Would anyone like to see Trader Joe's come to Boise/Eagle? (Meridian: homes, neighborhood)

[goodfoods]

Originally Posted by abn

I'm just curious if there are any other people out there that would shop at Trader Joe's if it came to Boise/Eagle. If you are not familiar with it, it is a grocery store that offers everything but in a form that is good for you at very reasonable prices. Most of their foods do not contain hydrongenated oil and they do not carry any geneticaly modified products. They have organic products but regular products too and their prices are really reasonable. Really friendly and take time to get to know you. Give kids balloon each time, etc...Please share if you have any interest.

I have often thought about what it would take to get Trader Joes here in Idaho. so I am excited to find this web site.. I have been to their store in California and I was very surprised by their prices, quality,friendly atmosphere and mostly how wonderful their foods taste. I have several friends that also would like to see it here. When I go to California I take an extra suitcase and bring things back for my friends and family here.

[angryman]

My wife and I are part of the hated "newcomer" class although we're from Atlanta, Ga and not the infamous state of California. We really miss Trader Joe's. I havn't bothered to read all the hate replies about Joes or chain stores, but sure would love to shop there again. Grocery prices seem to be much higher here because of what I believe is a lack of competition. Would be nice to get in and out of Joes like I used to with my two buck chuck and bag of shrimp. Okay that sounded redneck.

[angryman]

Originally Posted by micrguy

I hate the smell of old hippies and avoid the Boise Coop as much as possible, but I would love to have a Trader Joe's here. I used to live less than a mile away from one in Phoenix and it was nice to have healthy food that was actually affordable.

Awesome comparison LOL! The Co-op is overhyped and expensive. Not to mention I get the your not welcome here stares from all the hippies because I didn't drive up in a suburu and my arm pits don't smell.

[boi2socal]

Originally Posted by angryman

My wife and I are part of the hated "newcomer" class although we're from Atlanta, Ga and not the infamous state of California. We really miss Trader Joe's. I havn't bothered to read all the hate replies about Joes or chain stores, but sure would love to shop there again. Grocery prices seem to be much higher here because of what I believe is a lack of competition. Would be nice to get in and out of Joes like I used to with my two buck chuck and bag of shrimp. Okay that sounded redneck.

You should have been in Boise before Wal-Mart came around and Albertson's was still the hometown company! There was virtually no competition besides a couple Fred Meyers and WinCo.

[ramenfan]

Funny that in L.A. I would consider Albertson's to be the cheapest major grocery chain there, certainly cheaper than Vons or Ralph's (i.e. the Fred Meyer of California). I wasn't happy when they bought up the Lucky chain (no one was), but their prices were still almost as cheap as Lucky's were.

WOW, what a shock upon moving to Boise. A complete reversal. I live a few blocks from the North End store but walk or drive to Winco instead. Going to Albertson's is like going to a convenience store for me-- you go there just to quickly pick up an item or two.

And for angryman: long story short. Trader Joe's looked at property here in early 2007, but they won't admit to opening any stores beyond their two-year plan of which we aren't in. Compounding the issue is that places like Spokane are believed to be ahead of us in terms of priority. I think they'll come here eventually, but it's going to take quite awhile. Two words: care package! My cheap wine substitute is Winco and my shrimp substitute is Costco.

[Syringaloid]

Originally Posted by ramenfan

Funny that in L.A. I would consider Albertson's to be the cheapest major grocery chain there, certainly cheaper than Vons or Ralph's (i.e. the Fred Meyer of California). I wasn't happy when they bought up the Lucky chain (no one was), but their prices were still almost as cheap as Lucky's were.

WOW, what a shock upon moving to Boise. A complete reversal. I live a few blocks from the North End store but walk or drive to Winco instead. Going to Albertson's is like going to a convenience store for me-- you go there just to quickly pick up an item or two.

And for angryman: long story short. Trader Joe's looked at property here in early 2007, but they won't admit to opening any stores beyond their two-year plan of which we aren't in. Compounding the issue is that places like Spokane are believed to be ahead of us in terms of priority. I think they'll come here eventually, but it's going to take quite awhile. Two words: care package! My cheap wine substitute is Winco and my shrimp substitute is Costco.

That is surprising that Spokane would be ahead of Boise in gaining a Trader Joes. It seems like it would be the other way around, but we are supposedly still getting a Whole Foods in downtown. The development company is going to be submitting design plans to the city some time this Spring.

[Idaho Transplant]

I think the one store I miss the most since relocating to Idaho is Trader Joes! They have many natural foods reasonably priced . If they were to open up in the Boise- Meridian area I'd shop there all the time! They'd do really well in this area! Would make a lot of people very HAPPY!!

[ramenfan]

Originally Posted by Syringaloid

That is surprising that Spokane would be ahead of Boise in gaining a Trader Joes. It seems like it would be the other way around, but we are supposedly still getting a Whole Foods in downtown. The development company is going to be submitting design plans to the city some time this Spring.

I went to Whole Foods's website remembering that the last time I was on it they had Boise in the "Stores in development" section for opening in spring of this year. But I knew the project was delayed. The supposed location near Winco was a great idea.

It'd be nice to have a Whole Foods and all, but we already have a Whole Foods type of store in the Co-Op, right down to the high prices. Whole Foods won't provide anything new other than competition. But TJ's is a different beast altogether, and there's nothing remotely close to a TJ's knockoff here (then again, there might not even be one true knockoff anywhere).

I got info about both the Spokane store info (and subsequent delay) back in 2007 through Spokane's paper and some blog chatter with people keeping in touch with TJ reps. I know Boise metro is more populous than Spokane's. And both cities are roughly 300 miles away from a store. The only lame theory I can come up regarding an advantage for them is with the ease of transporting goods since their 300 is via a major thoroughfare.

[Syringaloid]

The Co-op is a great store, one of the best hippie,organic, gourmet/upscale food stores I have ever shopped in. My only complaint is that it is always so crowded almost any time of the day. Boiseans love their Co-Op.

[Jarndyce]

Originally Posted by Syringaloid

The Co-op is a great store, one of the best hippie,organic, gourmet/upscale food stores I have ever shopped in. My only complaint is that it is always so crowded almost any time of the day. Boiseans love their Co-Op.

Exactly. WHole Foods is not needed because they offer nothing substantively different than the Co-Op and certainly aren't cheaper. They're just *cleaner* maybe?

Trader Joe's would be a better option for Boiseans although I don't need $2buck chuck. St Chapel is a better wine and there are $4 bargain wines that are better than $2buck chuck...