blocks
> > from my apartment. *Right now, *I can't even walk to the closest
> > stupid market or *"real" convenience store. The little corner drug
> > store sells late dated milk $4 a loaf wonder bead and is not open
> > after 5 pm or at all on Saturdays and Sundays.
>
> > Will this be a good thing? *Do you shop Trader Joe's? what do you
> > like? what don't you like? How's the meat? fish? produce? selection?
> > Lynn in Fargo
>
> I like their frozen fish a lot, especially red snapper. My faves are their
> salsas, nuts, chocolate, and frozen ethnic and ready-made foods. We once had
> a *TJ raspberry torte on shortbread crust at a friends house that was
> absolutely wonderful.
> Their soaps *and shampoos are pretty good too!
> I used to drive quite a ways to get to a TJs but one opened up down the road
> last fall. :-)

Thank you all!
I'm betting that we will not get wine or liquor but that's OK as there
is a package shop a block in the other direction. Not sure what they
will do about pre-packaged produce as ALL of our other stores
(including Mall Wart) are you pick with a few exceptions like boxes of
mushrooms and cherry tomatoes. All the other stuff will be bulk.

We do have two good health food stores and 2 big ethnic markets (Asian/
African/Balkan/Hispanic) 8 to 10 blocks away. From late June thru
early October there is a 3 day/week Farmer's Market on the edge of
downtown and some other street vendors in a big bank lot on Saturdays.

This is a good neighborhood for prepared/frozen stuff, organic and
ethnic because housing is on three strata: subsidized housing and
cheap cheap efficiencies, then in the middle are the graduate school
types NDSU Art & Architecture and Business Administration are
downtown. That's mostly 3 or more guys/gals sharing a 2 to 4 bedroom
apartment at $700 - $900 a month. Rest is condos that START at
$200,000 and go to $500,000. Who the hell is going to buy a half a
million dollar condominium in FARGO fer chrissakes? For that I want
my OWN POOL!

Lynn in Fargo
In a teeny tiny HUD diability accessible, fifth floor, one bedroom
apartment with the same (nice) view as the $$$Condos across the
street. heheheh

On Mar 5, 7:10*pm, Lynn from Fargo Ografmorffig <lynng...@i29.net>
wrote:
> On Mar 5, 6:42*pm, "dejablues" <dejabl...@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>
>
> > "Lynn from Fargo" <lynng...@i29.net> wrote in messagenews:[email protected]...
>
> > > We're supposedly getting a Trader Joe's grocery less than two blocks
> > > from my apartment. *Right now, *I can't even walk to the closest
> > > stupid market or *"real" convenience store. The little corner drug
> > > store sells late dated milk $4 a loaf wonder bead and is not open
> > > after 5 pm or at all on Saturdays and Sundays.
>
> > > Will this be a good thing? *Do you shop Trader Joe's? what do you
> > > like? what don't you like? How's the meat? fish? produce? selection?
> > > Lynn in Fargo
>
> > I like their frozen fish a lot, especially red snapper. My faves are their
> > salsas, nuts, chocolate, and frozen ethnic and ready-made foods. We once had
> > a *TJ raspberry torte on shortbread crust at a friends house that was
> > absolutely wonderful.
> > Their soaps *and shampoos are pretty good too!
> > I used to drive quite a ways to get to a TJs but one opened up down theroad
> > last fall. :-)
>
> Thank you all!
> I'm betting that we will not get wine or liquor but that's OK as there
> is a package shop a block in the other direction. Not sure what they
> will do about pre-packaged produce as ALL *of our other stores
> (including Mall Wart) are you pick with a few exceptions like boxes of
> mushrooms and cherry tomatoes. All the other stuff will be bulk.
>
> We do have two good health food stores and 2 big ethnic markets (Asian/
> African/Balkan/Hispanic) 8 to 10 blocks away. *From late June thru
> early October there is a 3 day/week Farmer's *Market on the edge of
> downtown and some other street vendors in a big bank lot on Saturdays.
>
> This is a good neighborhood for prepared/frozen stuff, organic and
> ethnic because housing is on three strata: *subsidized housing and
> cheap cheap efficiencies, then in the middle are the graduate school
> types NDSU Art & Architecture and Business Administration are
> downtown. *That's mostly 3 or more guys/gals sharing a 2 to 4 bedroom
> apartment at $700 - $900 a month. *Rest is condos that START at
> $200,000 and go to $500,000. *Who the hell *is going to buy a half a
> million dollar condominium in FARGO fer chrissakes? *For that I want
> my OWN POOL!
>
> Lynn in Fargo
> In a teeny tiny HUD diability accessible, fifth floor, one bedroom
> apartment with the same (nice) view as the $$$Condos across the
> street. *heheheh

