Oh my Jude, If only one of those stores were in my area I would be the happiest little person in the world. The best we have is Meijer!!! Ha

Karen

Boy, I'd be happy too! We have one of the biggest Publix in FL, but none of the others. Holding my breath isn't going to help either. Our community isn't big enough or prosperous enough, either.

Congratulations, I know how you feel. I read today that Trader Joe's is coming to my town too! I used to live near one and their grilled corn is addictive along with almost everything else. The list could go on and on. I really miss TJ's so this is great news.

We already have two awesome local chains that carry lots of specialty ingredients and a wonderful selection of prepared meals and sides so TJ's will be an excellent addition.

I really didn't realize how deprived we were until I started coming to the cooking forum.LOL We have Kroger(everywhere), Food City, which is a large local chain, Ingles, Fresh Market,Earth Faire and Aldi. We don't have Farmers Markets that are open year round, though.

None of these new stores will be open until next year. I hope they realize I don't have forever. Time's a wasting!

jude

LOL Jude!!!
How many people, but ones here, would get excited over a grocery store opening?! Love your last sentence, especially!!!

Sadly, living in Canada, we don't have any of those. We did just get a Lee Valley Tools a couple of weeks ago though!

I'd like to get a Piggly-Wiggly just because I think it's so cute to say it.

Wow!! Join the 90's! LOL! How very up town!....enjoy all the goodies....I feel fortunate to have a TJ;s within 50 miles!
Linda c

Jasdip, it is cute saying Piggly Wiggly. There's a house in Charleston near the waterfront that supposedy is, or was, the home of the founder of PW and instead of the usual lions etc., on pillars at the entrance, there are pigs. Pretty cool!

jude

Congratulations!! I so want a TJ's but having just cleaned out my pantry and cabs, I might regret it. On second thought, I don't buy perishables because the closest TJ's is 7 1/2 hours away--you know the one--where we went together. So maybe I could skip the canned and jarred items and focus on frozen and fresh items.

We were in GA two weeks ago and the Piggly Wiggly had DH's favorite low carb snack--pickled okra--for $1.75 a jar so we stocked up because it's almost $5 here. Could be $1000 and I wouldn't care---yuck.

At least ours is closer than that, Cathy, our TJs is only 4 hours away. It's only about 2 hours from Karen, though, LOL. Whole Foods is right across the street from TJ's. And it must be in the air because I just cleaned out the fridge and the pantry here too.

It's been so blasted hot and I don't have air conditioning so I haven't cooked much and my pantry is overflowing, I've got to use some of that stuff up! Freezer too...

Penzey's, though, is in Grand Rapids, about an hour away for Karen and I both.

We'll never get a TJ's any closer than the one in Ann Arbor, everyone knows there is no life in Michigan north of Detroit. (snort)

Jude, they're just giving you time to save up your money!

Jude, I'm glad you're excited about your new stores coming. There's a TJ's in Princeton, but I don't go to it. Whole Foods there too. I must say though that it's Jasdip's Lee Valley Tools that got my blood flowing..lol.. Now that I'd go out of my way to visit. Smiles.

If you're wishing, you might as well wish for a Wegmans.

Jim

DH was talking with a library patron recently, that was moving to Pennsylvania. He told her there is the best store in the world there called Wegmans. He proceeded to tell her about our trip up to Mass., when we stopped in a town in Penns. to pick up some food to eat, and it happened to be Wegmans. We'd never heard of the store, but boy, were we amazed at the place. A librarian was near by, and heard part of the conversation, asked them if they were talking about Wegmans, and proclaimed it's the best store in the world.

We've got Central Market, which is part of the HEB chain, and a great store, but not as good as Wegmans.

I've heard that TJ's is coming to Dallas. I'm excited about that. I'm not familiar with Publix.

Sally

Wegmans is great too! Good list going here.

Similar to Wegmans is the awesome Central Market which has the added bonus of being locally owned.

This is insane! With the economy being what it is I can't imagine what a leap it is for that many high end stores to locate in a town as small as ours. The morning paper announced another high end store is opening, they know where, but not at liberty to say what it is. Supposedly will be announced next week. All these stores are locating in the western part of Knoxville, which is the more affleunt area. FYI I live northwest.LOL

Aren't Wegmans mostly located more northeast than TN?

jude

Jude, I'd say definitely more east, anyway, I'd never even heard of Wegman's until I started posting here and I've still never been to one. their locator looks like it's Pennsylvania/New York/Maryland/New Jersey/Virginia.

