Trader Joe's is opening in ONE WEEK! (Tampa, Sarasota: appointed, live in)

[Sunshinecc]

Originally Posted by SeaSpur

That is just ridiculous...bordering insanity. Almost equal to those who decide to go Black Friday shopping at 4am for "deals".

I am excited Trader Joe's is coming and we will likely make it our main shopping destination since it is down the road, but we won't step food inside at least until a month or two after opening.

Ha! So true. I can proudly say I have never done the Black Friday shopping. Ugh.

There is only one thing I waited in a huge line for - and it wasn't camping because it wasn't overnight but many many years ago (pre-internet days), I decided enough is enough, I wanted GOOD Red Sox tickets and not the crap you get during the season or pay the gross amount of $ to the ticket agencies. So I went into Boston in the wee hours of the morning thinking I'll be ahead of the game. I passed Fenway and saw, in the dark, some people on the sidewalks and thought "oh boy, look at all the homeless people". Nope, it was a line. So blanket in hand and my hot chocolate, I got in line. Five minutes in, the friend I was with dropped the thermos and broke it. There goes the hot chocolate. After hours of waiting in line, we finally turn the corner to where the ticket office was and see (and hear) many angry people leaving muttering "they're only selling [insert expletive here] general admission" (and not the box seats that everyone had hoped).

No lines. Ever. Again.

[TampaKaren]

I read the wiki about Trader Joe's this morning...very interesting --> Trader Joe's - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Though I haven't shopped there, the truffle brownies are tempting.

[kmarc]

You'd think it was the second coming. Beam me up, Scottie!

[planedition]

I just got back from there. They have already sold out of the most popular items, so call ahead and ask about stock if you are heading there for something specific.

[The Villages Guy]

Originally Posted by seain dublin

Than they're idiots. Have lived in a few states I am very familiar with Trader Joes. While they have some "neat food", they're not worth camping out for.

I would also advise people to be smart and stay away for at least a week or two and let the novelty die down. The fact that police are going to be there isn't a good sign.

You don't want to get trampled or knocked down over chocolate potato chips or spinach pies.

Looks like you were wrong. Very, very wrong. It's still as busy as ever.

Parking at Trader Joe’s elusive | TBO.com, The Tampa Tribune and The Tampa Times

"Even at midday Friday, cars stacked up repeatedly trying to get into and out of the store’s crowded parking lot off Swann Avenue. Just inside the lot, store workers wearing bright orange vests worked traffic control, using red and green paddles to direct new arrivals to spaces moments after they freed up.

The scene was similar Saturday — but with even more traffic. Two months after Trader Joe’s opened at Swann and South Dale Mabry Highway, the iconic grocery store continues to create traffic tie-ups among shoppers flocking to it. Afternoons and weekends, the backups reach the half-block to Dale Mabry and beyond."

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by PriusH8r

Looks like you were wrong. Very, very wrong. It's still as busy as ever.

Parking at Trader Joe’s elusive | TBO.com, The Tampa Tribune and The Tampa Times

"Even at midday Friday, cars stacked up repeatedly trying to get into and out of the store’s crowded parking lot off Swann Avenue. Just inside the lot, store workers wearing bright orange vests worked traffic control, using red and green paddles to direct new arrivals to spaces moments after they freed up.

The scene was similar Saturday — but with even more traffic. Two months after Trader Joe’s opened at Swann and South Dale Mabry Highway, the iconic grocery store continues to create traffic tie-ups among shoppers flocking to it. Afternoons and weekends, the backups reach the half-block to Dale Mabry and beyond."

That s*** is crazy..... I would never fight traffic like that for any store.

I only occasionally visit the one here in Sarasota, and thankfully the traffic situation there is never bad anymore.

[The Villages Guy]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

That s*** is crazy..... I would never fight traffic like that for any store.

I only occasionally visit the one here in Sarasota, and thankfully the traffic situation there is never bad anymore.

We were going to the one in Sarasota until this year and it was always difficult to find a spot for us, often with police directing traffic.........but there were no lines of traffic like the Tampa one. It is obvious, regardless of what some nay sayers say, that TD is very popular. They have a marketing model that is top notch. I often wonder if they pick places with not enough parking, so that it drives interest in other people thinking that if everyone else wants to go there, so do I.

[DUNNDFRNT]

It's not bad, I go weekends before 10 am, or weekdays before 5 it's in and out no problems. That strip on Dale Mabry was a mess before, so it doesn't take much for it to be backed up. It's crowded during peak times it's going to be crowded, one store lots of people and it's really small.

[Sunshinecc]

Originally Posted by PriusH8r

I often wonder if they pick places with not enough parking, so that it drives interest in other people thinking that if everyone else wants to go there, so do I.

I was actually just thinking the same thing. There must be some kind of strategy behind it and use it when opening in newer market areas. TJ's has been up here for as long as I can remember and every one that I've gone to has huge parking areas.

[The Villages Guy]

Originally Posted by Sunshinecc

I was actually just thinking the same thing. There must be some kind of strategy behind it and use it when opening in newer market areas. TJ's has been up here for as long as I can remember and every one that I've gone to has huge parking areas.

Do you go to the Shrewsbury one?