Remember how Fairfax County VA was in the 1960s? (Arlington: upper-class, transplants)

[brooklynborndad]

Originally Posted by JEB77

Perhaps you should consider identifying by name some of these indie restaurants in this area brought to us courtesy of Californians.

I don't know how you'd figure out which were established by Californians, as opposed to people from Idaho, let's say. Much thats new in American cuisine in the last generation did originate in California, IIUC. I don't think ethnic restaurants are the only things that have added to the regional restaurant scene. How you choose to quantify each contribution, is really up to you.

[brooklynborndad]

Originally Posted by JEB77

I was not aware that "folks who like indie restaurants that aren't necessarily ethnic restaurants" were a niche subject to being stereotyped.

Really. I will do everyone a favor and NOT link to the thread where someone actually did that.

[brooklynborndad]

Originally Posted by michgc

The supermarkets in the DC area sucked in the 1990's. There was Safeway or Giant or Safeway or Giant and a few Magruder's here and there.

But in those days Giant always carried a full line of Elite(tm) chocolate bars.

[JD984]

Originally Posted by michgc

The supermarkets in the DC area sucked in the 1990's. There was Safeway or Giant or Safeway or Giant and a few Magruder's here and there.

We had some Fresh Fields as well in the 1990s, prior to their acquisition by Whole Foods.

In the 1960s, some of the local A&Ps were still decent, at least in terms of personal service. But they were declining, and Giant and Safeway took over and pretty much cornered the market in terms of mediocrity.

[JD984]

Originally Posted by brooklynborndad

I don't know how you'd figure out which were established by Californians, as opposed to people from Idaho, let's say. Much thats new in American cuisine in the last generation did originate in California, IIUC. I don't think ethnic restaurants are the only things that have added to the regional restaurant scene. How you choose to quantify each contribution, is really up to you.

IIUC, you'd research the issue, and report back to other posters.

[brooklynborndad]

Originally Posted by JEB77

IIUC, you'd research the issue,

How? Look up the names of the owners (who may or may not be the founders) and look up their bios, or personally ask them where they are from? I suppose that could work. If anyone's interested enough.

I'd rather find out where some good restaurants with California influenced cuisine are, and go try them out. But that's just me.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by JEB77

We had some Fresh Fields as well in the 1990s, prior to their acquisition by Whole Foods.

In the 1960s, some of the local A&Ps were still decent, at least in terms of personal service. But they were declining, and Giant and Safeway took over and pretty much cornered the market in terms of mediocrity.

If I remember correctly, the first Trader Joes arrived in NoVA in 1993. It's the one on Route 7 across from Tara Thai and Marshall High School. I went there the moment it opened and kissed the ground after walking through the door. Felt like I was home again. I also remember when Marvelous Market opened way up in NW DC. It had the first decent bread. Went there the first day it opened and there was a line around the block. I don't know why people here put up with crappy spongy bread for that long. We had crusty San Francisco sourdough in CA going way back. Shortly after they started carrying decent bread at Sutton Place and some of the other gourmet stores. Then Firehook opened in Old Town.

The California food revolution though didn't start until the '70s (in Berkeley).

[JD984]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

If I remember correctly, the first Trader Joes arrived in NoVA in 1993. It's the one on Route 7 across from Tara Thai and Marshall High School. I went there the moment it opened and kissed the ground after walking through the door. Felt like I was home again. I also remember when Marvelous Market opened way up in NW DC. It had the first decent bread. Went there the first day it opened and there was a line around the block. I don't know why people here put up with crappy spongy bread for that long. We had crusty San Francisco sourdough in CA going way back. Shortly after they started carrying decent bread at Sutton Place and some of the other gourmet stores. Then Firehook opened in Old Town.

The California food revolution though didn't start until the '70s (in Berkeley).

Kind of my point. Berkeley got Chez Panisse. California sent us the Magic Pan, Trader Joe's, and ex-Californians complaining about the weather and the Mexican food. But, again, no one said life is fair.

Trader Joe's has always seemed very-nichey to me, but I could imagine how it might summon up some genuine feelings of nostalgia if you'd spent years in Giant and Safeway, surrounded by endless aisles of Swanson's frozen dinners, General Mills/Kellogs cereal, and 50 variations of Wonder Bread.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by JEB77

Trader Joe's has always seemed very-nichey to me, but I could imagine how it might summon up some genuine feelings of nostalgia if you'd spent years in Giant and Safeway, surrounded by endless aisles of Swanson's frozen dinners, General Mills/Kellogs cereal, and 50 variations of Wonder Bread.

Yes, I shopped at Trader Joe's in CA for years before moving here. The concept was different back then though. They would be huge lots of distressed gourmet foods and wines but you were never quite sure what would be there from week to week. They even had a cheese tasting counter similar to Balducci's. The Fearless Flyer was riveting reading when it arrived in the mail.

[IndiaLimaDelta]

When did Theo Albrecht purchase Trader Joe's? Late 1970's I think? I think Trader Joe's stopped being a friendly "indie" corner grocery store since then and has been something of a facade of a corner grocery store. There was an article some months back about how TJ sources its products from large food conglomerates and that much of the "quirkiness" is just a deliberately cultivated mirage.

That said, I shop groceries at TJ and at Wegman's and nowhere else. At one point I was going to 5-6 places and the opportunity cost outweighed the value of actual money saved and unique products purchased.