Fundies at Trader Joe's

[Shasta ODonegal]

Apologies for being OT: Aldi's German Regular Roast is like TJ's Joe, only with a mellower nose. Their Simply Natural organic light roast is a ringer for Starbuck's Blond.

[Emme]

I'm not familiar with Trader Joe's.

Did they have head coverings?

Here there is a head covering on some local fundies, that I can not place what group the head covering belongs to. It is a brown crocheted rectangle about 3 inches by 1 inch. They always wear it on the top of their head. You almost miss it on brown headed ladies but it really stands out of blond headed ladies. Anyone know what group this head covering belongs to?

Some form of christianity. I'm not sure which, but I was fbook friends with someone briefly who wore one...

[polabear]

Trader Joe's is owned by the same company that owns Aldis, so it kind of makes sense.

There are actually two aldi companies. The two brothers split the company in half many years ago with an agreement to not compete in the same markets. so aldi US is owned by one half and trader joes is owned by the other half. There is no relationship between aldi us and trader joes, that I know of.

However aldi chocolate is awesome and cheap! Aldi is starting to carry more organic items since the demand is there.

(i work for aldi us in the corporate headquarters, so I am biased. W get fresh fruit everyday at work.)

[patsymae]

"There are actually two aldi companies. The two brothers split the company in half many years ago with an agreement to not compete in the same markets."

OK, that makes sense. Luckily, in my area, I'm halfway between TJ's (Princeton) and Aldi's (New Brunswick). Guess who got the upscale market?

A friend told me that Whole Foods wouldn't come into Staten Island because they have a stipulation that X percent of the population in its consumer area (I think 75 percent but may misremember) have to have college degrees. How douchy is that?

Both TJ's and Aldi's seem committed to bringing their target populations decent-quality food that they can afford.Aside from the Amish market and local farms, I think I'll stick to them from now on.

[bbtlover]

I LOVE WEGMANS!!!!! I'm so glad that it is down the block from me. I could live there too. My sister, who lives in Chicago, has actually asked the managers at my Wegmans to build one. Wegmans generic brand Oreo's are to die for. My sister actually buys bunches of them when she comes to visit along with their mac & cheese. The prices are often cheaper than going to Wal-mart in Binghamton, NY. My brother sometimes drives an hour to get to the nearest Wegmans to his house in MD.

[SayNoToMullets]

I LOVE WEGMANS!!!!! I'm so glad that it is down the block from me. I could live there too. My sister, who lives in Chicago, has actually asked the managers at my Wegmans to build one. Wegmans generic brand Oreo's are to die for. My sister actually buys bunches of them when she comes to visit along with their mac & cheese. The prices are often cheaper than going to Wal-mart in Binghamton, NY. My brother sometimes drives an hour to get to the nearest Wegmans to his house in MD.

I wish they had Wegmans here in Chicago! My family is in Jersey and they love their Wegmans. I have lots of options where I live, though; there's a Dominick's and a Jewel within walking distance, and a few Asian markets. TJ's and Whole Paycheck are a little farther, but I'll sometimes make the trip to TJ's (the wine is awesome and so cheap, I'm always bummed that I have to limit myself to what I can carry on the CTA).

[keeperrox]

We have Wegman's and TJ opens Friday. I am SO EXCITED YOU GUYS.

For those who don't have Wegman's, it's a dream grocery store. In-house French bakery and patisserie, decent cheese counter, great butcher, restaurant in the store, best sushi in town (I live in a fairly small town, but we do have several sushi restos and theirs really is better), great prepared food, their generic house brand is better than name brand in everything I've tried, best selection, great magazine, great recipes, wonderful floral, best selection of organic/free range/gluten free, etc., kitchen stuff store in the store, a tea boutique, coffee shop, burrito shop, sub shop, pizza shop, asian foods bar, salad bar--need I go on?

Oh, and their prices are the BEST IN TOWN.

If they sold beds, I'd move in.

Your Wegman's has a burrito shop?!?!?!?! Our's doesn't have that!!! Jealous.

[Spider Burps]

OMG Wegmans! That's where I shop for, um, everything. People in my area think that it's overpriced and "yuppie", but the everyday prices on things are usually equal to the sales prices at ShopRite or A&P. They always have chicken breasts and ground beef for $1.99 a pound, and I'm all over the new "keep fresh" packaging that you can put into the freezer; saves on freezer bags and time. I sometimes think about applying for a job there, until I remember that I yelled at a customer for lying about something stupid and calling me a "lazy drop out bitch" (I was working during the day at 15 since I was home schooled) last time I worked at a grocery store.

[Arete]

Since most of the Pathmarks of my youth have closed, Wegmens is my go-to grocery store for weekly shopping. Your right Burps, its regular prices are often cheaper than other store's sale prices, but it still has this pricey/yuppie reputation. If having spotless stores with lots of local produce and good meats make it yuppie, I'm IN.

One last note, their International Foods section is actually serious foods obtained abroad. Not American companies trying to make ethnic food. There are products from Ireland, India, Israel, Italy, Thailand, Vietnam, England, Germany, Mexico, and Holland that I can remember off the top of my head.

[Deleted03]

Since most of the Pathmarks of my youth have closed, Wegmens is my go-to grocery store for weekly shopping. Your right Burps, its regular prices are often cheaper than other store's sale prices, but it still has this pricey/yuppie reputation. If having spotless stores with lots of local produce and good meats make it yuppie, I'm IN.

One last note, their International Foods section is actually serious foods obtained abroad. Not American companies trying to make ethnic food. There are products from Ireland, India, Israel, Italy, Thailand, Vietnam, England, Germany, Mexico, and Holland that I can remember off the top of my head.

the local choices here suck, Pathmark being the suckiest. We take a monthly trip to TJ just because they other groceries options really suck bad here. and well I love TJ.

[Arete]

It's all over for Pathmark Sophie. The few that have remained opened are a shadow of what they used to be, and they will most likely close in the next few years. Makes me sad.

[Katydid]

There are actually two aldi companies. The two brothers split the company in half many years ago with an agreement to not compete in the same markets. so aldi US is owned by one half and trader joes is owned by the other half. There is no relationship between aldi us and trader joes, that I know of.

However aldi chocolate is awesome and cheap! Aldi is starting to carry more organic items since the demand is there.

(i work for aldi us in the corporate headquarters, so I am biased. W get fresh fruit everyday at work.)

I didn't know that! Thanks for explaining.

MMMM fresh fruit at work.... MMMM.

[morfydd]

There are actually two aldi companies. The two brothers split the company in half many years ago with an agreement to not compete in the same markets. so aldi US is owned by one half and trader joes is owned by the other half. There is no relationship between aldi us and trader joes, that I know of.

However aldi chocolate is awesome and cheap! Aldi is starting to carry more organic items since the demand is there.

(i work for aldi us in the corporate headquarters, so I am biased. W get fresh fruit everyday at work.)

I live in northern Germany and was completely surprised to see TJ-branded merchandise in the local Aldi. I don't go in very often (I have 5 other grocery stores in my neighborhood, all open later than Aldi) but when I need my TJ Alaska-caught smoked salmon for cheaper than I could buy it in Seattle (!) it's my go-to store.

[Shasta ODonegal]

Thanks for the info, polabear! I'm a fan.