Aldi's opening stores in Dallas...can we hope for a TJ's soon after? (Houston: prices, shop)

[texastrigirl]

"Chuck" is short for "Charles" Shaw. Read all about it.

http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/2410

Shiraz has won awards too. Perfect table wine for my hubby. He can guzzle it and I am not counting up how much he is costing us doing it.

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by texastrigirl

"Chuck" is short for "Charles" Shaw. Read all about it.

Welcome to clevelandleader.com!

Shiraz has won awards too. Perfect table wine for my hubby. He can guzzle it and I am not counting up how much he is costing us doing it.

Ha, ha, I did read it! We're off wine for now and firmly entrenched in the land of Kambucha!!

[mark311]

Trader Joe's is a good store in my opinion, but I don't understand the hype about it myself. I don't think it would be a negative thing for them to open one here in Austin. Unfortunately, I think they would have to open at least three in the Austin area for it to not be utter chaos in there with crowds.

Even in California, I dreaded going there because the aisles were so small and it was always packed with people. Yes, it has good products at reasonable prices, but unless I had a job that allowed me to go there during non-peak hours, I just avoided it. They do treat their employees well from what I've heard which is nice. It's definitely a smaller store though and is not a grocery store replacement. I think if I drank wine, then I'd probably had gone there more often.

For people that have never been there, you can think of Trader Joe's as closer to a Grapevine Market that has produce and more food at cheaper prices.

[achtungpv]

Originally Posted by texastrigirl

I thought I would die without Central Market when I moved.

They have a "Central Market" in Seattle...Welcome to Central-Market.com.

Always wondered if they stole the concept from here.

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by achtungpv

They have a "Central Market" in Seattle...Welcome to Central-Market.com.

Always wondered if they stole the concept from here.

I REALLY doubt it. HEB opened its Central Market in 1992. Up in Seattle we had Larry's in the eighties - very much like the Central Market down here. There was a sushi bar, a bulk food section, organic produce, a cafe, high end cooking accessories, fine chocolates, a gourmet cheese section, a massive beer and wine section etc.

I think the name of the Central Market up there is purely a coincidence. When we moved back there, I stopped in at the Central Market in shoreline and asked if it was affiliated. They guy had never heard of Central Market in Austin. If you think about it, it's a pretty generic name.

[buffy888]

Originally Posted by mimimomx3

I really didn't think of it in terms of prices- how low can you go? "Two buck chuck" sounds absolutely nauseating to me. I'm a foodie- I can't imagine that TJ would offer anymore interesting food offerings than what we currently have. If I could have another market in Austin it would be Pecks' from Milan, Balducci's from DC, Dean and Deluca from NYC, Lafayette Gallerie in Paris....

Dean and Deluca would be lovely and I think would do well. The one in Leawood, KS (Kansas City area) always seemed to do a brisk business. I was so surprised to see it there the first time I saw it while in town on business -never quite understood how they picked that for a location when it would also be so welcome elsewhere, but I guess it was a good choice on their part. Balducci's - also yum. Galeries Lafayette - ehh... Do they still have those so-very-touristy fashion shows? The food level is nice, but I guess when we are in Paris we just much prefer the street markets/specialty shops when we are buying stuff to cook for meals while we are there. The market is good for stuff to bring back home, though, and something similar here would be fun. Peck - I haven't been since high school and I don't think I had as much appreciation for that type of store then as I have now, so I don't really remember much about it. So many people talk about it now that it must be fabulous - I'm sad it didn't stick in my mind.

Having shopped in all of these as well as in TJ's, I would think that an area could have both a Trader Joe's and one of these types of markets as well and both could do quite a lot of business. Folks would still need to shop at a "regular" grocery store for some items - you can't really get all of the basics you need at Dean and Deluca, for example - but it would be great to be able to supplement w/items from either TJ's and/or one of these markets.

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by buffy888

Dean and Deluca would be lovely and I think would do well. The one in Leawood, KS (Kansas City area) always seemed to do a brisk business. I was so surprised to see it there the first time I saw it while in town on business -never quite understood how they picked that for a location when it would also be so welcome elsewhere, but I guess it was a good choice on their part. Balducci's - also yum. Galeries Lafayette - ehh... Do they still have those so-very-touristy fashion shows? The food level is nice, but I guess when we are in Paris we just much prefer the street markets/specialty shops when we are buying stuff to cook for meals while we are there. The market is good for stuff to bring back home, though, and something similar here would be fun. Peck - I haven't been since high school and I don't think I had as much appreciation for that type of store then as I have now, so I don't really remember much about it. So many people talk about it now that it must be fabulous - I'm sad it didn't stick in my mind.

Having shopped in all of these as well as in TJ's, I would think that an area could have both a Trader Joe's and one of these types of markets as well and both could do quite a lot of business. Folks would still need to shop at a "regular" grocery store for some items - you can't really get all of the basics you need at Dean and Deluca, for example - but it would be great to be able to supplement w/items from either TJ's and/or one of these markets.

I think I could live in Peck. I would hide in the bathroom when they locked up and eat all night. Ok, TMI. Sorry.

[Spade]

Trader Joe's are up here in DC and everyone loves them. I see people walking around with their TJ bags. They would perfect in urban neighborhoods as they are mostly small intimate stores. The only way it will affect HEB is the pricing. That's it. But TJ's is not some huge big box store like an HEB is. I don't care what anyone says though. UP here in DC, I wish they had an HEB. Low prices are a beautiful thing. That's just impossible with what they have up here in Shoppers, Safeway, and Giant.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by texastrigirl

"Chuck" is short for "Charles" Shaw. Read all about it.

Trader Joe's "Two Buck Chuck" Chardonnay Wins Prestigious Award | Cleveland Leader

Shiraz has won awards too. Perfect table wine for my hubby. He can guzzle it and I am not counting up how much he is costing us doing it.

for the price it is good and yes, I think a lot of Charles wines have won awards. What we really like which I believe is just bottled for Tjoes, is Raymond Hill. It comes in a 1.5 liter bottle for about $6.00.

Nita

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by mimimomx3

I really didn't think of it in terms of prices- how low can you go? "Two buck chuck" sounds absolutely nauseating to me. I'm a foodie- I can't imagine that TJ would offer anymore interesting food offerings than what we currently have. If I could have another market in Austin it would be Pecks' from Milan, Balducci's from DC, Dean and Deluca from NYC, Lafayette Gallerie in Paris....

there are lots of specialty stores we may want to see but that doesn't mean those of us who know Trader Joes would not be thrilled to see them move into Texas. The thing many do not realize, the prices are lower in some cases than a chain grocery store and much better quality. As for Two buck Chuck, well it is $3.00 unless you buy it in Ca and Trader Joes offers many other wines at similar or much higher prices. For you it sounds like nothing but the best would ever satisfy your tastes.

I was raised in Pasadena, Ca where the first Trader Joes was located, let me tell you, they do offer choices that can't be found or are hard to find in other stores. I have 3 favorites, 1-baby artichokes in pacakges of about 30: cost, around $2.50. Blue cheese and pecan spread, yum, yum, various breads including wheat, sour dough just to mention one favorite, all fresh, healthy and about $1.99 to $3.00 a loaf.. Depending on the season, you never know what you will find, but I would love to have the chance to check it out.

I think the thing a few of you, who have never been in a Trader Joes are mising: 1-it is a specialty store not a super Market and 2-even if it started in California, there are many loyalist who haven't even been to California. They are everywhere, you should see the people in NM that frequent them? This holds true for the east coast, AZ and NV as well.

Nita