A few months back, I started a second petition to encourage TJ's to choose East Nashville for their next location. I officially abandon that project. For one, only a little over 300 folks signed it; pretty far from a mandate. Second, there is the Turnip Truck...
Last night I went to the Turnip Truck (hereafter, the TT). My visits are definitely less frequent since TJs came to town. As I walked the aisles, I recollected the day that Ian and I visited the TT for the first time. It was on a visit from Chicago in 2002 after we made an offer on our house. We were very excited the TT was there, but we were shocked by the prices. I find that feeling returning. One of the items (frozen chicken nuggets--I can't remember the brand) that I explicitly went to get last night--and ended up not buying--had gone up in price at least 60 cents to $7.59! I already thought they were expensive before, but they are so yummy, the splurge seemed worth it in the past.
So I walked out with four items: muesli for Ian, baby cereal for Reed (she'll be starting on solids this weekend), bacon, and salsa. If I wanted to, I think I could find good/passable substitutes for all of these items somewhere else easily. The store was pretty empty, although Friday nights are not a big grocery shopping time. I left wondering how business has been for them since TJs opened. I almost always run into someone I know from East Nashville when I'm at TJ's.
I have definitely never been able to afford to buy much at the TT in the past. I don't know how much the TT relies on a bunch of folks like me buying a handful of items every week or so. I thought I would continue to buy that handful, but I realize that I am going to have to be intentional about it in the future. I'm certain the TT would be impacted even more if TJs was in the neighborhood.
So, to those who expressed concern to me about the Turnip Truck's welfare, I now agree. I hope they survive these economic times and the competition that TJs represents. I will do my best to give them my business, as our budget allows.
Showing posts with label products. Show all posts
Showing posts with label products. Show all posts
Saturday, February 7, 2009
My visits to Trader Joe's
I guess it is somewhat remarkable that I haven't posted since I have gone to the new store. Perhaps, family and work have kept me a bit too busy (and, embarrassingly, wasting time on Facebook just seems like a preferable way to spend small chunks of free time).
I love the new store! We went on opening weekend and had to park far away and hike. I have gone about 8 times since then (I'd definitely go more often if they were near, but you've heard that before). My favorite time to go is at what I call the "Heathen Hours" in the morning on Sunday [which, by the way is also the best time to go to the Nashville Zoo--too bad they are not closer to one another]. The only problem with going then is that you can't buy beer before noon (stupid blue laws--what a crock).
I was disappointed to learn that Prelude to a Quiche had been discontinued, but a lot of old favorites are still there. A few of those include frozen Chicken Shu Mai (I LOVE these), frozen Chicken Quesadilla (YUM), Cilantro & Chive Yogurt Dip, Tangerine Lime Diet Hansen's, more reasonably priced and volumetrically superior Grade A 100% maple syrup, Cleanliness is Next to Godliness laundry and dishwashing detergent, really cheap frozen (cheese, chicken and beef) enchiladas, and their basic Macaroni and Cheese (my son is thrilled about this last one--so much better than Annie's).
Some new (to me, not necessarily new to TJ's) ones include Orange Flavored Cranberries (these are like crack--seriously addictive), Nuts about Chocolate and Raspberries, Three Layer Hummus (regular, pepper and cilantro), Curry Chicken Breast Tenders (some complain that these are salty but I dig 'em), Curry Naan, Just The Clusters Vanilla Almond Granola (really good companion with the morning coffee), Mini Peanut Butter Cups, and Chocolate Covered Cranberries.
I am still bowled over by TJ's prices after being away from it for so long. It is so nice to get so much yummy food for such reasonable cost. The value definitely makes it worth the drive for our family. Which leads to my next post...
I love the new store! We went on opening weekend and had to park far away and hike. I have gone about 8 times since then (I'd definitely go more often if they were near, but you've heard that before). My favorite time to go is at what I call the "Heathen Hours" in the morning on Sunday [which, by the way is also the best time to go to the Nashville Zoo--too bad they are not closer to one another]. The only problem with going then is that you can't buy beer before noon (stupid blue laws--what a crock).
I was disappointed to learn that Prelude to a Quiche had been discontinued, but a lot of old favorites are still there. A few of those include frozen Chicken Shu Mai (I LOVE these), frozen Chicken Quesadilla (YUM), Cilantro & Chive Yogurt Dip, Tangerine Lime Diet Hansen's, more reasonably priced and volumetrically superior Grade A 100% maple syrup, Cleanliness is Next to Godliness laundry and dishwashing detergent, really cheap frozen (cheese, chicken and beef) enchiladas, and their basic Macaroni and Cheese (my son is thrilled about this last one--so much better than Annie's).
