spoke to Nancy Backus about Re: Corn <=-

We finally have a Trader Joe's somewhat locally, but it's across town,
in Pittsford, so not on my usual paths... :) So I've still not been to check it out... been in TJ stores elsewhere, though....

I was half thinking of going past mine on Wednesday; I have to be somewhat close and it might not be a bad idea.

I would like you and others to discuss what is good about Trader Joes.
We have been to the one in Columbia only once or twice, and don't see
any reason to go back. What is their niche and why are they popular?

As far as niche goes, it appears to want to span various
positions; it used to be a specialty store, sort of like
a snackfood-centric World Market, later expanding by
offering increasing varieties of produce, raw (but vacuum
packed) meat, vitamins, and beer and wine. If you look
dispassionately at it, it's the marketing guy's dream to
the nth degree.

The good things? Prices are competitive for generally as
good or better product than the regular stores offer.
TJ's relies on house branded merchandise and has a
limited choice for any one given thing - instead of
five brands of nuts, for example, it offers only its
own; instead of ten kinds of potato chips, only one
or two. For stuff like chocolate, there is a wide
selection, but not the biggest brands, more boutiquey
labels and specialty products that it can get deals on.
You could conceivably get everything you wanted just at
TJ's if you were willing to pay somewhat higher prices
for fresh items. You can get organic merchandise at not
too big a premium if you're into that kind of thing.

Essentially, you're not paying for them to stock stuff
that you're not likely to want.

There are downsides as well. The marketing appeal
(Fearless Flyer, etc.) is cutesy and condescending, and
that puts a baddish taste in my mouth. The unwarranted
self-righteousness, something it shares with Whole Foods,
is also distasteful. As it surfs on trends, you can get
caught paying laughably huge prices for faddish and
limited-edition things.

The other irritating thing is that it's owned by Aldi
Nord, a company that has had a not totally clean
reputation worldwide (but to give credit, it also
corrects major issues when called on them). (Aldi stores
are operated by the somewhat related company Aldi Sud).

TJ's rates #3 in Consumer Reports for food shopping
nationwide with of course Wegmans at #1.

This is the full Consumer Reports list as of 2015. I
tend to shop at Stater Bros (California). and Market
Basket (Mass.); Costco and Wegmans when I can get a
ride; and an occasional foray to Trader Joe's and Giant,
which often are easy to get to by public transportation.

1 Wegmans
2 Publix
3 Trader Joe's
4 Fareway Stores
5 Market Basket (Northeast)
6 Costco
7 Raley's
8 Sprouts Farmers Market
9 Fresh Market
10 Stater Bros.
11 WinCo
12 Hy-Vee
13 H-E-B
14 Aldi
15 Whole Foods Market
16 Fry's
17 Harris-Teeter
18 King Soopers
19 Fred Meyer
20 Food City (KY, TN, VA)
21 Hannaford
22 Meijer
23 Dillons
24 Smith's Food & Drug
25 Lowes Foods (NC)
26 ShopRite
27 Schnucks
28 Food 4 Less
29 County Market
30 QFC
31 Kroger
32 Save Mart
33 Ingles
34 IGA
35 Bashas'
36 Marsh
37 Piggly Wiggly
38 Tom Thumb
39 Giant (PA)
40 Cub Foods
41 Shoppers Food & Pharmacy
42 BJ's Wholesale Club
43 Big Y
44 Ralphs
45 Target/SuperTarget
46 BI-LO (GA, NC, SC, TN)
47 Sam's Club
48 Brookshire's
49 Vons
50 Albertsons
51 Price Chopper (Northeast)
52 Food Lion
53 Weis
54 Giant Eagle
55 Winn-Dixie
56 Giant (DC, DE, MD, VA)
57 Randalls
58 Safeway
59 Jewel-Osco
60 Stop & Shop
61 Acme
62 Pick 'n Save
63 Tops Markets
64 Shaw's
65 Pathmark
66 A&P
67 Walmart Supercenter
68 Waldbaum's

Source: Consumer Reports
--- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.0pr5
* Origin: Fido Since 1991 | QWK by Web | BBS.DOCSPLACE.ORG (1:123/140)

On 05-04-18 15:05, Michael Loo <=-
spoke to Dale Shipp about 681 Trader Joes <=-

I would like you and others to discuss what is good about Trader Joes.
We have been to the one in Columbia only once or twice, and don't see
any reason to go back. What is their niche and why are they popular?

