Trader Joe's Coming to Rollingwood/ West Lake Hills - STAT !! (Austin: gas, park)

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by hmorganj

What do you LOVE about it, Rick?

Well, I don't LOVE any grocery store; but TJ's offers darned near any category I need in a very condensed package. Need a slightly healthier breakfast cereal flake or Os ? Don't need 20 of each to choose from...organic milk? Don't need an entire cooler of six different brands...Haven't shopped their coffee in a while; but their organic(especially decaf organic) coffee used to be a good 20% less than other stores. Really, do I need an entire aisle of paper towels?...cleaning products?...chips?

I never said it was the only place I wanted to shop; but the Sandy Springs location(north Atlanta) was conveniently located and easy to get in and out of. I'm a bit perplexed about the new, larger footprint TJ's ...I'll reserve judgment until I've shopped in one a time or two. Part of the 'charm' is the smaller size, so it will be interesting to see what the larger store offers.

Now, if they were just smart enough to open in north-north Austin...

[Debsi]

Originally Posted by 10scoachrick

. I'm a bit perplexed about the new, larger footprint TJ's ...I'll reserve judgment until I've shopped in one a time or two. Part of the 'charm' is the smaller size, so it will be interesting to see what the larger store offers.

Now, if they were just smart enough to open in north-north Austin...

As far as I can tell, they've just made the aisles a lot wider, not added any. It makes for a more pleasant shopping experience.

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by Debsi

As far as I can tell, they've just made the aisles a lot wider, not added any. It makes for a more pleasant shopping experience.

I agree. I spent a month out in Los Angeles this past August and probably stopped in at about five different TJ's in that time. They are all set up the same way, with mostly the same stuff (except the one on Santa Monica Blvd. which seems smaller than most.) The new one here in Rollingwood has almost the same floor plan as the others but has wider isles. Which is great because the few times I've been, it's been a bit crowded. I can't imagine how it would be with a smaller footprint. It does seem to have more produce tables than a couple of the others though.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by scm53

Well, I'm not Rick, but let me say what I love:

Breakfast cereals - especially the "clusters" - cranberry, etc.
Dips, such as the bacon cheddar and most of the hummus.
Packaged cheeses at great prices - manchego, crumbled Gorgonzola
Fresh referigerated pizza dough
Marinated meats - carne asada, bulgogi - style, etc.
Frozen "stuff" - fantastic Asian entrees like Kung Pao and Mandarin chicken, authentic "flammkuechen", chocolate croissants
Lowest priced creme fraiche anywhere
Packaged charcuterie - salamis, prosciutto, Serano ham, diced pancetta

Some of those you CAN find at CM or HEB - some you can't. But never at TJ's prices.

trader joes has mochi for about $1-$2 less/box than whole foods
*really* good cookie/brownie mixes
For years they used to be the only place that had the large boxes of truffle chocolate, everyone has them now

We normally stock up when we go to california. Havent been to the austin one yet.

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by Debsi

As far as I can tell, they've just made the aisles a lot wider, not added any. It makes for a more pleasant shopping experience.

That's some expensive real estate if all they did was widen aisles.
Seems like the Houston stores were nearly double the size of other existing TJs...that's a lot of rent just to offer a bit more cart room. Maybe they need HOV lanes!

With the kind of volume they are doing in Rollingwood, a bit more depth of product would take some of the additional space, especially if they increase the fresh food offerings. That could cut down on the constant restocking requirements.

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by Jennibc

I agree. I spent a month out in Los Angeles this past August and probably stopped in at about five different TJ's in that time. They are all set up the same way, with mostly the same stuff (except the one on Santa Monica Blvd. which seems smaller than most.) The new one here in Rollingwood has almost the same floor plan as the others but has wider isles. Which is great because the few times I've been, it's been a bit crowded. I can't imagine how it would be with a smaller footprint. It does seem to have more produce tables than a couple of the others though.

My first TJ's visit was in LA...tiny little store with about six parking spaces...THAT was small, but doubling the size of the others I've been in seems like overkill and could really mess with the bottom line. It's not like commercial space around Austin is cheap!

[Debsi]

Originally Posted by 10scoachrick

That's some expensive real estate if all they did was widen aisles.
Seems like the Houston stores were nearly double the size of other existing TJs...that's a lot of rent just to offer a bit more cart room. Maybe they need HOV lanes!

With the kind of volume they are doing in Rollingwood, a bit more depth of product would take some of the additional space, especially if they increase the fresh food offerings. That could cut down on the constant restocking requirements.

It has been 10 years since I lived in California and shopped there regularly. Perhaps the aisles are longer now and thus contain more goods? I've been shopping occasionally at the Plano location, but am very much looking forward to Walnut Hill and 75 in Dallas next year!

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by 10scoachrick

My first TJ's visit was in LA...tiny little store with about six parking spaces...THAT was small, but doubling the size of the others I've been in seems like overkill and could really mess with the bottom line. It's not like commercial space around Austin is cheap!

I don't know that the store is double the size. It's just larger.

[Moonlady]

OK, so since TJ's opened their second location in the Arboretum, I'm curious how the locals feel about it. Do you shop there? What have you found that you can't get at Sprouts, Whole Foods or CM?

I've only been a handful of times, but I've found a few items I'll go back for: A jar of TJ's Kalamata Olives for $2.99, some really good dark chocolate covered almonds, some green chili cheese tamaies (in the freezer section) and these things called Espresso Pillows -OMG they are divine and completely different than the chocolate covered coffee beans I get at CM or Sprouts.

So, what say you - and what are your favorites?

[janineg]

Their Mediterranean hummus is much better than the brands of hummus I've tried at HEB. Their flour tortillas are MUCH better than all the grocery store brands I tried. Their Jo Jo vanilla cookies (a healthier Oreo knockoff) are good. So are the maple leaf cookies. Their teriyaki baked tofu is delicious, too.
I'm just hoping for a TJ in Cedar Park some day.