Some new (to me, not necessarily new to TJ's) ones include Orange Flavored Cranberries (these are like crack--seriously addictive), Nuts about Chocolate and Raspberries, Three Layer Hummus (regular, pepper and cilantro), Curry Chicken Breast Tenders (some complain that these are salty but I dig 'em), Curry Naan, Just The Clusters Vanilla Almond Granola (really good companion with the morning coffee), Mini Peanut Butter Cups, and Chocolate Covered Cranberries.
I am still bowled over by TJ's prices after being away from it for so long. It is so nice to get so much yummy food for such reasonable cost. The value definitely makes it worth the drive for our family. Which leads to my next post...
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
"It's like a courtship..."
"It's like a courtship," Roter said. "A smart company like Trader Joe's is not going to act impulsively. This is merely a process we're going to pursue over a period of time." That's what a fellow Trader Joe's fan who is trying to "woo" TJ's to Albany, New York through a letter writing campaign told the Business Review. I couldn't agree more.
I've been away from this project for a little while and dealing with more day to day stuff (and let's make it official that regular weekly posts are unlikely, although sometimes you can expect several in a week--look to the right and subscribe to my blog and then you won't miss a post!).
So when I did my standard "trader joe's nashville" google search last night to see what I've been missing, I was a little surprised by all the letters to the editor and comments in the Tennessean about feasibility. Everyone seems so certain of their position about the likelihood or lack thereof.
I suppose I am guilty of that, too. I am certain TJ's will open up shop here eventually. What I become less sure of is if I will care anymore by the time they decide to grace us with their presence. As I have reported here previously, other grocers are starting to wake up and recognize that they can do what TJ's does, too. While I am doubtful that these grocery retailers will do it with such panache, I do have to wonder if in 5 years or so we are going to have options that leave us somewhat underwhelmed when TJ's does finally come to town.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not abandoning the cause. I still think Trader Joe's is the best grocery shopping experience that I've ever had (allow me to reiterate that I have never been to a Wegman's, so you don't need to sing me those praises), but I do find myself wondering if I will always feel that way.
OK. So, this doesn't sound like the cheerleader post that I was aiming for originally. In that post, I wanted to convey that [1] no one expects things to change overnight; [2] we're going to keep pushing for a TJ's and hope that the effort will make them show up a bit faster than they would have otherwise; and [3] the only people who know for sure when or if TJ's is coming to town is TJ's and even then, you often get different information from different folks (although they have consistently said that we aren't in the 2 year plan, it becomes unclear after that with different reports from different corporate employees about whether we are in the 5 year plan).
But, I hope you'll recognize that this post is also meant to convey hope of another kind. There is a clamor in Nashville for the kind of shopping experience that Trader Joe's offers. Someone WILL answer that call. It's basic economics: supply and demand. So, please, if you haven't already demonstrated your demand for affordable, quality groceries in Nashville, please sign the Trader Joe's petition.
Based on the hits on this blog, I can guarantee you that they aren't the only grocery chain paying attention. And I mean, hey, if this is a courtship, maybe we will have to resort to a little hard-to-get action to get what we want. I didn’t just write that, did I?
I've been away from this project for a little while and dealing with more day to day stuff (and let's make it official that regular weekly posts are unlikely, although sometimes you can expect several in a week--look to the right and subscribe to my blog and then you won't miss a post!).
So when I did my standard "trader joe's nashville" google search last night to see what I've been missing, I was a little surprised by all the letters to the editor and comments in the Tennessean about feasibility. Everyone seems so certain of their position about the likelihood or lack thereof.
I suppose I am guilty of that, too. I am certain TJ's will open up shop here eventually. What I become less sure of is if I will care anymore by the time they decide to grace us with their presence. As I have reported here previously, other grocers are starting to wake up and recognize that they can do what TJ's does, too. While I am doubtful that these grocery retailers will do it with such panache, I do have to wonder if in 5 years or so we are going to have options that leave us somewhat underwhelmed when TJ's does finally come to town.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not abandoning the cause. I still think Trader Joe's is the best grocery shopping experience that I've ever had (allow me to reiterate that I have never been to a Wegman's, so you don't need to sing me those praises), but I do find myself wondering if I will always feel that way.
