I was there today (Central Ave, Hartsdale) in the pre-storm chaos. The shelves were practically bare, there were too many customers and more than a few were just too rude. The carts couldn't pass one another peacefully. The lines were long (but moving). The place was great!
Who knows how they do it but hats off to the folks at Trader Joe's. The place actually works. The prices are right. The food is decent if not often far better than decent. Most of all, they seem to find stuff that won't kill you in a slow drip over time. It's worth the trip.
I've taken to buying just about any grocery item I need at Trader Joe's. Depsite the small appearance of their stores, most of the stuff you need is there. It's just that they don't have 1400 varieties of crappy cereal in 9 different size boxes. Were you missing that? (By the way, they must actually sell a great deal of cereal because I've noticed that dedicated an entire isle, which must be the gold coast of real estate for them, to Puffins, Friends, etc, etc.)
Anyway, there I was with my canvas bags and recycled TJ paper bags and behind me in line were one of these well-to-do looking couples with nice hair and teeth, everything held up tight and tanned, and shearling covering every inch of their bodies. The "storm warning" had the two of them dressed up for an Artic adventure or a trip to Trader Joe's to pick up the ubiquitous Chocolate Cats (wow...they really are chocolatey crunchy!). Anyway, they were giving me the stare: "Oh No! We are behind a vegan weirdo with recycled bags!!! How do we bail this line??"
After realizing that they were indeed already on the best line, they decided to stick it out. That meant quietly staring at the downtrodden, uncomestically altered and just back from a wintry romp through the nature preserve with her dog, woman (me) packing her own, recycled Trader Joe bags with her Joey Oh's (Fantastic!), ginger carrot soup (emmm.....), cranberry harvest rolls (yowee...lots of cranberries), Nuts About Antioxidants (whatever...it's the nuts I'm nuts about) and all the while they are trapped in this panic of "how we we get here among the hoi-polloi?"
Funny thing is a) I am not a vegan and b) IT FELT GOOD. Folks, it feels good to not trash your own home, your own shopping center, your own stomach, your own planet. It feels good to take a few ounces off the C02 waistline. Those Trader Joe bags last a long, long time and you could probably use them a dozen times without much wear at all. (By the way, you aren't doing anyone any favors if you think that by selecting paper bags at check-out, you're reducing waste. Apparently, they take a bundle of effort and fuel to produce, transport and get rid of when you're done with your frozen rolled chicken tacos ((also excellent!)). Nice of old Joe to offer them as an alternative to the usual plastic but if YOU DON'T RE-USE THEM, YOU AREN'T DOING ANYONE A LICK OF GOOD.) For more info: http://www.reusablebags.com/facts.php?id=7)
As for the guys/gals at Trader Joe's -- just keep doing what you're doing. Even in the heat of today's frozen warning stress, you were remarkably funny, friendly and helpful. I hope the people who pay you know what you're up against here in the New York area and folks, you set an example for the rest of 'em!
Thanks so much!
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