TJ's is finally open!

By the way, how does one adjust the font on this site? Going to Page does not work for me and the font is tiny.

Karen, in many case you adjust the size in your browswer application. In IE go to view, text size. In Firefox its "view" and then "zoom".

[Jenise]

Our manager came from the San Fernando Valley just outside of Los Angeles. And he said that after seeing this town close down the street in front of his store and bring out the high school marching band for the opening day ceremony, nobody's ever going to get him out of here either.

Font--look in the upper right of your screen, under the Search button, for a capital A with up and down arrows either side of that. Scroll on that to adjust your font size.

Yes, all the TJ staff wears Hawaiian shirts down here.
As far as I know re wine closeouts, they're still doing it.

[Jenise]

Yes, all the TJ staff wears Hawaiian shirts down here.
As far as I know re wine closeouts, they're still doing it.

Maybe they do, but in the last ten years or so since they went national, that sense of discovering potential treasure every time you walk in the door is gone. They're too big.

Yes, all the TJ staff wears Hawaiian shirts down here.
As far as I know re wine closeouts, they're still doing it.

Maybe they do, but in the last ten years or so since they went national, that sense of discovering potential treasure every time you walk in the door is gone. They're too big.

And a lot of the wine deals are relabeled so you don't know the winery that made it.

There are rumors that the halal market down the street is closing and that a TJ's is going in. The local community association sent out an e-mail survey to 350 of their members just asking whether they favored the TJ's going in or not. According to the local newspaper, the e-mail went viral and they received a little over 1800 responses. All but 17 wanted the TJ's to go in.

I think they may have a winner here.

One thing about TJ's that nobody's mentioned I believe has added to its success is their staff, at least out here, always friendly and helpful with no "attitude" like others have from their employees, and believe that starts from the top.

Normally I would agree that the employee attitude comes from the top, but how then can we explain the employee attitude at Aldi? I believe the same people that own Trader Joe's also own Aldi and the employees could not be more different.

There are rumors that the halal market down the street is closing and that a TJ's is going in. The local community association sent out an e-mail survey to 350 of their members just asking whether they favored the TJ's going in or not. According to the local newspaper, the e-mail went viral and they received a little over 1800 responses. All but 17 wanted the TJ's to go in.

And those were probably votes from the 17 employees of the halal market.

One thing about TJ's that nobody's mentioned I believe has added to its success is their staff, at least out here, always friendly and helpful with no "attitude" like others have from their employees, and believe that starts from the top.

Normally I would agree that the employee attitude comes from the top, but how then can we explain the employee attitude at Aldi? I believe the same people that own Trader Joe's also own Aldi and the employees could not be more different.

Don't know Aldi, they're not out here. So gotta assume that the Aldo honchos were smart enough to keep their hands off TJ's and let them operate like they were before being bought.

Some of this is probably regional/local. Unlike Tom, I like TJs overall. But only for certain things. Lots of Westcoasters seem to like their produce, but here it is nothing compared to several greengrocers - and no better even than other supermarkets. I don't like their cheese selections or pates. I don't buy much meat there, though I like their organic chickens if I can't get from my usual source, and the bulgogi IS good.

Things I typically get at TJ's:
Alsace Tarte. I don't usually buy prepared food, especially frozen. But that tarte flambe/flammekueche rocks.
Nuts
Dried fruits
Snacks - good chips, etc
Butter and milk

We don't have wine here (NYS law, one wine/liquor license per entity, there's one in city).

That's a good list, Dale. I will add that I like their Red Thai Curry sauce, the dark chocolate covered figs, the dark chocolate covered espresso beans, the chocolate covered cherries with the booze inside, the fresh squeezed juices and the various Asian noodle meals.

Generally I avoid their wine, but I did once pick up a bottle of $8 Chianti Reserva that was surprisingly good for the price. Why people buy the Two Buck Chuck is beyond me, but to each his own.