"West Seattle Needs a Trader Joe's" on FB

[oddreality]

When we moved here 30 years ago [has it really been that long??!!] there was a Safeway where the U-Haul place is on 35th and Morgan. They moved to where the Riteaid is now on California and then to Jefferson square.There was also a grocery store by where the Home depot is . I’ve often wondered where people on that side of 35th have to go for groceries .They are really under served.

As far as TJ..never been in one so have no opinion.Probably would go there about as often as I go to the new QFC which is never..A creature of habit.:)

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[JoB]

i buy bread at trader joes…

and some milk products

including cottage cheese and yogurt with live cultures..

and dog food…

and cookies…

and wine

and sushi to go to share with the pups

they really like Trader Joes:)

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[HunterG]

ugh…get over it already and make the long trek so far away to *Burien*. Ooh scary.

How about supporting the folks who already work at grocery stores in West Seattle so they can continue to feed their families and pay their rent or mortgage?

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[WSB]

We have gone there a lot less in recent years as wider varieties of items appear at grocery stores. And we have three locally owned stores in our area: Thriftway, Metropolitan Market, and PCC (the latter two being current WSB sponsors). The one and only thing I still can’t find is something comparable to TJ’s “real” mayonnaise – makes Kraft/Best Foods seem like a jar of spreadable dryer lint.

Back to some of the questions above.

You’re right, it’s not 35th/Morgan, it’s the corner where Marination Mobile is on Saturdays.

Trader Joe’s has been rumored or “nearly signed” for multiple spots in the past decade or so. In the late ’90s, I was a client of a massage therapist who practiced in the little center where Caffe Ladro, Christopher’s, etc., are now. A big dirt lot was at the site where townhouses are now up immediately south of the building. The m/t claimed at the time that the landlord was going to sell to Trader Joe’s. I think that’s the one that sparked a neighborhood petition. Always seemed unlikely to me – not enough room for parking.

Meantime, there was the Admiral almost-location. And endless other rumors, many of which have swirled around the Huling lots on the Triangle/Junction border.

But if you didn’t see what I posted on the FB group, TJ’s media told me “West Seattle is not in our 2-year plan.” They will not discuss what happens beyond that. So who knows, maybe it’s in their THREE-year plan. Or …

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[KBear]

Based on the existing Seattle locations, I thought “not enough room for parking” was a prerequisite for Trader Joe’s.

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[on board]

“West Seattle is not in our 2-year plan.”

This is very bad news, but not at all surprising.

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[Diane]

part of what I’ve loved about TJ’s is old-fashioned neighborhood grocer feel, what I grew up with in 50’s/early 60’s

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I got hooked on TJ’s almost 30 yrs ago starting back in Newport Beach, CA; low-cost, great selection nuts, cheeses, and so much more

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as I moved up the coast, through bay area for 10 yrs, there were always TJ’s in the neighborhood

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then to Seattle 12 yrs ago, not so close; my favorite store is still Queen Anne, smaller feel, less corporate feel

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besides products not available elsewhere, and great prices, HUGE for me is they have best customer service; always easy to get help; I can call anytime to put items on hold; when items are out, only takes few mins for someone to check eta; return policy is like Nordstrom’s

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stores continue to have most of these qualities, even the new large/corp models

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downsides

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getting more and more perturbed at corporate secrecy

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they’ve been telling me for 12 yrs that WS is coming “next” or “soon”

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then they opened Ballard store just down hill from Queen Anne store

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so like someone else said, trip planning required, pretty much equidistance to Burien or QA or Cap Hill or Ballard

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as we focus more on local foods and green models, TJ’s certainly does not fit in with that at all; insane amount of packaging, most of their freezers are open layout, wasting tons of energy; I love my frozen broccoli from TJ’s, but it comes from Ecuador, and my frozen spinach from Mexico; all of course via their warehouses in Monrovia, CA?

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so I’ve been trying to re-train myself to find alternatives, especially since TJ’s has made it very apparent they have no interest in bringing a store to our neighborhood; makes me wonder why would I want to continue supporting them?

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re other WS locations, the one I thought would be perfect and seemed to be much discussion/hope at the time, was new Alki Market bldg after old Alki Mkt owners could no longer afford the rent; and of course, parking would be huge issue there, but can’t imagine a better storefront

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I often shop at Admiral Safeway, because of sale items, and it’s close; but absolutely hate the customer service; TJ’s has spoiled me

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Admiral Safeway will be closed soon for at least a year, so there will be some void up here

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actually my favorite grocer is Fred Meyer; alas none here; it’s a trek to Burien or Ballard; good prices, great selection, and organics; outstanding customer service

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[KBear]

Diane, I’m glad you recognize that even though TJ’s carries some organics, much of their stuff comes from the other side of the globe. I’ve been wondering how many of the “bring TJ’s to WS” crowd are also “local/organic” zealots. It doesn’t make sense to criticize Tony’s for carrying imported produce and then complain that we don’t have a TJ’s.

