Trader Joe's fans

[aquinas_chris]

I am jealous. I've been wishing for a long time (and wondering,too) why we don't have one of these stores in Pittsburgh. It seems like a terrific place and so many of you are so often mentioning it.
I checked their website and it seems that the closest one is in Dublin, Ohio (or near there). Is that true???

Maybe I should plan a trip there? A fun car ride with a 9 mos. old! Ha!

What do you love about this store... what am I missing out on?

Christina <><

[newcook]

I know there is one near Philadelphia (I don't know how far that is away from you). I went to Trader Joe's when visiting Philly a couple of weeks ago. I like you was very jealous, but my gracious hosts took me shopping.

Daniele

[badunnin]

Here's (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=42631&highlight=newbie+trader) the link.

[sunnysideup]

Christina, go to this thread and you will learn all the fabulous things everyone loves at Trader Joe's--I haven't learned how to make a link yet, so here is the thread's name: Please familiarize this newbie with Trader Joe's!!! Everyone's input has given me a great shopping list for the Trader Joe's which will be opening here soon.

Sunny

[tbb113]

At the risk of being voted off the board...Trader Joe's is nice. I'm glad there is one by me. I do shop there...but if I didn't have one, I WOULD survive. My grocery bill would be higher, but in general, I don't buy THAT much there....

Tyra

[Molli526]

Really? I would miss it terribly. I just love it. All the lovely cheeses, meats, frozen veggies & fruit (at great prices!) The canned bean etc. I love, love, love TJ's.

[tbb113]

Originally posted by Molli526
Really? I would miss it terribly. I just love it. All the lovely cheeses, meats, frozen veggies & fruit (at great prices!) The canned bean etc. I love, love, love TJ's.

I think what I meant is that I wouldn't go out of my way to shop there. Maybe its just that I don't buy that much frozen items (other than their chicken potstickers for my son). I agree the prices are cheaper and they do have UNIQUE items....but for my everyday shopping and cooking, Safeway and the farmers market is just fine.

Tyra

[Peggy C.]

Christina how long a ride is it to Dublin, Oh for you? There is supposed to be one opening on the east side of Cleveland this fall and then one on the west side a little later. From my are to Pittsburgh is about 2.5 hours, maybe a little less.

[MKSquared]

West side Cleveland Trader Joe's should be in Westlake, I heard. So jealous. And I thought having one down the road a bit from me was good, but mom gets it in our hometown. :p

Anyway! I love Trader Joe's, but I don't know if I'd plan an excursion to go to one. I go about once a month, and I have a list when I go, since I'm familiar with the place. I know I can get the best prices on soy milk there, and get the Shave lotion really cheap, and buy fin things like frozen avacado halves, artichoke hearts, asparagus, edamame, and mushrooms. And Nutella's only $3 there. :D I always walk out with stuff not on my list like maple horseradish mustard, or $.70 pasta, or chocolate-covered soybeans.

Do I love the place? Definitely. Would I drive 3 hours to get there? Nah. Could I recommend other places in Columbus to make the trip worth while? Uh, yeah. :D

[badunnin]

Tyra - I agree. I like TJ's, but won't go out of my way. If I need one or two things, I won't go. It's not a long trip for me, but it's an inconvenient one (Molli - I take 75 to 696 to get there). I get one of my vitamin supplements there, so I'll go when I'm going to run out - only every 3 months. Then I'll pick up some things.

[Molli526]

Oh, it is just about a mile from my house, and I am in there at least once a week, if not more. DH love the Barbara's cereal, the pesto, the marinara in a can for $1.49 (yum!), Chicken Bratwurst, guacamole, I could go on. Thanks for the reminder about the pasta MK.

[honeygirl1971]

I DEFINITELY go out of my way to shop there. Now there's one about 1/2 hour from me; it used to be the closest one was an hour a way, and I still went to it when I could. I probably go once every 2 or 3 weeks and stock up on lots of stuff. If you look at all those lists and see stuff you would want, then it would be worth the trip, I think.

If you click on search at the top of the screen, type in "Trader Joe's" in the search box, and then click "titles only" (or whatever that choice is), you'll get a good list of recent threads.

[wallycat]

I drive hours out of my way; and print a location list when we travel. They have outstanding deals on wine :)

[Gail]

Never fear, Tyra. If anyone here would be voted off the board for not being in love with TJ's, I'd be gone by now. I've stated in past threads several times that I'm not particularly enamored of the place. But then, I'm in an area where most everything is available which at least partially explains my lack of enthusiasm.