Oh yes, forgot to mention that my building is haunted. Sometimes the
late great Peggy Lee walks the halls singing. Not kidding! She got
her start singing in this hotel when she was still Norma
Eckstrom . . . "is that all there is? . . . "

On Thu, 5 Mar 2009 17:19:18 -0800 (PST), Lynn from Fargo Ografmorffig
<[email protected]> wrote:


>Oh yes, forgot to mention that my building is haunted. Sometimes the
>late great Peggy Lee walks the halls singing. Not kidding! She got
>her start singing in this hotel when she was still Norma
>Eckstrom . . . "is that all there is? . . . "

I saw her when my graduating class from nursing school went out for
our big night. She was at some resort in NJ..this was back in the
early 70s. And yes, she sang that....

Back to Trader Joes. I am one of their fans, but you have to know
what the good stuff is. I do think they consistently have the better
prices on some things. Their prices for dried fruits and nuts are
very good..and the quality is good.
They sell Santini olive oil, which is recommended by Russ Parsons of
the Los Angeles Times, no less. Reasonable price. They have their
own labels too, of which the Kalamata olive oil is good. I learned
about that one from one of our old regulars, years ago.
Their little bottles of balsamic vinegar are pretty good. They also
carry Fage yogurt, and their own label Greek style yogurt, which I
find to be decent, and a fairly good price.

Some of their frozen vegetables can be quite good. They have the
frozen French green beans, and frozen artichoke hearts, among others.
And I am a fan of their gyoza...

Some of their frozen seafood can be rather good, especially the frozen
fish. I have a few bags of their seafoods in my freezer..now trying to
use it up.

I buy their canned tomatoes fairly often, and have been buying them
from way back: the Italian plum tomatoes are the ones I mean. Prices
can't be beat on those, although they have gone up this last year.
Still reasonable though. At one point they were selling the Muir
Glen Fire Roasted tomatoes, but haven't seen those in some time.

I like some of their pastas too....

And if you don't make your own jams/jellies, some of those are very
good.

They have good prices on canned beans..mostly organic.

Some of their rices are good...like the Arborio..comes in two box
sizes now.

I don't buy as many prepared foods there, but mostly the ingredients
for making dishes. I do once in a while buy their puff pastry
sheets, to make something: it is made by a prominent San Francisco
bakery...

Oh, and their goat cheese under their own label is also from a
prominent CA goat cheese maker....

Just take a careful look around when you go there..and remember it is
not a regular grocery store. I find if folks think it is going to be a
"regular" grocery store, they are often disappointed. If you take the
time to look around and not expect to find what you have in your
normal grocery store, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Christine
--
http://nightstirrings.blogspot.com

