Reader: Trader Joe's is not as great as people say

By Patricia Calhoun Mon., Feb. 13 2012 at 6:45 AM

The news that Trader Joe's had filed papers with the Colorado Secretary of State's office to start doing business in Colorado -- specifically, at Boulder's Twenty-Ninth Street project -- has fans of the California-based, German-owned store salivating, extolling such Joe's specialities as Jalapeno Blue Cornbread Mix and Old Fashioned Cinnamon Grahams .

But Trader Joe's newbies might be disappointed by what they see once the store opens at Twenty-Ninth Street.

Says TJ:

I think there will be a whole lot of disappointed people when one does finally open. TJ is not as great as it is made out to be. And since Denver has the Sunflower markets, I think people really are going to wonder what all the fuss was about.

Plus, they almost always build where there is parking and traffic blows.

Say it ain't so! Is Trader Joe's really a shopping mecca? Or a shopping mess?

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Twenty Ninth Street Mall

1710 29th St., Boulder, CO

Category: General

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Boulder, Trader Joe's, Twenty-Ninth Street

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Alan Sears

I am sorry that Pat doesn't know great when she sees it. It's sad to fine one so miss informed.I suggest that she should stay away from the trader if it is so terrible.Alan Sears

Lisa

I WILL drive from fort collins to Boulder in a heart beat to to to Trader Joes.

Can't Wait!!! And, yes, Trader Joes is wonderful. Good food, Better prices.

Stealth2

Those saying Trader Joes and Sunflower are not the same areright. Sunflower market is for people who actually cook and want good, fresh ingredients. TJs is for people who just like to eat. Most of the best stuff they have is prepared food (I admit I am a big fan of the biryani rice myself) and the meat isn’t “fresh” but frozen. And asfor the “great prices” at TJ’s, try buying vegetables there. The prices are redic. Trader Joe’s has their place, but if they don’t make it to Denver, Sunflower more than fills the bill. You've got it pretty good already, Denver. Like Krispy Kreme donuts, TJ's has a mystique that blows it up bigger than it should be. And again, I like TJs and used to shop there often.

Katie

To say that we don't need Trader Joe's because we already have Sunflower is like saying we don't need King Soopers because we already have Safeway. And TJ is nothing like Sunflower. It's inexpensive. That's one of the reasons it has so many fans.

kings

I need KS for the cherry chip cookies. Nowhere else in the country have i found CC cookies as good as the ones at KS.

And there are going to be a whole lot of disappointed people when this things opens.TJ's is a fun little store for some things,but it doesn't live up to all this hype.

Poor Man's Wild Oats

No, it's like saying we don't need Whole Foods because we already have Sav-a-Lot. Sunflower sucks.

Techgirlgeek

As many have said, TJ's is a niche of it's own. It's not a "health food store", it's a good food store. They have everything from great produce to great snack/"junk" food. Love their frozen foods too. Mine and my hubby's first date was me making him dinner using a TJ's frozen dinner package. Think it was a salmon and bow tie pasta. You can't find their stuff anywhere else, not even close. I don't think CO will be disappointed in the least. And if you aren't interested, by all means, don't go. More for me and the rest of the fans!

Michelle

Here's the thing about TJs: great frozen food and snacks. Specifically, their orange chicken, chocolate croissants, and chocolate covered sunflower seeds are amazing. But their produce? Meh.

But really, it's about time Colorado got a TJs -- I don't know why you're trying to spark a debate about whether or not it's really that great. More variety is always good right? Plus, it will provide a cheaper (but still good quality) alternative to Whole Foods and Sunflower.

Retiree

There's really nothing to compare. TJoes is a niche market operation. They're not a replacement to King Soopers, they're not really Whole Foods or even Sunflower. You go there for some really, really great (and fun) products offered at extremely reasonable prices. When I was pretty poor back in LA, I could leave there with 3-4 bags of groceries and not be out a whole lot of cash. That's the appeal. I agree with Michelle, the public will decide when they open. They're extremely popular everywhere else. Does anyone know of a Trader Joe's that went out of business???

Nobo Bear

I'm with TJ re: TJ's. They're OK, nothing really special, have some different/nice things. They're the grocery equivalent of In-N-Out: OK, not the best, but has a cult following that talks it up all the time.

Now, if CO got Central Markets, THAT'S a grocery store that has it going on.

Eric

I'm with you on Central Market. By far the best grocery store in the country. But since they are part of H-E-B, a Texas (and Mexico) only chain and do require a much larger space than Trader Joe's stores do, I won't hold my breath for one coming here soon.