Mary's Detroit Photoblog: Trader Joe's

Friday, February 8, 2008

Trader Joe's

Trader Joe's opened a new store in our area and last night we went for the first time. After all the hype, we were surprised at how small it was, how inconveniently located, and how annoying it was to have to pay to park. We did buy stuff, since we were there, and there were some interesting and unusual items we haven't seen elsewhere. The man in the first shot was a stranger posing for his wife. I did not get his name--if you know it, I will be happy to include it. The last shot is the infamous parking garage. We did NOT park in it, which meant we had to carry our groceries down ice-covered sidewalks quite a distance. Paying to shop for groceries is a new and horribly hideous invention, in my mind.

7 comments:

Dragonstar said...: That last, golden photo is really good. I like it very much. I've looked through some of your blogs - but I just ran out of time! Thank you for visiting mine, and for your kind words.; February 8, 2008 at 10:50 AM
Mary Stebbins Taitt said...: Thanks, Dragonstar. This little collection is probably not among my best photos, they were hip shots with a little point and shoot rather than deliberated like yesterday's shots. But I wanted something different.; February 8, 2008 at 10:55 AM
Anonymous said...: I like "hip shots" also, they have their purpose and show more of day to day living :); February 8, 2008 at 4:29 PM
Pat said...: How lovely to see this. On my table near where I'm sitting are two Trader Joe's paper bags I got my "stuff" packed in down in Washington, DC last week. I so loved that store. I had some Ezekiel Bread tonight bought down there and I've been enjoying some Carrot/Ginger soup as well. Hope they open a store near to me!

Pat

Guelph Daily Photo, My Photos.; February 9, 2008 at 2:35 AM
BerryBird said...: I have never been to a Trader Joe's, and would have eagerly gone to check it out as well. But paying to park? At a grocery store? I guess they are not looking for repeat business.; February 9, 2008 at 3:02 PM
R&R said...: There are many, many places here that you have to pay to park. Many times, it's only the stores outside of major cities where parking is free. Then again, there's public transportation or bikes. Very different than in the states. I am surprised that in the Detroit area there is paid parking.; February 10, 2008 at 11:55 AM
Mary Stebbins Taitt said...: Well, we didn't pay to park, but many people were, as there is little available parking nearby, some meters, a little street parking--and the sidewalks were literally coated with ice.

I loved their interesting products. I used to love Ezekiel Bread, it was my favorite, but I cannot eat it now because I'm allergic to soy and there is soy in it.

When we were in Europe this summer, we did sometimes have to pay to park, but mostly, we were still able to avoid it. I'm against the concept, which is why I hate Chicago. Here's the thing about paying to park at a grocery store--most in our area have free parking, so why go to one where you have to pay $5 or more to park? True, they have some interesting and unusual and good products, but I've been living without them this long, so I can continue to do so--or park on the street and walk.

I surely hope that charging for parking at grocery stores doesn't spread.; February 11, 2008 at 10:24 AM