Also great reusable bags.

Congratulations on your win😀

I've reduced my TJ's shopping to every other week now. It's around 40 minutes roundtrip, driving across town.

I agree, totally different vibe from other grocery stores. I don't even mind that they continually rearrange the sections, since it's not a huge area to navigate.

We like TJ too, have 2 locations here where both are about a 15 mile drive but both stores are surrounded with other stores we also frequently shop.

There’s a TJs ten minutes from me. I like it well enough . It doesnt replace a regular grocery store, though. I tend to buy a lot of frozen food when i shop there, and too many treats! Fun to go once in awhile. I always treat myself to flowers.

Lucky you! My city has been begging for a TJs for years. It's a one hour drive north or south for me to get to one.

What do you all buy at Trader Joes?

I rarely buy fresh produce or meat - the produce because it is not as of high a quality as my local grocer and the meat because I think it is too pricey. And with limited selections of both compared to a conventional grocery store.

But I buy just about anything else. I like their coffee, sourdough bread, naan, cheeses, hummus, a whole slew of condiments, wines and spirits, tangerine juice, pastas and dried fruits. And anything from the dairy case. I pick and choose prepared meals and frozen stuff but there is a lot to choose from and the selection changes with the seasons. I typically will always have a selection of TJ's frozen hors d'oeuvres stashed in my freezer for emergencies :-)

And I routinely buy their orchids and fresh basil plants. Too cheap to pass up!!

I used to give TJ’s a try every few years, but I’m probably closer to a decade now. My shopping preferences are slightly different now than they were, so I’m overdue for giving them another shot.

Regardless, it’s always nice when a store that you’re excited about opens in your area; nowadays too often it’s the other way around. I’m happy for you!

I’m happy about a WF opening 2mi/8min from me. Not ALL that much closer than the one 6mi/15 min away, but enough to make a difference. It won’t replace the supermarket I still mourn, but it’s got a bunch that’s harder to find in generic markets.

Nicole, they have things that you usually don't find at a regular grocer. I do like some of the frozen items to keep handy like the Just Sauce turkey bolognese. Both DD’s are vegetarians so I like to have their vegetable dumplings and fried rice and dips on hand.

They have various mixes and drinks.

I go every month or so. You wind up getting favorites. DH likes the lentil soup, I like the pea soup.

They have a flyer and it is worth looking at because it is easy to pass by things.

Foodonastump, WF is expensive for common things you can also get at a store. I only buy a few things there but am happy that those are available to me, despite cost.

@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)....we have an orchid store that allows you to trade in out-of-bloom orchids for $5 store credit. Then they sell the out-of-bloom orchids for $5! Last time I was in, I traded a large pot of Dendrobium Kingianum's for my choice of several things in the store. (They can't get that variety)

I like hearing what ya all are buying. I haven't gotton the TJ's bug ......yet.

One I traded for....was loaded with blooms.

When I lived in San Diego's north county, I would plan to stop at the nearest TJ's on my way home from the city. At that time they had the best prices on frozen fish (and better quality, too), nuts, dried fruit, and many other items; and carried my favorite Crystal Geyser Pink Lemonade Juice Squeeze. I had many favorites that couldn't be found in other stores.

After I moved to the midwest 30 years ago, if I made a trip back to the western states, I always made sure to stop in to get some of the not-available-here favorites that I could carry back with me. Local mainstream grocery chains didn't carry the variety of products that they do now. But, over time, many of those products were discontinued.

When they opened a store here around 2001, the inventory didn't include several of my favorites, major chains carried much more variety, and the cost savings were generally not remarkable anymore.

So, even though the store is only ~ 10 minutes away, I stop in only 2-3 times a year if that.

Ours is only a mile away. We shop a few times a month. There are things I buy regularly in each dept. For the most part the produce in ours is great. I always buy haricots verts, organic Brussels sprouts, organic romaine, organic Persian cukes, shallots, garlic, organic Pink Lady apples, Meyer lemons, limes, etc.

