The Trader Joe's on Pico in SM is too crowded (Simi Valley: sales, coupons)

[smokingGun]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

What he/she/it said. I date back to shopping at Prado Market (the pre-TJ name) in Santa Ana, and there was always a crowd. What was different from today was the douchebag percentage.

but way back then i bet most of the ppl shopping at "alternative" markets like TJ's were annoying hippies & beatniks

btw, nobody here in LA has a right to complain of crowding at any TJ's until they've tried shopping at locations in Manhattan. OMG.... twice i've been to the store in Union Sq and there was a freakin line to just get in! And my friend says that there have been times where the cashier line is so long that ppl immediately line up to pay & pick up items as the queue snakes its way through the aisles

[Dunbar42]

So I went to the TJ's on Olympic during lunch and the parking situation is much better than the one on Pico. Probably 3-4X as many parking spots. The store is a lot bigger too but there's still traffic jams in certain spots. The checkout lines move pretty fast at both places even when they're crowded.

[Exitus Acta Probat]

Originally Posted by smokingGun

btw, nobody here in LA has a right to complain of crowding at any TJ's until they've tried shopping at locations in Manhattan.

I don't care what life is like in Manhattan. We like how L.A. is spread out more so; if we wanted to be packed like sardines everywhere we'd choose to live in Manhattan rather than L.A.

[Exitus Acta Probat]

Originally Posted by Dunbar42

So I went to the TJ's on Olympic during lunch and the parking situation is much better than the one on Pico. Probably 3-4X as many parking spots. The store is a lot bigger too but there's still traffic jams in certain spots. The checkout lines move pretty fast at both places even when they're crowded.

Thanks for the recon. Now let's bury this thread before the hordes find it and the Olympic store becomes just as bad as the Pico store.

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by smokingGun

but way back then i bet most of the ppl shopping at "alternative" markets like TJ's were annoying hippies & beatniks

No, most of them were cleanly-cut, well-scrubbed, attractive and alluring sexy beasts, much like I was back then with my movie star good looks and my good bag and cheap shoes.

[Spikett]

Having been in Nashville, TN for the past year, where there is only 1 TJs (and they can only sell beer - state law anything but beer you have to go to a liquor store), I'm happy to once again have them close by. Their produce is reasonably priced all the time (no need to wait for a sale at Ralph's), the liquor is cheaper, they have better quality frozen foods, items that are deemed "gourmet" and cost a fortune at other stores are available and reasonably priced at TJs. I have never had a rude cashier there - always very nice and personable. And my cat loves the "tuna for cats" catfood (she is very finicky).

[Nightscape]

I live within a 2 mile radius of four trader joes in west hollywood. Parking is atrocious at all of them but the one I frequent most is luckily just a block up so I just walk. And all 4 of them are equally jam packed at all hours.

[2Easy]

Originally Posted by CA4Now

Is there a Trader Joe's that isn't overcrowded?

In LA, not so much. In Orange County they have some that have parking lots twice as large with half the customers.

[1200RT]

That TJ's is a **** show. Parking is a mess, people fighting (literally) over parking spots, cars causing backups on Pico trying to turn into the parking lot, small facility itself. When we lived in SM, we would go to the one in Westchester, on weekends, when we were in the area, from time to time. Otherwise, avoided TJ's for this reason. Now, in OC, there are a few which are much more bearable.

[Exitus Acta Probat]

Originally Posted by 2Easy

In LA, not so much. In Orange County they have some that have parking lots twice as large with half the customers.

That's how the one is on the Palos Verdes peninsula as well, not to mention the aisles are wider and you don't hear the words "excuse me" every 5 seconds.