bewildering

Good to point out that Trader Joe's value their workers. The pay is excellent, and the benefits are great. Similar to Costco.

Contrast with Safeway, Walmart, Ralphs, Vons, Target etc.

WEBlue

So true! It really makes a difference when the staff are treated well, paid more than the usual retail workers, and have decent health plans. Every TJs I've ever been in have staff with positive attitudes, cheerful and helpful.

Englishmum

Oh yes you were so right! We had them for breakfast; they were just like the ones we used to eat in Switzerland and they were fabulous!

I’m definitely buying more of them!

S Folinsky

Although it's is privately held by the Albrecht family, it is historically a California company. It was established by Joe Coulombe in 1958 and assumed the Trader Joe's moniker in 1967. I clearly remember the radio advertising by Mr. Coulombe himself.

The original store is still in operation in Pasadena CA on Arroyo Parkway. Mr. Coulombe sold the company to Theo Albrecht in 1979. But Coulombe remained as CEO until retirement in 1988. Coulombe hired his successor John Shields who ran the operation until his retirement in 2001. Shields was followed by the current CEO who was promoted from within.

I think the continuity in ownership and management is pretty impressive.

hughiemg

In not sure if it has been mentioned get but their Danish Kringle is really good too!

http://www.livingtraderjoes.com/danish-kringle-trader-joes/

ChocolateBabz

I'be seen it but wasn’t really sure what it was, I'll try one next time if they have them 👍🏻

petitefrancaise

Channa masala on a cold/rainy day. mmm

Just bought bottles and bottles of 2 buck chuck cab sauvignon to make mulled wine tomorrow. Just happened to see the lebkuchen and stollen which somehow managed to find their way into my bag...

OTOH Costco now have beautiful made with cream belgian chocs... The real deal!

kimilseung

I am curious concerning their employment procedures, as their workers always seem to be more middle class rather than working class that one might expect on a super market till. I wonder if this is a reflection of location or different hiring criteria.

expatrobe

I've loved Trader Joe's so much since moving from England to California many decades ago.

When contemplating moving back to Blighty even for a few years, couldn't help thinking "yes but how are you gonna survive without a TJ's or Whole Foods?" [this before WF opened a few stores in the UK seemingly to the indifference of the locals based on my one visit to Cheltenham's WF. A sea of lovely fresh produce and almost nobody in there.]

I digress. So TJ's is a great place for [some already mentioned by others]....

1. Specific items seemingly unavailable elsewhere [where I live]. Low sodium crunchy peanut butter, low-cal lo-sugar lemonades without harmful fake sweeteners, low-sodium pasta sauce [my main reason to be there], whole-grain pumpernickel "Euro" flatbread, and others.

2. Many significantly lower priced and nice variety of certain items: bags of mixed nuts; wines; rices including Indian basmati and Thai; vegan egg-free mayo; salsas.

3. Friendlier, more helpful, more abundant staff [I’m glad they are respected — explains the difference], pleasant shopping experience, free mini-samples of coffee and edibles. It's welcoming, not an abrasive chore like most other food stores.

That said, items once unique to them, or that they had healthier versions of, are now available closer to home. The competition has narrowed TJ’s advantages, whilst TJ’s [like WF] seems to have lost a bit of its flair, less health conscious, resting on its laurels.

Also, I used to get reverse sticker shock shopping there because the grand total always seemed lower than I expected. Not really any more, although many individual items do remain higher quality at lower prices.

So they're still a place I shop at and like a lot, but they're not as compelling these days if they're not local to you.

robin1234

This is an interesting point. Where I live in the US, rural New York State, we have only mediocre markets within convenient driving distance. Sav-a-Lot, Walmart, places like that. I'd compare them to Iceland or Asda in England. We have to drive 130 miles to enjoy TJ or Healthy Living in Burlington, VT. Then I visited Southern California a couple of months ago, and found there were really good quality supermarkets all over, you never had to travel far. Clearly, the difference is, Southern California is full of people with money to spare (and a dense population.)

In England, not only do you have M&S and Waitrose for the high priced yummies, but even mid level supermarkets like Co-op, Tesco and Sainsburys are always close by and have a good proportion of very good quality ingredients and luxuries. For instance, I use Tesco own-brand bread flour in England, it's better quality than any bread flour I've found in the US. (In the US I use King Arthur, which is good.)

S Folinsky

No nearby Wegmans?

Rete

There was no Wegmans in Westchester County, NY either. Not a known name. The only one I ever saw, but never stopped into, was located on Route 9 in Freehold, NJ. We did have a Stop & Shop which was quite nice. Good fresh vegs and fruits. A nice variety of food products and imported cheeses and well stocked foreign food aisles. Then again, we had several open year round farm stands (enclosed) which offered their own grown produce and their own homemade bakery products. And, of course, butchers where one would get fresh cuts of meat, poultry and hand made sausages and cured bacon (both Irish and American).

In Mississippi I would have to go to Louisiana or Alabama to visit a World Foods and not sure if they have a Trader Joe's in either state.

S Folinsky

According to their website, they will be opening in Harrison. They started in Rochester and are well known from Buffalo to Syracuse. I have gotten to like the store a lot when visiting my grandson.

Guindalf

I wish we had Wegmans in our area. We have to drive 45 minutes for a Publix (always 1&2 in the Consumer Reports Best Supermarket polls.

Closest Whole Paycheck is over an hour away, as it the nearest TJs.

robin1234

Our nearest Wegmans is in Liverpool, NY, I think. About 120 miles. Wegmans is the ultimate, I could live in there. When visiting, we usually eat a meal in their cafe, so we are not dangerously hungry while shopping ...