Love their orchids! I have 2 on the kitchen windowsill right now. They last so much longer than a bouquet of flowers. I used to buy bouquets, but have been disappointed in TJ's offerings the past couple years.

Great prices on many organic items is what keeps me coming back. I buy a lot of organic staples there, not so much the prepared items. They also have a number of delicious seasoning blends.

We love the Organic Corn Dippers chips and Naan Crackers. Nobody else has those.

I'd be interested in things you buy at TJs. Since it was so crowded I didn't get to peruse the items. I got delicious fruit bars, organic cheddar popcorn, banana chips with pecans, turkey chili, biscotti, super organic bread, ravioli goat cheese pasta, and the best cantaloupe my husband ever ate(he said).

My fave right now is bags of organic navel oranges and organic Pink Lady apples, when they have them. I also get organic fresh mozzarella and NZ organic cheddar. TJ's grated Parmesan cheese is the best, IMO. Most stores here sell bulk grated 'Parmesan' that's more like a tasteless powder, but TJ's is real cheese that actually melts. I also like their organic American singles.

Something else I find only at TJ's is smoked sardines in oil for only $1.69/can. They have organic baguettes too. The organic frozen vegetables are a really good deal and most come in 1# bags, not 10 ounces like other stores.

I do a great deal of comparison shopping between TJ's, Aldi and Walmart. Each has their own strengths and weaknesses.

Ok, all of you southerners. Can someone please explain or tell what all the fuss is about re TJ. This is for us poor, deprived Candistans, living in the frozen north above the 48th Never seen nor heard of this store, until this forum. So please do tell all!

I think one of the best things about TJs is the size. It's small and you almost never have to wait in line to check out because they will open another register if they see people waiting. I also like that they package items in smaller portions suitable for a single or couple. (The downside is excess plastic.) You won't find the variety that you will in a large supermarket, but they always have seasonal fruits and vegetables and fresh chicken and eggs.

I usually skip the frozen food section because my freezer is too small to hold much, so unless I'm going for a specific frozen food like their garlic pesto pizza or the now discontinued cold brew latte bars, I stick to the fresh stuff. Their ciabatta topped with everything seasoning is delicious if toasted, but not so good untoasted.

Almost all of their crackers are good and not available at other stores and their cheese selection is pretty broad and well-priced.

I can't speak to the beer and wine offerings, but that used to be one of the areas that TJs was well-known for having a good and well-priced selection.

I'm lucky in that I pass by a TJs in almost every direction I travel, so it's actually the most convenient store for me.

I've never been to a TJs. There is none close to me and I'm sure not going to travel an hour to get to one and wait in lines. I'm surprised we don't have one. We have most everything else. When a new store opens I usually wait a few weeks before I go. By then the craziness is over.

Another is Costco or Sam's club. Pay money to spend money?? Years back I had a free membership to Sam's for a few years. I didn't find anything special about it. I only used it for dog bones and blocks of American cheese. The dog has since passed on and the kids became adults and discovered there is better cheese.

I've always been a bamba fan and am absolutely thrilled with the new dark chocolate dipped version.

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/dark-chocolate-bamba-snacks-072159

Down the frozen food aisle I like the chicken potstickers, the mini cilantro chicken wontons, chicken spring rolls, sweet potato fries, root veggie fries, coffee bean blast ice cream, wild blueberries, and during the holidays they carry an all butter puff pastry for only $3.99.

Another is Costco or Sam's club. Pay money to spend money??

You get that money back and more if you use a Costco Visa card. 2% back on all eligible purchases from Costco and Costco.com and 1% on all other purchases.

https://www.costco.com/my-life-benefits-costco-anywhere-visa.html

"Ok, all of you southerners. Can someone please explain or tell what all the fuss is about re TJ."

The retail industry is a lot more sophisticated and complicated than it used to be. It's a tough slog to be a "me too" operation, even those stores try to distinguish themselves in various ways to attract customers.

