Friday, December 19, 2008

Things I like - Trader Joe's

What is Trader Joe's? 
It's my local grocery store. 

Living in Holland I often missed the pretty, Austrian grocery stores. I especially missed the products, the good cold cut meats, the sweets, the cakes, the bread, ...

But I never really missed the concept of the supermarket, the people who worked there, the service.

Trader Joe's is the first grocery store that makes me feel "at home".

When I first went there I was confused, even taken aback by the staff of Trader Joe's. They are not like your every day grocery store staff - you know - depressed, kind of in a daze, just wanting the day to end, ...
They almost look like they are having fun working there. They talk to everybody and they enjoy talking to everybody. I have seen people making friends and exchanging phone numbers at Trader Joe's. 
My first time at Trader Joe's I thought "Why are they talking to me? Why are they asking me all those questions?" But I have come to enjoy it because the people seem genuine. 

Also - it's an all organic store. They have stuff like organic Cheetos (which sounds like an oxymoron). And I don't know how they do it but they are cheaper than all of the other grocery stores in the area (that includes the non-organic stores).

Everyday they make a tasty little dish that you can taste in the store and easily recreate at home. 

There are definitely fancier supermarkets - like Whole Foods which have fancier and sometimes tastier food but nothing makes you feel as cozy and at home as Trader Joe's does.

And no, they don't pay me. But they can if they want to.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I dig Trader Joe's too and I agree with your assessment of the place. The staff is so genuinely nice - almost impossibly nice - that it makes me a bit suspicious that something more sinister lurks just below the surface.

contrarybear said...

I almost prefer the grocery stores with dead-eyed employees. Trader Joe's' are indeed cheerfully sinister -- I believe there's a subversive granola agenda behind those smiling faces.

But it's the closest grocery store to our house and it has a good beer selection, so I'll reluctantly tolerate the emotional uplift I get from all those happy people.