TRADER JOE'S!!!!!!

[Grace]

Oh my gosh, you guys. I read posts about Trader Joes here before, but had never heard of them. This morning on the radio, I heard, "Come to the grand opening of the two new Trader Joe's opening in the Chicago area". Had I not read the posts here, I would never have known what it was. Well, needless to say, I SPED over there as fast as I could, and was overwhelmed with the selection and the prices!!! I was actually in heaven, and was practically jumping for joy! What a fantastic place! I got Veggie Booty, snow crab and lobster ravioli, Vermont butter (unsalted for baking) for $2.19 a pound!!!! I also got a bottle of wine, frozen, chopped up peppers (green/red/yellow combo) for 99 cents for a 1 pound bag, as well as a big bag (1 lb) of frozen mixed wild mushrooms (shiitakes and three other kinds), for like $3.99. I was so excited, I could hardly stand it! Anyway, thank you, thank you to all of you who alerted me to the wonders of Trader Joes! I'm going back next week again for sure - it was a mad house there today for the grand opening, but WELL worth the traffic jam and crowds. I highly recommend it to anyone else in the Chicago area - there is one in Northbrook and one in Glen Ellyn..

[mightyh]

So glad you liked it, Grace! Your post is making me so envious--I used to live near a Trader Joes, but just moved and now have none in my area (SW Illinois). It's killing me that they're in one part of the state and not the other.

Enjoy http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[KimKelly]

Welcome to TJ's Grace! I laughed as I read your post, we seem to have the same grocery lists! I get frozen fruits there and make smoothies for our family. The mango is great and I can't get it fresh all the time, then some blueberries, and sometimes the "berry mix"! And yes, the prices are great, huh? Might I also suggest a recent find.... Kitty Cat cookies - they come if white and chocolate, a big hit with the kids (I don't tell them how many times a day I dig in there myself). Also, the mango chutney is good.
I'm so glad you have one there now, I love that store!

Kim

[LGBurns]

Grace: Can you please post where in Northbrook? I almost jumped out of my seat to find out that there is a Trader Joes in Chicago! I used to live in California and love Trader Joes (in fact, my sister made my wedding cake this past spring and she shipped chocolate that she bought at Trader Joes to Chicago to make it!). I tried to look up the address on the website, but something is wrong with their site, I can't pull it up. Thanks!

[Deedy]

Grace: I, too, am excited about Trader Joe's. They're building one in Glenview too and I had never heard of it before I read this board. What a wealth of information here! I'm going next week to the one in Northbrook - I'm sure it'll be crazy there over the weekend. Think I'll start my shopping list now!

[Grace]

LGBurns and Deedy:

The Trader Joes is at 577 Waukegan in Northbrook. It's in the same plaza with Max and Benny's, between Lake-Cook and Dundee (on Waukegan). Right where Waukegan and the Edens spur intersect. Have a BALL!! I hope they are not all picked over - there were soooo many people there today, it already seemed like it was getting picked over, although I'm sure they planned ahead and have extra stock in the back. I'm going there again next week with my Mom, and can hardly wait!! The one in Glenview will be closer for me, so I'll be happy when that one opens, but for now, I'm happy to go to the one in Northbrook! Happy shopping everyone, and maybe I'll bump into you guys there sometime!

Grace

[Ralph]

Originally posted by LGBurns:
Grace: Can you please post where in Northbrook? I almost jumped out of my seat to find out that there is a Trader Joes in Chicago! I used to live in California and love Trader Joes (in fact, my sister made my wedding cake this past spring and she shipped chocolate that she bought at Trader Joes to Chicago to make it!). I tried to look up the address on the website, but something is wrong with their site, I can't pull it up. Thanks!

Just heard the radio commercial: It's on Waukegan Rd. north of Dundee.
The one in Glen Ellyn is on Roosevelt west of 355 & there'll be one opening soon in Downers Grove on Ogden east of Fairview.

[MaryH]

KimKelly,

Oh yeah, mango chutney with the potstickers!! (Learned that one from a former San Diego boyfriend.)