Another approach is to not be a "me too" operation. To be different in various ways. Stores like TJs and even Whole Foods to a point work closely with suppliers to have products other stores don't have. I don't just mean private label versions equivalents of a brand, but rather flavors and types of products other stores don't have at all. Years ago, if you wanted simple, unadulterated peanut butter with nothing but peanuts and salt, TJs was the easiest place to find it, and at a modest price. Delicious frozen entrees, deserts and appetizers in versions and styles other stores don't offer. In the US, I think TJs singlehandedly exposed people to and popularized arugula. It was rarely seen elsewhere and from the beginning as now, they sell it by the truckloads.

Neither TJ nor Whole Foods are health food stores, per se, but - in both stores, there's no need to read labels for ingredients. No high fructose corn syrup, no trans fats, no unnecessary chemical additives are to be found in any of their products. They don't carry such stuff. Amazon purchased Whole Foods a number of years ago and its effect is noticeable. Better prices, better products, better service. It's a store where you can find terrific stuff not easily found elsewhere.

And with a wink of the eye, stone homes, I accept that from Canuckistan, all Amis are "southerners". But I know you know that south of the border, it has another meaning. You can call me a "Westerner", I'm for sure not a Southerner.

Trader Joe's has an interesting backstory and business model. The original Joe apparently said his target market was people with discerning tastes and limited budgets - like teachers and artists. The stores do zero advertising and have no sales or coupons either, yet they're constantly crowded and have loads of loyal customers. They keep a very lean inventory with maybe one, or only a few different types of any particular product, unlike regular supermarkets. They can easily sell out of items daily and have daily deliveries too.

I think there's a bit more to it, carolb. For those who haven't been in one, Trader Joes locations are small, not supermarket size at all. Far from it. Compared to regular stores, TJs has a small and limited number of SKUs - a look up suggested the number is around 4,000, compared to a regular grocery store that has 50,000. The small footprint includes limited backroom storage size so frequent deliveries and frequent shelf restocking are required. Also, there's not much shelf space allocated for each item.

I also found the attached linked brief piece. I'd always assumed that the segment of the population with a college degree was in their target market and it is. A quote in this from the founder Joe Coulombe says that he was looking for customers who were "overeducated and underpaid".

There's a bit of a quirky vibe to it too. Employees dress in Hawaiian shirts and tend to be on the younger side than you find in larger stores.

Some info in Trader Joes

For you Trader Joe's fans, there is a cookbook that uses TJ's products. It was all the rage around our area, since (I believe, and I'm not going to go check actual facts right now), the author(s) are from my area and shop at our local TJ's. They became some of my families' favorites.

Here's a link to the cookbook we have, I see there are others, as well. I like ours because it has big nice photos.https://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Things-Trader-Joes-Cookbook/dp/193870617X

Now I kind of sound like I'm hawking the book. I'm not, and I don't know the authors, nor do I have any connection.

This past Christmas season, TJ's had a ton of holiday treats I hadn't seen before. I bought a huge milk chocolate bar with crushed up pretzels in it. I'd like to say it tasted really great, but my family ate it before I unloaded the rest of the groceries. I went to 3 TJ's locations to find another but was told they sell out quickly, and they only have them at holiday season.

I like Trader Joe's but only go there if I'm in the area. Its about 8 miles from me. I have a Whole Foods, Fresh Market and Publix close by.

When we lived closer to TJ's I enjoyed going for the organic items Publix doesn't carry. I liked some of their frozen foods. They always had sampling of their wines and I'd buy a bottle.

Now living further away, I do most of our shopping at Whole Foods or Fresh Market. But, I do miss TJ's. I was nearby last week and thought I'd stop in, but there wasn't one parking spot in the whole lot. I drove off. This is 'season' in Florida and everything is so crowded.

Jane

I liked the link ,Elmer, but I don't fit in their age demographic. Interesting read though ,and I plan to go more than 13 times a year ...probably more like 50 since I literally could walk to it if it wasn't off a busy highway.

