― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 19 February 2007 19:35 (seventeen years ago) link
― teasing your poultry (kenan), Monday, 19 February 2007 19:39 (seventeen years ago) link
― danno martinez (danno martinez), Monday, 19 February 2007 19:46 (seventeen years ago) link
― danno martinez (danno martinez), Monday, 19 February 2007 19:47 (seventeen years ago) link
― Laurel (Laurel), Monday, 19 February 2007 19:51 (seventeen years ago) link
― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 19 February 2007 19:56 (seventeen years ago) link
I had that same feeling going to Dominicks after a few months at Trader Joe's. It was fun to be in a gigantic store with a whole different array of brands.
At Trader Joe's I pretty much get: nuts, carrot juice, pre-prepared chicken breasts w/ lemon, Clif bars, Go Lean. NOT MUCH OF A COOK.
― Eazy (Eazy), Monday, 19 February 2007 19:59 (seventeen years ago) link
― JordanC (JordanC), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:00 (seventeen years ago) link
― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:00 (seventeen years ago) link
― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:01 (seventeen years ago) link
― Eazy (Eazy), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:04 (seventeen years ago) link
― Eazy (Eazy), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:05 (seventeen years ago) link
― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:06 (seventeen years ago) link
― JordanC (JordanC), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:08 (seventeen years ago) link
I dunno. First and foremost, it's too far away. I don't have to drive to Dominick's if I don't need to, the train goes right there. Second, I don't like the co-op(heh)t-ing of local grocery/health food/etc stores' ethea into some kind of national chain. It is what it is, stop pretending. Third, and semi-related, I like supporting local business. Hence Belmont and/or Stanley's produce markets. Hell, even Dominick's is based here, even if it is in with Safeway or whatever.
And, as I mentioned before, the atmosphere/clientele all moving at 1/4 speed, gabbing on phones and blocking already narrow aisles, makes me want to kill. Grocery rage!
― danno martinez (danno martinez), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:11 (seventeen years ago) link
I love Stanleys, but I'm usually lazy and just go to a big store because I want to get all my shopping done at once.
― Calico (calico), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:18 (seventeen years ago) link
― Laurel (Laurel), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:18 (seventeen years ago) link
― teasing your poultry (kenan), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:19 (seventeen years ago) link
Oh, I forgot to comment that the employees at TJ's always seem super friendly (and, um, a little high).
Today seems to be going superfast for me, even though I don't have any work to do... weird...
― Calico (calico), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:20 (seventeen years ago) link
― Calico (calico), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:21 (seventeen years ago) link
― danno martinez (danno martinez), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:22 (seventeen years ago) link
― Calico (calico), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:27 (seventeen years ago) link
I've definitely been frustrated at TJ's on a Saturday afternoon when it's crowded, but that's the case at any grocery store during peak hours. And I do appreciate the friendly employees there, as Sarah said.
They do not, however, have things like cheap paper towels, Meow Mix original cat food, and light bulbs
Hmmm, I've gotten paper towels there, and I don't remember them being ridiculously expensive. And yeah, you're not going to be able to find things like light bulbs there, which is why I just go to Ace or CVS if I need something like that right away, or else save up a trip to Target if there are lots of things like that that I need. Trader Joe's is definitely not a one-stop shop, so if you like having a place where you can get all your shopping done, then yeah, TJ's is not that place.
― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:27 (seventeen years ago) link
― teasing your poultry (kenan), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:28 (seventeen years ago) link
― teasing your poultry (kenan), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:30 (seventeen years ago) link
Yeah, this is silly. A tub of fresh salsa at Whole Foods is like three times as much as one at TJ's.
I forgot another thing that Whole Foods has that you can't find elsewhere, though: Tofurky deli slices.
― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:30 (seventeen years ago) link
If I don't get to the CPU, I'll never get this tiff open and all will be lost!
― teasing your poultry (kenan), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:31 (seventeen years ago) link
― n/a (n/a), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:33 (seventeen years ago) link
I wasn't trying to directly contrast TJ's with Stanley's, necessarily, just kind of rehashing a point from an argument I got into with a friend (which was the genesis of my "are you a yuppie?" question from a few weeks ago) -- that argument being based on my dislike of stores that co-opt a philosophy (say, eating "health" food or living frugally) and turn it into a nation-wide profit maximization venture. To be very honest, I view places like Wal-Mart and TJ's/Whole Foods in the same light because of this, for better or (mostly) worse.
But I'm a cynic... doesn't mean much of anything except to me.
― danno martinez (danno martinez), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:35 (seventeen years ago) link
― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:36 (seventeen years ago) link
― JordanC (JordanC), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:36 (seventeen years ago) link
― danno martinez (danno martinez), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:36 (seventeen years ago) link
― danno martinez (danno martinez), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:37 (seventeen years ago) link
― teasing your poultry (kenan), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:37 (seventeen years ago) link
― JordanC (JordanC), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:40 (seventeen years ago) link
― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:41 (seventeen years ago) link
― JordanC (JordanC), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:42 (seventeen years ago) link
― teasing your poultry (kenan), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:43 (seventeen years ago) link
Whatever, soy nuggets totally rule.
― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:43 (seventeen years ago) link
― teasing your poultry (kenan), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:45 (seventeen years ago) link
― teasing your poultry (kenan), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:46 (seventeen years ago) link
...ok, that joke is getting tired.
― danno martinez (danno martinez), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:48 (seventeen years ago) link
Places I go 2x/month:Trader Joe's for frozen shit, including fish, which is indeed cheaper there than anywhere else. Other things I get there include: dried fruits/nuts, cereal, coffee, wine (DUH), stuff for Dan to make when I'm not there, applesauce, mochi, various other things, including meat which is of a higher quality and cheaper than I could get elsewhere. Oh, and CHEESE. Their cheese section rules.
Places I go once a month or so: Golden Palace (Asian market that Kenan mentioned) which is great for noodles, sauces, odd produce and giant frozen fishes
And the Spice House for spices.
I do spend a lot of time grocery shopping and cooking, but it makes me happy and I guess that's something I do for "fun."
One place I never go is Whole Foods. Too expensive.
The end.
― Armando Grouse (Armando ), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:49 (seventeen years ago) link
― JordanC (JordanC), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:52 (seventeen years ago) link
― Armando Grouse (Armando ), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:54 (seventeen years ago) link
How could I forget cereal! That's also a staple. Nature's Path 4-EVA.
I meant to tell you, Amanda, I went there for the first time on Saturday. OMG. I bought some cinnamon. Kr bought about $35 worth of various spices and things like "orange flower water." I can't believe I'd never been there before, esp. since the Evanston store was two blocks away from my last job.
We also checked out House of Glunz, the 119-year-old wine store on Division/Wells while we were at it. This was on the recommendation of EZ from an archived Chicago thread.
― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:54 (seventeen years ago) link
― danno martinez (danno martinez), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:55 (seventeen years ago) link
― Armando Grouse (Armando ), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:56 (seventeen years ago) link
― Armando Grouse (Armando ), Monday, 19 February 2007 20:58 (seventeen years ago) link
I really need to quell my righteous indignation and get back to work...
― danno martinez (danno martinez), Monday, 19 February 2007 21:00 (seventeen years ago) link