Explain to me the appeal of Trader Joe's
 

I don't understand why people love this place so much. It seems to me that most of their products are bulk/generic products that are simply repackaged into smaller portions, with quirky labels.
The "Trader Giotto/Jose/etc" products are usually gross (for instance, their bad hummus comes in at least three different flavors), and most of their meat and produce is crap, having been shipped all over the country from their warehouses in California.

Why do people like to shop here?

Certain things are great. For instance, their nuts. I don't know what it is, but their almonds are the best I've had. No comparison to any of the name brands that are in the grocery store.

I get vitamins there too. My wife gets a few things for the kids (organic cereals that are still "fun" for kids, and juices that aren't quite a sweet as others).

That said, we definitely pick and choose - we only get a few things there. It's not the place I'd go for all of our basic shopping - just supplemental stuff.

there was a website..can't find it now, that was a cross reference for every trader joe product. They just buy in bulk from other manufacturers, re-label with their in-house packaging and sell it. IE: their gluten free macaroni and cheese might actually be Annie's brand, with TJ packaging, etc.

You forgot the parking lots that are too small for the store.

The quality of the food may be better here in SoCal since that's where it originates. They started as a place where you could get less traditional items than you'd find in the local Safeway/Albertsons/etc. Nuts, spices, beers, etc. You'd get their flyer where they'd have the latest stuff they'd found. Prices used to be pretty good. They then evolved into a more full service/carry everything store and did a lot of ready to cook stuff. Some of it is ok - certainly better than canned crap you find at other places. Other stuff...not so good.

If you want me to rant, let's talk about Whole Foods. What a freakin' waste of time and money...

My mom is one of their disciples. But then my folks live on an island with very limited grocery shopping and the mainland only has one big store within reasonable driving distance. They're visiting us in AZ now and she blew $68 at Trader Joe's last night on one bag of little stuff we don't need.

Their vanilla Ice cream is very tasty! Scotch seems 30% cheaper there. I avoid their breads

I don't get it either. Every one I've been to is horribly organized and terribly laid out for smooth traffic flow.

My wife loves the place.

If you're very, very selective at Whole Foods you can get good stuff that isn't easily found elsewhere. It has gotten to the point, though, where it's cheaper to go out for (gluten free) pizza than it is to buy (gluten free) frozen pizza.

the 4-cheese (maybe it's the 3 cheese) pizza is fantastic. great for an emergency quick dinner.

at the same time, pick up a bag of their arugula. cook pizza, cover with arugula , drizzle with a great olive oil. eat. very good. very very good.

besides that, the store is fun..has a great vibe.

love the two buck chuck house wine.

The repackaging into smaller portions is why I shop there. I'm single and don't need nor have storage for the giant family size packages that other stores and Costco market. A lot of their foods are organic but you do have to become a label reader to check the contents especially the sodium which is very high in a lot of their processed foods.Their wine selection is great and typically several dollars less than other markets. Once in a while I'll shop at a market like Safeway or Oliver's and I find I spend less for the same foods at TJ's.

They have a number of specialty type items that are often quite hard to find anywhere else. I can often get healthier, cheaper foods at TJ than at the conventional supermarkets. However, I don't buy everything there. Like anything else, you can find deals and you can find stuff that is obscenely overpriced, you have to do your homework.

I go there every once and awhile to remind myself why I don't shop there regularly. Overpriced, snotty women wearing spandex they REALLY should not be wearing. Of course, that could just be attributed to Atlanta.

They opened one here recently and the lot is always full. I've never been there, nor plan on going. Same for Whole Foods.

the best place to shop because the women that shop there aren't exactly Wallmart quality. they are usually hot and thin.

Bingo. I think we have a winner. :cool:

My buddy use to call the corner of 3rd and LaBrea the "Twin Towers of Pussy" with Ralph's on one corner and TJ's across the street. :)

Fooking dirty minds think alike.

You can put TJ anywhere even in or near the dirty and ratty part of town, and the pretty thin girls will come.

We love the food that we've tried and I eat a "flexitarian" diet (no red meat, only chicken or fish once or twice a week for health reasons) and the vegetarian stuff they sell is really good.

The pretty thin girls will......WHAT?