Most of my favorite things have already been mentioned, but I like the Mandarin Orange chicken to keep in the freezer for a quick meal. In the fall, their Pumpkin Bread mix is delicious, but sells out quickly, so I stock up to have during the year. Their 2 pack of croissants is not bad. I usually make soft shell tacos, but I do like their organic crunchy taco shells for a change. My grandson could live on their black bean taquitos and their cornbread mix (not at the same meal). Besides some of the other frozen dishes people have mentioned, I really like the Chinese style Chicken Soup Dumplings, too.

Just to have on hand for potential cold/ covid season, I bought a couple cans of their chicken noodle soup and it was quite good, for canned soup. I like the organic red pepper and red pepper/tomato soups. The favorite fresh pasta of mine is a truffle ??? I can't remember what it's called but it's triangle shaped - so I think it's the Italian word for triangles - maybe triangolo? Good prices on organic butter and milk.

For holiday baking, their organic dried cranberries are terrific, as are their shelled, unsalted pistachios (and other nuts). They sell my favorite local beer from Georgetown Brewery in Seattle (Lucille or Bodhizafa, or seasonally, Meowsa) for a couple dollars less than the grocery stores. I particularly like one of their NZ Marlborough Sauvingnon Blancs for about $9!

I buy most of my produce at the farmer's market, but it's limited in the winter, so I'll buy a few items from TJ's or else the food co-op. The Haricot Verts are always really fresh and good, but I prefer to buy organic, so I don't buy them often. Their organic asparagus is pretty good (in the winter when I can't get more locally grown) and the way it is packaged, it stays fresh longer than the bunches in the grocery store that are misted with water all day long. I do like their Brussels sprouts - the organic are much cleaner than those I buy from the food co-op, where I end up throwing away half of each one when the black gunk is peeled away. I sometimes buy the non organic BS and they are even nicer.

And they will take back ANYTHING you don't like. I even took back a bouquet of Alstromeria recently that smelled awful...not the flowers themselves, but like they'd been stored in someplace musty or with musty water. I couldn't have them in the house. Usually a bouquet of them will stay fresh for 2 weeks.

They do have the best fresh flowers for really good prices.

I really haven't bought much at TJ, and there are 2 within 15 minutes of us. They have a couple of simmer sauces I like. We do most coming from scratch, and we have plenty of options for fresh produce so that's not a reason to go. Haven't even stopped in there in a few years, but with DH our 3 of town for a couple of nights I might have an excuse to try out some packages.

I read a book once where a character says she doesn't cook, she assembles. She buys prepared food at TJ and "assembles" it into a dish.

Yesterday my daughter bought the most beautiful tulips I've ever seen. A soft creamy white still closed. Just gorgeous.

I had a TJs about 10 minutes from my old house. I did 90% of my shopping there. Now I make it a point to go about once a month when I go to meetup with my friends for lunch. I pack a cooler and load up. There are so many items that I keep on hand. I love the frozen brussels sprouts and french green beans. I love the Marcona Almonds and Candied Walnuts. The New Zealand cheese is always in our fridge. At Christmas I buy multiple boxes of peppermint JoeJoes. The gluten free battered cod is so good. My daughter loves all of the different Hummus options.

"There sure is a different vibe to the usual mundane grocery store."

Very true! Been shopping there since the late 70's when I lived around the corner from the original TJ's here in Pasadena on Arroyo Parkway. I'm still their biggest fan and go at least twice a week. Amazing customer service!

Someone mentioned their cookbooks. I've had this one for years.

My list of favorites from TJ's is very long after all this time. You really just have to try different items. such as their frozen meals. Obviously tastes vary and there are some that aren't so great. If you're interested in their prepared salads, these two went in my cart for the umpteenth time yesterday.

My lifelong, now West Coast friend, has been a Trader Joe's lover since they first started in California. It's her main grocery shopping place. I have one now about 10 minutes from me and when she visits, that's where we shop. LOL She loves their fresh flowers as well. Here are some tulips she got recently and sent me this picture.

I go to TJ occasionally but I haven't gotten used to most things being their brands and so not familiar with things there. Kroger is just easier, closer and though I hate that they now are about 90% Kroger brand products, it's my go to store.