OK. So, this doesn't sound like the cheerleader post that I was aiming for originally. In that post, I wanted to convey that [1] no one expects things to change overnight; [2] we're going to keep pushing for a TJ's and hope that the effort will make them show up a bit faster than they would have otherwise; and [3] the only people who know for sure when or if TJ's is coming to town is TJ's and even then, you often get different information from different folks (although they have consistently said that we aren't in the 2 year plan, it becomes unclear after that with different reports from different corporate employees about whether we are in the 5 year plan).
But, I hope you'll recognize that this post is also meant to convey hope of another kind. There is a clamor in Nashville for the kind of shopping experience that Trader Joe's offers. Someone WILL answer that call. It's basic economics: supply and demand. So, please, if you haven't already demonstrated your demand for affordable, quality groceries in Nashville, please sign the Trader Joe's petition.
Based on the hits on this blog, I can guarantee you that they aren't the only grocery chain paying attention. And I mean, hey, if this is a courtship, maybe we will have to resort to a little hard-to-get action to get what we want. I didn’t just write that, did I?
Friday, September 14, 2007
What's Your Favorite TJ's Product and Does it Travel Well?
It's been so long, I'm not going to remember the cutesy names for them, but here are some of mine:
Travels well
Lemon Curd (I just tried this for the first time)
All the great marinades (we have a full pantry of them-Thai Yellow Curry is most excellent: mix it with an instant peanut sauce and I can almost make massamun curry without effort)
Garlic Mashed Potato Mix
Macaroni & Cheese (maybe that sounds crazy, but our little 3 year old connoisseur can most definitely tell the difference and often eschews other brands, even Annie's)
Dishwashing and laundry detergent
Not appropriate for long hauls
Cilantro and Chive Yogurt Dip (I guess this could be done with an ice chest, but we are usually asking a relative to bring things to us, and getting them to add an ice chest into the mix seems a little beyond the call of duty)
Frozen shu mai
Frozen quiche -- including 3 yummy flavors (Prelude to a Quiche, I believe)
Frozen Chicken Enchiladas
Frozen Chicken Burritos
Frozen Steak Burritos
Frozen rice and noodle bowls (there were a variety of these)
Yeah, I like convenience foods. Devoting time to cook and clean up a bunch of pans is just not something my family can/will deal with right now.
The unfortunate part is that most of them are frozen. Which is what is so frustrating about not having a TJ's close by. If I could just road trip and stock up several months supply of my favorite foods, it wouldn't be intolerable. But am I supposed to bring a freezer with me?!!
Is there anybody out there?
How about you guys? I'm sure I have forgotten a lot of the things that I used to buy. I'm not sure being reminded of it will be good for my mood (sorry about the recent negativity, folks), but I would love to come up with a topic that people would respond to!
Travels well
Lemon Curd (I just tried this for the first time)
All the great marinades (we have a full pantry of them-Thai Yellow Curry is most excellent: mix it with an instant peanut sauce and I can almost make massamun curry without effort)
Garlic Mashed Potato Mix
Macaroni & Cheese (maybe that sounds crazy, but our little 3 year old connoisseur can most definitely tell the difference and often eschews other brands, even Annie's)
Dishwashing and laundry detergent
Not appropriate for long hauls
Cilantro and Chive Yogurt Dip (I guess this could be done with an ice chest, but we are usually asking a relative to bring things to us, and getting them to add an ice chest into the mix seems a little beyond the call of duty)
Frozen shu mai
Frozen quiche -- including 3 yummy flavors (Prelude to a Quiche, I believe)
Frozen Chicken Enchiladas
Frozen Chicken Burritos
Frozen Steak Burritos
Frozen rice and noodle bowls (there were a variety of these)
Yeah, I like convenience foods. Devoting time to cook and clean up a bunch of pans is just not something my family can/will deal with right now.
The unfortunate part is that most of them are frozen. Which is what is so frustrating about not having a TJ's close by. If I could just road trip and stock up several months supply of my favorite foods, it wouldn't be intolerable. But am I supposed to bring a freezer with me?!!
Is there anybody out there?
How about you guys? I'm sure I have forgotten a lot of the things that I used to buy. I'm not sure being reminded of it will be good for my mood (sorry about the recent negativity, folks), but I would love to come up with a topic that people would respond to!
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