"James Silverton" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:QnZrl.1546$%[email protected]..
> Lin wrote on Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:29:44 -0800:
>
>>> We're supposedly getting a Trader Joe's grocery less than two
>>> blocks from my apartment. Right now, I can't even walk to
>>> the closest stupid market or "real" convenience store. The
>>> little corner drug store sells late dated milk $4 a loaf
>>> wonder bead and is not open after 5 pm or at all on Saturdays
>>> and Sundays.
>
>> Congratulations! TJs is wonderful.
>
>>> Will this be a good thing? Do you shop Trader Joe's? what
>>> do you like? what don't you like? How's the meat? fish?
>>> produce? selection?
>
>> Produce is good. Selection good. We like their organic soups, broths and
>> simmer sauces. Oh, and "Two-Buck Chuck" wine. Not
>> sure if you will get that where you are at. (I suspect it's
>> the reason why they aren't in states like Oklahoma -- damned
>> liquor laws).
>
> They don't seem to need to sell wine. The branches in Bethesda and
> Rockville, MD don't sell beer or wine. Mind you, my county has an
> interesting leftover from the compromises to end Prohibition. You can only
> buy liquor in a State-owned store. The state stores have quite decent
> prices on wine but can't sell *cold* beer or any soda and the selection
> available can be a bit eccentric.
>
>> I think you will be pleased!

James,
TJ's has a pretty decent presence in Eastern PA, and we have the most
archaic liquor laws in the country. Like you however, we're close enough to
Delaware so it doesn't really matter.

Total Wine is your friend. :-)

Jon

Christine Dabney wrote:

> Oh, and their goat cheese under their own label is also from a
> prominent CA goat cheese maker....

I don't suppose you recall which cheese maker that is, do you? I'd be
very interested.

Yesterday Bob and I went to Sonoma to Vella Cheese -- specialists of
awarding winning Monterey Jack cheese, then on to Point Reyes Station
for the Cowgirl Creamery. Between the two places we came home with 8
lbs. of cheese! The bargain of the day had to be from Vella ... we came
away with 10 varieties under $40 for it all. And these were big chunks
of cheese! My personal favorite was a high-moisture Monterey Jack with
jalapeno. *Thanks to Dan for the heads-up!* We did get a couple of their
dry jacks to compare, including that Golden Bear you mentioned.

We got a few of our usual favorites from Cowgirl Creamery, and a couple
of new ones that are local to the area like the Point Reyes Original
Blue. All of the latter cheeses from CC were goat cheese with the
exception of a smoooooth Appalachian. Last night we nibbled on apples,
Mt. Tam and a mimolette.

Besides the "cheese run" we wanted to get fresh oysters, but after a
storm like the one we just had, oysters are hard to come by unless they
are already in a tank somewhere. Something about the storms stirring up
debris and contaminating oysters with bacteria. We did have lunch on the
waterfront of Tomales Bay and had oysters there, but the place we wanted
to buy fresh from was out of everything except one variety of small ones
-- and they were charging way too much for those. We wanted the Kumamoto
oysters. Maybe next trip.

We need to have a cheese tasting party or guests over soon. This cheese
will end up like so much of the cheese we get -- aging in the bottom
drawer of the fridge. I can't and don't eat cheese that much anymore.
Once in a "blue" moon won't kill me though! Cheesy pun. ;-)

It was a beautiful day and I was able to spend a lot of time
photographing the trip.

--Lin

On Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:28:41 -0800, Lin <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Christine Dabney wrote:
>
>> Oh, and their goat cheese under their own label is also from a
>> prominent CA goat cheese maker....
>
>I don't suppose you recall which cheese maker that is, do you? I'd be
>very interested.

No, I sure don't. I originally thought it was Laura Chenel, but I
don't think it is, but another one. I think if you ask TJs, they will
tell you. I saw it in print some time ago, about which one is it.

I think several of their products are made by well known "artisan" and
not so artisanal producers, but marketed under their own label.

Christine
--
http://nightstirrings.blogspot.com

On Thu, 5 Mar 2009 15:09:15 -0800 (PST), Lynn from Fargo
<[email protected]> wrote:

> Will this be a good thing? Do you shop Trader Joe's? what do you
>like? what don't you like? How's the meat? fish? produce? selection?
>Lynn in Fargo

Believe me... if what you say is the only thing available within easy
access, you're going to be blessing the ground your TJ's is built on.


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that
interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

On Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:29:44 -0800, Lin <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Oh, and "Two-Buck Chuck" wine.

I prefer their "Bear's Lair" brand... which is virtually the same
price.


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that
interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West