Annie

The economy is better is some areas and demographics change so stores try to keep up their business growing by adding stores even in down times. TJ's will be going into a higher income area just a few blocks from Whole Foods which we still consider a local business even though it is nationwide now. Shouldn't be a problem since they are very different. I think TJ's can do well without killing established local businesses.

Steff, you must live in Texas. I've come to like Central Market more and more, but I can't be there on a weekend, as it's just too claustrophobic for me. They design their stores in a maze pattern, where it's basically one long aisle that winds through a produce section, a butcher shop, a bread/bakery section, pantry items, dairy, etc. They do have a few "shortcut" doors where you don't have to walk the long aisle, but it has a general closed in feeling. You also have to take your produce to a scale, type in the sku number yourself, and print out a sticker with the cost of the item. For the prices they charge, they shouldn't make the customer price their own produce. But some people love doing that. I find it a pain. Over all, though, their products are high quality, they have a massive cheese section which is to die for and a wonderful bakery. You can get things there you can't find anywhere else. And, it is locally, sort of, owned, by a big Texas grocery store chain.

What I liked about Wegmans, is it's got all of that, but in an open format, where you can see through windows out the front like a normal store, and you don't feel closed in and trapped. At least, that's how the Wegmans we stumbled into was designed.

Sally

"hey jude"....(sorry, i couldn't resist)....i live about 35 min. from the turkey creek area and those new stores will be doable for me! i knew something big would be going in where the publix is going to be. i love their carrot cake! wonder what/where the other new store will be? it is nice to see new life here, if only out here in the kingston - harriman area!

"hey jude"??? I love it, jae tn....makes me smile! It's good to know there's another forum person close by. We live northwest but go to church in Farragut so we're in the area on Sunday at least. Haven't been to the new"Public Market", where the outlet mall used to be, off Lovell road yet. I'm not expecting it to be much, so I haven't made an effort.

Thanks for checking in.

jude

we went to the public market the day it opened....... ie was mostly new crafty type merchandise, jewelry, clothing, some small antiques, fudge, jelly, and other typical outlet mall junk. 2 food selections, barbeque and hamburger/hot dog place but room for more. it wasn't half full yet altho the paper said room for 600 vendors. there is a whole back area that is goodwill and outside was a farmer's market will the vendors pulled in with their trucks and stands on the sidewalk. got some great corn, tomatoes and white half runners. there was a lady selling plants. there wasn't even a thing i would go back for unless the farmer stuff or if i felt a craving for $12/lb fudge........

That's pretty much what I expected so unless I'm in the area and just have extra time to kill I may forego it, at least for the time being.

Thanks for the info.

jude

Good for you Jude - I joke that I can't live where there's no Costco. I do Costco at least once every two weeks. Trader Joes about the same but just a few odds and ends. Whole Foods almost never. I shop at Publix whenever I'm in Florida and think it's much better than any of our Southern California supermarkets. I've been going to local farmers markets every week now for produce, free range eggs and grass-fed beef and haven't been to a supermarket in months.

I've been reading that there will be NO TJ's IN FLORIDA, major bummer! There was suppose to be one in 2012 in Orlando but plans were cancelled.

I have only been to Central Market once when Lowspark took us. I love their tag: Chew with your mind open.

Thanks Gina, we like Publix too and it's headquartered here. We have a very small farmer's market that I stop by to fill in what I can't get at the super market; but Amish cheese and butter is about as exotic as it gets.

We have rock concerts by the river that draw thousands - literally - but nothing but Sam's.

Jude,
DD who's a sophomore at UT will be glad to hear about Trader Joe's!! Even if she does have to wait a year. We have one in our NJ home town and being a vegetarian she truly misses it!

Dale

Dale, tell your DD that TJ's is going to be in Suburban Shopping center where Che Guervea is. Should be fairly convenient for her. I repeat....should you come to visit her, I'm almost always available for lunch or probably dinner.

jude

Jude, so far, every trip down has been a quick one to either get her settled in or to pick her up and bring her home. It's a twelve hour drive from home and I haven't allowed her to do it on her own. Too far in my estimation for a fairly new driver!

Thought I would have a chance this time to meet up but I just landed a new job after being unemployed for two & a half years and didn't have any actual vacation time. They graciously gave me a Friday and Monday off!

I will definitely try to arrange a meeting in the future. I haven't had the opportunity to meet any CF'er's yet and I'd love to meet you!
Dale