The Moroccan Couscous salad was one of the things that I would get every time; around Christmas I would get their Deep Dark Gingerbread or Dutch Honey cakes (essentially the same, one replaced the other). Haven't seen either for several years - but I make my own version of the salad. Oh, I do buy their whole wheat couscous - hard to find elsewhere and TJ's price is the best.

Oh, my, I forgot about the flowers. They have the best flowers for very reasonable prices. Tulips and ranunculas two weeks ago.

You are in for a treat come holiday time! They have so many wonderful items in the fall.

If you haven't tried the simmer sauces, those are fantastic with some chicken and veggies and over rice.

I also like their personal care items - the citrus body wash, oatmeal soap and sunscreen are a few I rely on, and I buy their vitamins too.

I agree with Emily H's comment whole-heartedly. And will add that it's rare to visit a TJs without finding something new to try and, usually, to enjoy and purchase again.

Alas, my favorite TJ's product - a great premade Hollandaise sauce you just heated up as needed - was discontinued by their supplier.

But I find enough other goodies with every trip to keep me coming back!

"You are in for a treat come holiday time!"

Fall is fun with all the pumpkins out in front, and the fresh greenery at Christmas. The lines can, of course, get longer during the holidays, but the employees keep it all upbeat. I've been there many times when cookies or other goodies are being offered to customers standing in line. TJ's is really on top with customer service.

I'm always amazed at all the pumpkin-flavored everything in the Fall. It's a little crazy and somewhat overkill, but still fun to see what all they come up with.

https://www.delish.com/food-news/news/g4495/trader-joes-new-pumpkin-products/

Sign up for Frequent Flyer. A printed copy is available in the store, but it's also available online. If you're on Facebook check out the TJ's Fan page.

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/subscribe

https://www.facebook.com/groups/48607495981

I live in Manhattan and have three TJs, each within about a 12 block walk. All of them are a lot bigger than our regular grocery stores. The biggest one is underground, so forget that! I go to the one that is right on my bus line in case I buy more than I can comfortably carry home. The checkout line frequently wraps around the store, but there are always about 15 registers open and the line moves quickly. I am addicted to the golden berries (I believe they are also called groundcherries) and they are cheaper than anywhere eles, if I can even find them anywhere else. I love their frozen onion soup. And their balsamic vinegar is about half the price, and tastes better than the fancy stuff sold elsewhere.

"The checkout line frequently wraps around the store..."

Wow, Jupidupi, I've only seen that here once on a Christmas Eve morning several years ago. I think here in Southern CA the numerous locations for TJ's factor in. You rarely have to wait long. They're about as on top of that as any place I've seen. I worked in the training department of a large company for years. I've always been beyond impressed with TJ's training program.

This is another example of something they'll do. One day I bought one of those plastic containers of mini heirloom tomatoes. The checker noticed one of the corners wasn't tightly snapped shut. He snapped it shut, put it in my bag, then had someone get a second container that went in my bag. I had lots of little tomatoes!

I really like their balsamic vinegar too, and have had the same experience with trying other brands. I use it all by itself as a salad dressing.

This is the one I buy:

Used to be $3.99 - I think it's still less than $5.

A week after the grand opening, there are still lines to get it. My son stopped by today and bought a few things,but it was so crowded he couldn't get near the items he wanted.

Love Trader Joe's. Wish there was one closer to me. The one nearest is about 25 miles away on the worst street in Lexington for traffic.

I do go every couple of months and when my daughter lived there I'd make it a point to drop by there when we planned to get together. She's a little bummed out that there isn't one in her new city.

I like their pork gyoza, fresh flowers, guacamole, Red Pepper spread, wine for cooking, multiple bagged frozen foods that I can only think of the fried rice right at the moment but there are others, one with noodles and muchroom sauce, Monterey Jack cheese sticks, and there are others but can't think of them. There are other things I've tried that I didn't like at all, like their frozen tamales. Which I sometimes forget that I don't like and then buy them again only to realize that I don't like them. I wish they still had the multigrain oatmeal I used to get but they don't sell it anymore.