As far as niche goes, it appears to want to span various
positions; it used to be a specialty store, sort of like
a snackfood-centric World Market, later expanding by
offering increasing varieties of produce, raw (but vacuum
packed) meat, vitamins, and beer and wine. If you look
dispassionately at it, it's the marketing guy's dream to
the nth degree.

Thanks for that report.

This is the full Consumer Reports list as of 2015. I

1 Wegmans
2 Publix

I recall them in Florida as being pretty decent, but not available to me
now.

3 Trader Joe's

6 Costco

Interesting that this is ranked higher than BJs or Sams. We go to both
BJs and Costco, but more often to BJs. Mostly because we are used to
BJs and know where to find things. The two are similar with much
overlap but some differences.

8 Sprouts Farmers Market

Just got a Sprouts up on Rt 40, but have not been there.

14 Aldi

We have been to one in Columbia, interesting but not on our main list of
places to go.

15 Whole Foods Market

Not our type of market.

17 Harris-Teeter

Columbia store has high quality and high prices.

42 BJ's Wholesale Club

See above.

45 Target/SuperTarget

We sometimes shop at Target, but don't go there on purpose for
groceries. Ditto for Walmart.

52 Food Lion
53 Weis

The only Food Lion in Columbia area got rebranded into a Weis about a
year or so ago. No real difference. We go there occasionally since
they are on the way home from Costco.

56 Giant (DC, DE, MD, VA)

Next to Wegmans, the better store in Columbia for us.

58 Safeway

The Safeway closest to us had become pretty run down and so we go
there only when we want a few things.

61 Acme

Not in this area anymore.

66 A&P

Not in this area for years now.

67 Walmart Supercenter

See Target above.


MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05

Title: MARINATED SHRIMP SCALLOP & CAPER SALAD W/ SHERRY VINAIGRE
Categories: .ba, Salads, Seafood
Yield: 4 Servings

1 T Plus 1/2 C olive oil
3/4 lb Large uncooked shrimp,
-peeled, deveined
3/4 lb Bay scallops
3 1/2 T Sherry wine vinegar
-or red wine vinegar
1 1/2 t Minced garlic
1/2 t Dried crushed red pepper
1/2 md Red onion, sliced
1/3 c Drained capers
8 c Mixed baby greens
3 md Tomatoes, sliced
1 lg Avocado, peeled, pitted,
-0sliced

Heat 1 T oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add shrimp to
skillet; saute 2 minutes. Add scallops and season with salt and
pepper; saute just until cooked through, about 1 minute. Transfer to
bowl; cool. Drain off juices.

Whisk vinegar, garlic and crushed red pepper in small bowl. Whisk in
1/2 C oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add to shrimp mixture. Mix in
onion and capers. Chill at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours, tossing
occasionally.

Place greens in Inge bowl. Drizzle with some dressing from shrimp
mixture. Using slotted spoon, arrange shrimp mixture atop greens.
Place tomato and avocado slices in border around salad, overlapping
slices; drizzle with any remaining dressing.

Bon Appetit/August/94 Scanned & edited by Di Pahl & <gg>

MMMMM


... Shipwrecked on Hesperus in Columbia, Maryland. 02:22:09, 05 May 2018
___ Blue Wave/DOS v2.30

--- Maximus/NT 3.01
* Origin: Owl's Anchor (1:261/1466)

Quoting Dale Shipp to Michael Loo on 05-05-18 02:09 <=-

This is the full Consumer Reports list as of 2015.

6 Costco

Interesting that this is ranked higher than BJs or Sams. We go to
both BJs and Costco, but more often to BJs. Mostly because we are used
to BJs and know where to find things. The two are similar with much overlap but some differences.

As NC Ruth and I have discussed, location makes a big difference with
those... she'd not been impressed by the BJs near her, but thought ours
here in Rochester much better... We shop the BJs here (actually use 2
of the ones available locally) and are well satisfied, but Richard
wasn't impressed when he took a quick check of the somewhat new Costco
here in town...

14 Aldi

We have been to one in Columbia, interesting but not on our main list
of places to go.

We've shopped a couple of our local ones, generally buying for someone
else that wanted specific things from there.... it doesn't seem to be
anything that we'd be regularly shopping at...

66 A&P

Not in this area for years now.

Nor here.... When I was growing up, that was one of the main chains
that my father preferred to shop at... but long gone now from any place
I've been....

ttyl neb

... Religious backup.....pray nothing goes wrong

___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.20
--- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.0pr5
* Origin: Fido Since 1991 | QWK by Web | BBS.DOCSPLACE.ORG (1:123/140)