Trader Joe's

[brianinok]

After decades of going and loving TJ's, tonight I had my first bad experience.

Was in there about 6:30 this Thursday night and their entire frozen foods case was way, way picked over.

In fact, 3 of the 5 or so things I was looking to buy were completely gone, and I could see a bunch of others were gone too and most the remainder were sold way down.

I mentioned it to two employees and both just said, "Yeah, we are pretty empty today". They said they typically get new items every night but how the heck can you be out of so many things on an early evening in the middle of the week? No way did they have some sort of crazy daytime rush. They weren't even especially busy when I was there.

It could be as simple as having only 2 stores in the entire state and thus having a hard time getting timely resupplies.

I would see this happen in California stores with one or two items, but those stores would get at least 5x the business and I have never seen anything like I saw tonight.

If it happens to me again, I'll have to think twice before making a special trip over there.

I had this happen to me a couple months ago. They told me a truck was coming that night. I went back a couple days later and it was well stocked. Still very annoying.

[Pete]

I did go back just a couple of days later and 2 of the 3 things I wanted were re-stocked but the whole freezer case still looked pretty sold down, and this was early in the evening.

[Brett]

I haven't been to Trader Joe's since the pandemic hit. Does anyone know if the line to get in is still wrapped around the building? Thanks.

[Pete]

I haven't been to Trader Joe's since the pandemic hit. Does anyone know if the line to get in is still wrapped around the building? Thanks.

It generally is not. They've upped the capacity that is allowed in the store at one time.

The last two times I was there, I walked straight in. But that may be different at peak weekend times.

[Pete]

Also, for a while TJ's didn't want you to bring in your own bag.

But on my last visit, they said shoppers are free to do that once again.

[Bowser214]

Time for another Trader Joe's

[mgharfeh]

When are we going to get another Trader Joe’s further north?

[SouthOfTheVillage]

When are we going to get another Trader Joe’s further north?

Not anytime soon. The demographics just don’t support it, especially at this point in the cycle.

[Plutonic Panda]

Not anytime soon. The demographics just don’t support it, especially at this point in the cycle.

I beg to differ. A Trader Joe’s in Edmond would absolutely kill it. I bet Norman-Moore area with SW OKC would support one as well.

[Pete]

^

As with all retailers, it's not just a matter of if a new store will generate good business.

They are constantly making decisions about which locations to prioritize. And if you've been anywhere near a TJ's in California, you'll know they are slammed every hour of every day. There were 2 of them within a few minutes of my suburban house and they were always crazy busy; much more so than the one here. When a third was opened even closer, it was equally busy and the others remained the same.

They can only add so many stores at any given time and I'm sure they just have a lot of higher priorities.

[Plutonic Panda]

Have you heard any rumblings about a new TJ in the metro? I’m also curious about how the one in NH has been performing? If it is like many other new to market retailers it should be a high performance store that would surely capture the attention of executives.

[Pete]

Have you heard any rumblings about a new TJ in the metro?

No.

Nor in Tulsa, which actually opened before in OKC.


I don't think we'll see another TJ's in the state for a long time. Just like there is no real movement on adding another Whole Foods in the metro (at least as far as I can tell in talking to developers and brokers).

[Martin]

Also, for a while TJ's didn't want you to bring in your own bag.

But on my last visit, they said shoppers are free to do that once again.

i noticed that sprouts still does something similar... they have a sign saying not to put your bag on the conveyer. after scanning your items, they will put them in a cart so that you can fill your bag there.

[Brett]

I noticed that the food sample station at the back of the store has been done away with. Not sure if that was from COVID-19 or all of the listeria recalls.

[BoulderSooner]

i noticed that sprouts still does something similar... they have a sign saying not to put your bag on the conveyer. after scanning your items, they will put them in a cart so that you can fill your bag there.

which is now silly ... since we have learned more about covid (it doesn't transfer from surfaces )

[Martin]

which is now silly ... since we have learned more about covid (it doesn't transfer from surfaces )

that was back in april... i don't recall if the signs are still up. but, yeah, even then it was a bit of a stretch in logic. i want to say that they filled customer's bags like normal the last time i went around 2 weeks ago... but i wasn't paying close attention.

[oklip955]

My guess about the bags is that not all people keep a clean house. Ie someone emptied their bags and left them on the floor. Floor covered in dog hair and who knows what else. Now bags taken back to store and they dont want someones pet hair and .... on their convaier and register area or want to touch it . Ops fluffy had an accident on the bag. Yahh some people are gross and dont mind things like that. Cashiers dont want to touch other peoples gross stuff.

[Pete]

I was told the OKC Trader Joe's did $40 million in revenue last year.

As good as it is doing, I'm surprised they haven't opened up a couple more locations.


I was in there around 5PM last Friday, which is about as busy as it gets. But they had all checkout lanes open and I breezed right through there. They do such a great job.

[shawnw]

how does 40M rank among their stores?

[Pete]

how does 40M rank among their stores?

Not sure but they did about $13.3B in revenue divided by 530 stores which equals a $25 million average.

[barrettd]

I was told the OKC Trader Joe's did $40 million in revenue last year.

As good as it is doing, I'm surprised they haven't opened up a couple more locations.


I was in there around 5PM last Friday, which is about as busy as it gets. But they had all checkout lanes open and I breezed right through there. They do such a great job.

I know there are a plethora of reasons why it would never set up shop there, but the new Mayfair would be a cool place for TJ's if/when it's finished.

[FighttheGoodFight]

I'd love a location southside/moore/or Norman. Too far for me to go very often.

[John1744]

how does 40M rank among their stores?

Can’t speak for TJ but a steady traditional (say like a Homeland) 30-40,000 square foot grocer will do 18 million a year. A busy one a little bigger can do 20-25 million.

[corwin1968]

We never get out of TJ's without spending at least $60-80 and that's just stopping in for a handful of products we like and impulse purchases.

I wish they would build one in far NW OKC or far West Edmond.

[Ward]

Interesting. That's roughly $136,000 a day. Not exactly chump change.