Thursday, October 22, 2009

I Love Trader Joe's


Cousin Deet http://themarmeladegypsy.blogspot.com/, who got me into this blogging adventure, just emailed me to ask how come I haven't put anything new on the blog. I know! I told her. Nothing seems blogworthy, and the longer I go like this, the worse it gets.

So, for lack of a better topic, I will write a post about Trader Joe's. I LOVE Trader Joe's. When they first appeared in my part of town about 7 years ago, my husband and I took a friend over to that shopping center. It was 9:30 and Trader Joe's was closed, but the lights were on, and there were people working inside. It was a nice summer night. So we were looking in the window, and a manager type of guy came out and asked us if we had been in the store yet. We said yes, but our friend, who lived on the other side of town, hadn't. So the guy who worked there said "well come on in and look around." And we just walked in and looked around. It's always difficult to shop at TJ's and not buy anything (the registers were closed) but it was a fun little adventure.

Every time I go in that store, it seems that the employees just love working there. When I'm checking out, they will comment on something I bought and tell me how they just tried it and loved it and served it at a party. The check-out lines are never dull. There is always conversation going on. I have decided if there ever comes a time when I don't have to work to live, I will go work at TJ's and just have a gay old time and happily talk to people all day long.

No one is in a bad mood at TJ's. Everyone is happy. Well, sometimes my husband gets grumpy, as he tends to do, when the aisles are packed and you can't move. But I've discovered the simple solution of leaving the cart at the end of an aisle and I just go breezing through the store free as a bird.

Tonight I wanted to view the hummus and salsas in a refrigerated case. There was a lady standing in front of the case, and she was kind of in my way, but I walked around her and grabbed what I needed. She realized she was in my way and apologized, laughing to herself as she told me "I have no idea what I'm doing here. I don't even know what I'm looking for. But I'm just standing here stuck looking." And I knew exactly what she meant.

When Cousin Deet comes in town, from Lansing, she stocks up on all her TJ stuff. It is quite amusing watching her fill her cart to overflowing, and she says that she really didn't mean to buy that much.

All of the food is fascinating to me, from the chocolate covered everythings (the dark chocolate caramels and the toffee are the best) to the frozen foods you can't buy anywhere else, to the special soaps, to the best priced olive oil in town...it's always an adventure.

9 comments:

mommakin said...

To the two-buck Chuck!!!

I love TJ's, too. I am looking for a little part time gig now - you have me wondering if ours is hiring...

Jeanie said...

Hooray for coming back! Even though we email a lot, I miss your posts! You picked a great topic - my favorite store; wish they'd come to Lansing. My pal Kate and I are waiting for the holiday chocolate truffles! The chili-lime salsa is the best and I can't leave their cheese or wine sections without purchases! I think we all have our favorites there. You're right about the staff, too -- and isn't cool to see people who love what they're doing?

Perpetual Chocoholic said...

I want to work somewhere where people aren't ever in bad moods! Sound good!

anno said...

I love this place, too, and you have stirred up my yearning to return. Silly, how difficult it has been to go 10 minutes out of my way.

Mich said...

My favorites are the kettle corn and the frozen chimichuri salmon filets.

Traci said...

A very blog worthy topic! I miss Trader Joe's terribly -- especially their frozen potstickers. When I was in California, there was one around the corner and we were there all the time. Now I am far, far away.

Thanks for stopping by my post. I will be looking forward to reading more from you in the future. Meanwhile, I will be dreaming of TJs!

Sharon said...

I love the pot stickers, too, Traci - and the mandarin chicken and the jasmine rice and a host of other things. I don't go to TJ's often enough, but when I do I know I'll have lots of dinners ready and waiting in the freezer.

Bonnie - do you remember when Howard got a surprise birthday present when he was 21 - and it was a girl in a bikini who jumped out of a box? She was a friend of a friend of his, I guess. She works at Trader Joe's and is always very friendly.

Delaney said...

We don't have one around here so I feel very left out. Maybe we'll get lucky soon and have one.

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