Funny Thing Is, Only Last Week Trader Joe's Dismissed Its Dallas Plans as 'More Rumors'

DempseyMom3

Please come to Little Elm/Frisco and Denton!!!!!!!!!! We need it SOOOO BAAADDD! Hwy 380 is a perfect location, but don't go to McKinney, because it's too far... but please do hurry, cause everything is drowning in queso!!!!

Clay

Regarding locations: what about the empty Office Depot spot directly across from Aldi on Gaston and Haskell?

Rtoddyoung

OMG...just moved here from Chicago...and one thing I miss (other than the lake and the Oak Park library) is Trader Joe's. Please let them open a site soon!

Fake RayRay

I wonder if Highland Park-based Wick Allison will sell his magazine cover to California-based Trader Joe's when they launch in the Metroplex? That reminds me. How did California-based In-N-Out Burger make it onto the cover of a city magazine for Dallas? Someone should ask California-born, Indiana-educated Tim Rogers.

dertymindz

I wish California would send us some of them marijuana dispensaries they got down here. Screw the grocery and burger chains.

Montemalone

Actually, TJs has some mighty good snacks, so send both.

dallasmay

Oh how I hope they pick up that old Whole Foods location on Lower Greenville. The Area is already a gold mine of grocery stores, but I WANT MORE!

Bob Dobbs

**** yeah. Oh wait, this is a decent blog. AMEN!!!! Dear Lord, please don't put it over in the Park Cities.

Bob

HEB? HEB??????????

Surely, you jest. I grew up with HEB in San Antonio, back when they were closed on Sunday, and wouldn't sell beer because it violated Mr. Butt's religious beliefs. They were then, and they are still now, an OK basic grocery store, but certainly not one to covet and wet your pants about.

There is a reason that they started Central Market in Austin--people in Austin who wanted superior quality and a better shopping experience would not set foot in a regular HEB.

Recently I have been in their Corsicana store several times. No difference from the past. Prices higher than the more competitive stores in DFW, produce quality OK, but with limited selections. Looks like it wants to be the Wal-Mart of the grocery chains.

If your idea of fine dining is the Olive Garden or Red Lobster, you'll love HEB.

dertymindz

Do they still got them tasty biscuits at the Lobster?

Metroplexual

I was in St. Louis recently and purchased a case of Chuck for $36. So I guess I'm safe in suggesting it is Three Buck Chuck. It's not so good but for $3 it's OK for gulping wine or cooking.I heard from somewhere, so this is an off the wall rumor, that Aldi's Winking Owl is pretty much the same and both are bottled by the same outfit in California. I haven't tried WO.I suppose TJ would be just another option here considering the competition, nothing really very special.I third the opinion that HEB would be more than welcome here.

Buffalo Printer

Will someone explain the allure of HEB?? No real experience with it, I've only bought beer there while traveling in/around Austin, Houston, or College Station. Just seems like another grocery store to me.

cynical old bastard

HEB has private brand tortilla chips shaped like the State of Texas.

dertymindz

Are they full of hot air?

Tom L (No, Not That L)

I just like being able to say that I shop at "the Butt".

Gus Mitchem

The experience of HEB is one of friendly prompt staff (which really doesnt exist at basic level stores in Dallas) well stocked shelves, great well rotated beer selection with outstanding specials, fresh produce, and store brands that are catered to a Texans taste. (ex: great pre-marinated fajitas, excellent dips, sprink water, beef jerkey etc.)

A friend of mine in the business tells of lore that old man Butts and old man Thumb had a gentlemans agreement that the line would be I-20 or somewhere but ofcourse both of those old men are long gone, and Thumb of course is now under major corporate ownership.

TimCov

Well, the ones I've been in have superior produce quality. I generally find their generics better than Kroger and Tom Thumb. And, they seem to be the same price as Kroger and cheaper than Tom Thumb.To give you an idea, Central Market is HEB's upscale chain.

Chris Danger

One think I love about TJs is I can load up w/ a weeks worth of supplies for 1/2 of what you'd pay at WF, who jacks their prices up to match their inflated egos..

Tom L (No, Not That L)

I've got both a Central Market and a Whole Foods within a mile or so of my house. And even a World Market, for that matter. I can't imagine what TJ's would have that I can't already find.

Scot

Lower prices, and in the case of WF, a better house brand.

TimCov

Oh look another over-priced grocery chain in Dallas. I want a decent alternative.competition for Kroger. I wish HEB would open some normal HEB stores in the Dallas area.

Coleman

Aldi's not doin' it for you?

Chris Danger

I agree Tim, I heard HEB has looking at or maybe even buying real estate up here, methinks when the economy gets settled, they'll be making a move w/ the regular HEB stores in D/FW proper.

Their prices are actually pretty reasonable. It's not Whole Foods.

Montemalone

Obviously you've never been inside a TJs. They have great prices on superior quality food. I miss the store on Ontario in Chicago, where I was a regular customer.

Darrd2010

MonteWe may have run into each other at TJ's in Chicago. Although, I shopped at the North Side location. TJ's is the best.

Robert Wilonsky

We were just discussing that very thing in the office. Because, well, doesn't Sprout's and Natural Grocers and Sunflower and so forth satisfy the TJ's shopper? (World Market also sells pretty good wine at a pretty good price, and the Two Buck Chuck is HIGHLY overrated.) Perhaps I just never saw the allure: When I lived in LA, briefly, I lived a few blocks from a TJ's. My wife was a fan -- she'd fallen in love with TJ's while living in Phoenix. But after my first visit, I can't recall a second. Perhaps others can explain the allure. That would be much appreciated.

Hhhhhh

Two Buck Chuck was good when there was a glut of wine. That was eons ago.

Nita

They have reasonable products at OK prices, cozy atmosphere, a quirky sense of humor, beautiful greeting cards for $1, friendly employees in Hawaiian shirts. It doesn't replace Kroger or Whole Foods, but it's FUN to shop there!

Bigjondaniel

RW, Why do I get the feeling there are large chunks of your time in LA that you "Can't recall"??

Robert Wilonsky

You. Have. No. Idea.

Anonymous

In a word? No. Sprouts/Newflower are the same price as Whole Foods, or more, for comparable products. They don't offer a private label organic product for the most part, which is where frankly, even Whole Foods can beat them on price. But TJ's focuses almost exclusively on private label, which is much, much cheaper. S/NF have lower priced items than Whole Foods, but they aren't organic or "natural" (that word doesn't mean anything in the grocery aisle anyways) so I don't consider them comparable. Their bulk section generally has nothing organic, and their candy items are all made w/ high fructose corn syrup and artificial colors/flavors, which Whole Foods pledges not to sell at all (though every once in a while something slips through the cracks).Clearly, I'm way more concerned about this issue than I should be.

Lisa

Trader Joes has a lot of products that are unqiue to their shelves. They also have competitive pricing on a lot of items. For example, I can get a tub of cookies for 2.99 at a Chicagoland store, and usually they'll be an interesting flavor like Pistachio White Chocolate Chip ("Pinachios") or Malted Milk Ball Cookie. Compared to Chips Ahoy of Pepperidge Farm they taste much more yummy.

Also love their TJ's 21 seasoning salute which is a great spice blend (no sodium) and I can't find anything comparable without mixing it myself. I think Most people who love TJs have similar product loyalties RW. :-)

Robert Wilonsky

There ya go. No doubt, when one opens here, we'll be regulars. My wife will demand it.