[RUSTYSMOM]

more TJ's must trys - spiced pumpkin ravioli, steamed dumplings (frozen), the frozen hor doerves are great and nice to have on hand, the cinnamon letter cookies are great for teh kids. I wa sjust there the other day - these were my new buys aside from the standard cheese, nuts, etc.... Enjoy!!

[laughsandlaughs]

You have to get their chip dips! They're fat -free and SO GOOD. Get the spicy pinto (it's really not very spicy) and the black bean. The hummus is good too! These are addictive. I've moved away from the area, but when I go back, I stock up!!

[Kimba]

We packed up the car and headed north to the Worcester,Mass. area this morning. Our destination was Trader Joe's http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Wowzer - am I impressed!

We spent over $100, but I think we did quite well.

We got pea pods and stir fry sauces and spreadable fruit and apple butter and cat cookies and potstickers and some Mexican entrees and some great frozen veggie combos and fresh-frozen pineapple and Pirates Booty and...well, lots http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

I am so darned excited about this - looks like it won't be ho-hum at dinnertime around here for the next couple of weeks.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

[Wendy w]

Congratulations to all of you for getting a Trader Joe's!!!! Have fun!

Wendy

[LGBurns]

Grace: I finally went to Trader Joe's this past weekend (school is finally over and now I have time). I was so happy -- thanks so much for posting the info. However, I also realized that People's Market in Evanston (on Chicago Ave. north of Main) has some similar things at comparable prices. Not as much stuff as Trader Joe's but, for me, more convenient on a weekly basis. Plus their natural cereals are actually cheaper. Anyway, since you said Glenview is closer for you than Northbrook, I thought Evanston might be even closer still.

[Grace]

LGBurns:

Oh yes, Evanston is closer, and in fact, I'm in Evanston relatively often. I have never heard of the People's Market - I will defnitely have to check it out! Thanks for the tip - I just made my THIRD trip to Trader Joe's this past Sunday morning!

[SoCal]

Since this post came up again and LGBurns brought up the cereal I just had to add my 2-cents. I've been buying the 'From Kashi To Good Friends' cereal (OK, strange name but very good with 8 grams of fiber / serving!). I clipped a coupon for this same cereal and thought, with double coupons, I could buy it cheaper at the grocery store...WRONG! It is $1.99 at TJs and the grocery store sells it for $3.89 (same size)!! I'll say it again, I love this store!

[lsdesign]

Does TJ's have the chipotles in some form? I went for my first visit over the weekend and was totally overwhelmed. I think it might be better to go in with a list.

[junietoo]

lsdesign: I've never seen canned chipotles (usually in adobo sauce?) at TJs, but they do have a good chipotle salsa. Great on eggs.

[ChrisF]

Just had to add some San Diego info:
My son works at the TJ's in La Jolla--I don't know exactly where, but he says it is close to school (UCSD). We have a TJ's up in our No. California town, and I just love it when he calls and tells us that they've had an employee 'tasting' (new items and wine) and then he gives us the scoop on all of the favorites!! :->!
Happy Shopping! ----Chris

[Isabella]

ChrisF, although I live in the Chicago area, I went to school at UCSD. The Trader Joe's is on the corner of Villa La Jolla and Nobel in the shopping center with CPK.

[KristaMB]

Those of us in San Diego are lucky! There are TJ's in Pacific Beach, Carmel Mountain Ranch, somewhere in Hillcrest and Escondido. For more locations, check out their web site at http://www.traderjoes.com/tj/locations/



[This message has been edited by KristaMB (edited 12-05-2000).]

[56grapeape]

Ive heard about TJ, but Ive always thought it was a restuarant! rofl! I wonder if we have one here in San Diego?

[MaryH]

The TJs in Pacific Beach is on Garnet, can't miss it (north side of the street). The one in Hillcrest is on University (east of Sixth) next to the Ralphs - or if that's too detailed - its just east of the Landmark theater complex.

(If anybody wants to know where the one in Fresno is I can give you that too - yes, we do actually have one (just one mind you) and it was one of the nicer things I discovered moving here - guess that makes up for the fact that there's no Nordstrom's. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/rolleyes.gif http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif