When I lived in L.A. there were three Trader Joe’s within two miles of my apartment. Now that I’m up in Birch Bay, WA, the nearest one is 70 miles away in Everett.
So I called Trader Joe’s yesterday, and told them that they really need to open a store in Bellingham. Bellingham is a good-sized town. Western Washington University would provide a ready source of customers. The only competition is the Food Co-op. People are paying ninety simoleons for the privilege of shopping there. (Non-members pay a 6.5% surcharge.) If people are willing to pay a membership for the type of goods that Trader Joe’s stocks (and there are plenty of people who are members), then TJ’s should be very profitable! There are excellent demographics for a TJ’s in Bellingham.
But it’s not just the inexpensive, often organic, food that I crave. Those are just icing on the cake. I really love Trader Joe’s French Roast coffee. (And yes, it’s cheap!) TJ’s has the best dolmas. Triple-Ginger Snaps. Cocoa Almonds. (I talked to my friend in Tennessee, and she said she bought some chocolate-covered almonds. They were missing the coating of cocoa powder that is on TJ’s superior variety.) TJ’s is chockful of Good Stuff!
Unfortunately they can’t sell Laphroaig up here. (Spirits must be sold through the State. Also, a bottle of Laphroaig which sells for $34 at Trader Joe’s in California costs $54 from a State liquor store up here.)
Here’s how I see it:
Advantages to Trader Joe’s
[ul][li] Bellingham has a good college crowd;[/li][li] People here are paying high fees for the privilege of buying the same sort of stuff TJ’s has for no membership fee;[/li][li] There are many people up here who are familiar with Trader Joe’s and its products;[/li][li]Bellingham is a large enough town to support a Trader Joe’s store with much success.[/ul][/li]Advantages to Whatcom County residents
[ul][li] Same stuff (and more) as at the Food Co-op without having to pay a membership fee;[/li][li] Goodies you can’t get anywhere else;[/li][li] Extremely good prices;[/li][li] “A taste of home” for many of us;[/li][li] No need to drive to Everett.[/ul][/li]What say you, good people? Wanna call Trader Joe’s and ask them to open a store in Bellingham?
They might think it’s a bit fishy since I live in AZ, but I wanted to tell you that they do listen to store requests. We finally got a Trader Joe’s in Mesa a few years ago because so many people asked for one. And the store is swamped all day every day. Good luck!
They just opened a 3rd TJ’s in Santa Barbara, this one only about a mile from my house. Needless to say, I am thrilled. I grew up in L.A. too and I’ve known about the wonders of TJs for my entire life.
Oooh, this is inspiring me to go to Trader Joe’s today. Yes, we have Trader Joe’s even here in the frozen Midwest! My roommate (who went to school in SoCal) and I spotted it while being chauffered by her fiance and promptly went nuts. Trader Joe’s! In Chicago! Eeeee! He worried for our sanity, but he has since been converted. Heh heh heh.
No sign of them coming to New Orleans. They probably figure it’s too tough a market. But hey, Whole Foods moved in last year and are raking it in. The place is RIPE for TJ’s!!
We have one located just a few blocks of a Wal-Mart Supercenter and it’s doing a brisk business, I think largely due to the fact that TJ’s has better quality fresh produce at comparable prices. Some of the stuff they sell under their own private label is equal or better quality than name brand stuff you can get at Wal-Mart, at Wal-Mart private label prices. (mmmm, hummus).
With their better quality at the same price food items, Trader Joe’s is probably the only grocery chain that could give Wal-Mart a run for their money.
I prefer shopping there to shopping at Wally World, and I work at Wally World.
We recently (within the last month or so) got our very own TJ’s here in Palmdale (CA). We’ve been asking for it for about 5 years.
There was much celebrating, although I’ve shopped at TJ’s maybe a total of three times in my lifetime. This should change now, though, with the new location – which happens to be between home and work…
Mikie: Hey, I went to QHHS. They let us out early every time there was a riot at PHS.
I’d heard about the TJ’s in PMD. I told my roommate about it so that he can stop by and stock up on supplies. (He went to his mom’s in Lancaster.) I hope he does!
Better yet, I hope they open a store in Bellingham!
I wish we had one of these in Miami. It sounds like the best supermarket! We have Wild Oats (mainly organic foods, and so ridiculously expensive that I never shop there), but no Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s.
I live in Hooterville now, no where near a Trader Joe’s. I am heartsick.
For Christmas, the Aunties sent out a big box of Trader Joe’s goodies. So I’m set for a while.
I miss my Trader Joe’s. Johnny, you are lucky to live so close to a Trader Joe’s! Put yourself in my (and Mama Tiger’s) shoes! Not that I don’t think you shouldn’t petition TJ’s to get a store nearer to where you live, of course…