Recently, however, I discovered TJ has Kosher chickens and Kosher chicken parts for a good price. And when I don't buy free range, I've been buying them there. I've also found a couple of wines offered there at a savings.

So, while I'm not a big fan, I have found something which caught my interest.

Will wonders never cease.

Edited to say: In the ultimate stroke of irony, right off the top of my head I can think of four TJs within 15 minutes of my house. Probably there are others I've forgotten or simply don't know about. Wish I could mail them out to those of you who don't have them in the vicinity...

[wallycat]

Gail,
maybe on your next trip there you can tell someone some of us are TJ-less and WANT ONE close by!! :D :D ;) ;)

[Melman]

If you guys that are only so-so with Trader Joe's lived in the land of Bilo, Kroger, and Food Lion, you TOO would be glad to drive a decent distance to get to a TJ!! :D I'm taking a shopping trip to northern Virginia in August, and I'm already excited about stopping in Reston, VA to go to TJ's!! I think that's the closest one to me....a mere 550ish miles!!!

PS...Tyra (my swap partner), it did NOT escape my attention that part of the packing in my goody package was wrapped in a TJ's bag!! :D :D

[badunnin]

Originally posted by Melman
If you guys that are only so-so with Trader Joe's lived in the land of Bilo, Kroger, and Food Lion, you TOO would be glad to drive a decent distance to get to a TJ!! :D I'm taking a shopping trip to northern Virginia in August, and I'm already excited about stopping in Reston, VA to go to TJ's!! I think that's the closest one to me....a mere 550ish miles!!!



Hmmm, yeah, doubt it. I'm not a big fan. There isn't much there that I care for. It's not a matter of being able to buy the stuff elsewhere. I wouldn't buy it at all - it's not my family's style.

edited to add: sorry if that sounded snippy. i'm feeling very tense. the message of what i said remains, but not the way in which i expressed it.

[tbb113]

Originally posted by Melman
PS...Tyra (my swap partner), it did NOT escape my attention that part of the packing in my goody package was wrapped in a TJ's bag!! :D :D

Where do you think I got such a LARGE HUNK of Ghiradelli Chocolate from???? :cool:

Remember, I did say that I shop there. Just that I wouldn't be heartbroken if I didn't live by one

Tyra

[Melman]

That's right...you did say that. :D And I'm VERY VERY glad you do shop there. :D :D :D

I know this is the TJ's thread, but I was in Wegman's in PA this weekend. For anyone in the northern Virginia area, one of the sales people told me that they're headed toward Virginia!! I can't remember exactly what town/city she said, but I think it's in that same general area with all the TJ's. I figure that's just one state closer to here!!

[Lrimerman]

I agree, I like TJ's and I always find interesting things there, but I wouldn't go too far out of my way for one.

However, there is now one close to DD's school and to my in-laws, so I do go on occassion (less now that DD is out of school.).

Lisa

[aquinas_chris]

I totally forgot that I asked this question.... geesh.

Thanks all, and I appreciate the link. I have a few friends in Dublin, so maybe I'll make a day of it sometime soon. I think there might be a Steinmart there, too? We don't have one of those either.

C<><

[Lynn B]

I LOVE Trader Joe's and will go WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY out of my way to get to one! There are 2 in PA - in Abington and in Wayne, both over by Philedalphia. I have been there (over a 7 hour drive for me!) but the easiest TJs for me to get to is in Annapolis, when I visit my sister.

I think there should DEFINATELY be one in Pittsburgh - it makes me crazy that there's not! That would only be about an hour and a half away. Does anyone have a phone number for TJs besides the automated one (1-800-SHOP-TJS - where no real people answer!) I would love to called their "main headquarters" and give a VOTE for Pittsburgh!!!

Lynn

[mbrogier]

Ok, I lived in Greenville, SC, and I totally understand what Melman is saying--bad markets, no farmer's markets worth speaking of. The closest thing we have is Fresh Market and they are extraordinarily expensive. I haven't been to the Trader Joe's up here-- but the prices sound good. It sounds a lot like Hiller's or Vics.

Badunnin--I understand about not wanting to drive 696--:rolleyes: I can't think of anything that will get me out there! I'm not suicidal!:D