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[Ken]

The area bordered by 35th and SW Graham and south of the Highpoint medical and dental clinics was originally set aside for retail and grocery. It was downsized when no grocery store could be lured. The plan a couple of years ago was to add more luxury condos and apartments and retail on the ground floor…

I am guessing that is on hold until local developers get out of bankruptcy.

I suspect we could get more groceries out of that acreage in the next decade by turning it over the the market garden folks.

http://seattlemarketgardens.org/

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=5947+32nd+Ave+SW,+Seattle,+King,+Washington+98126&ll=47.54714,-122.375239&spn=0.003049,0.006577&t=h&z=17

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[anonyme]

So, is Hole Foods totally out of the picture? I never heard the final resolution on that one.

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[JoB]

I have to read labels at Trader Joes..

just like at our local grocers..

and there are things i don’t buy there because of that.

but have you ever stood and read the labels on eggs at QFC or Thriftway ? … there were two “local” producers on my last trip to Westwood QFC… one organic and expensive and the other a mega farm i am familiar with and wouldn’t buy from.

as for milk… even the organic stuff is generally from minnesota or wisconisn or ????

The only local grocery i know that even carries NW produced organic milk is Thriftway…

i am still looking for local dairy products that work for me… buying milk products at trader joes is a huge compromise for me.

If you are on a budget and want to consume responsibly with a preference for local and sustainably produced food without additives.. you have to shop around a lot…

it would just be nice to lower my carbon footprint for that shopping with a trader joes closer to home.

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[JustSarah]

JoB, as far as organic milk goes, small and local is best, of course – but also most expensive. My favorite compromise is Organic Valley milk. It’s produced through a co-op of smaller organic dairy farms, so it is much more local than the house organic brands at Trader Joe’s, Target, or Costco. Whole Foods also gets a great ranking from independent organizations on from where they source their organic milk.

http://www.cornucopia.org/dairysurvey/index.html

If I don’t buy Organic Valley, I buy Smith Brothers. NEVER EVER EVER will I buy Horizon Organic products.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_8105.cfm

http://www.nutritionresearchcenter.org/healthnews/fooling-the-public-about-organic-dairy-shame-on-walmart-whos-watching-the-cow/

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[dhg]

Wow. Thanks for the links, SS. I had no idea Horizon was playing fast and loose. I am by no means an expert on milk but I have been told by people at Smith Brothers that the designation for organic is just too expensive for them. But they are taking care to get their milk from cows that are not injected with hormones. Another milk producer (Twin Brooks, I think) state that they don’t have organic milk because any cow that gets sick and needs antibiotics has to be removed from the farm and they don’t want to abandon the animals like that. I like Smith because they are local and I’m sticking with them.

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[WSB]

Anonyme, there is no final resolution on Whole Foods. There is the incredibly humongous ongoing lawsuit that I hope to update this week (been meaning that for a while now) – I check it almost daily for any really surprising new twists – there are almost 300 different filings in the case, about a dozen different parties, and the new note-holder that had indicated it would seek foreclosure, does not appear to have done so yet.

All the while, Whole Foods maintains the corporate line that they have a lease … I haven’t checked with them in about a month so that will be part of the run-up to the followup.

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[WSB]

Anonyme, there is no final resolution on Whole Foods. There is the incredibly humongous ongoing lawsuit that I hope to update this week (been meaning that for a while now) – I check it almost daily for any really surprising new twists – there are almost 300 different filings in the case, about a dozen different parties, and the new note-holder that had indicated it would seek foreclosure, does not appear to have done so yet.

(I should be clear, it’s not a suit against Whole Foods, the gist of the suit involves the original developers and the financing parties, and the most recent round of hearings/filings has involved who’s entitled to get paid first, of all the parties with liens – particularly construction companies – whenever money turns up.)

All the while, Whole Foods maintains the corporate line that they have a lease … I haven’t checked with them in about a month so that will be part of the run-up to the followup.

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[JoB]

where would i find smith bros or twin brooks milk ? and are the ultra pasteurized?

I don’t buy Horizon for the above reasons… but i do buy Trader Joes Organic.

If you buy Organic Valley, you don’t get northwest milk unless you are buying the carton without the plastic spout (Thriftway.. maybe PCC)…

but i have visited some of their farms both in Oregon and Minnesota and like they way they produce milk.. and eggs.. so they are a good compromise position for me.

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[dhg]

Smith Brothers is not ultrapasteurized and will not do that to milk. They carry a line of organic that I haven’t seen outside of their booth at the Bellevue Home Show. The organic milk comes from Oregon. Smith Bros. is carried by Morgan Thriftway and PCC. Twin Brooks is at Metro Market. Their milk is low-heat pasteurized and is not homogenized.

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[austin]

Smith Brothers also has delivery, and not just milk.

I don’t get the whole trader joes thing myself. Burien is about as convenient to my location and lifestyle as Shoreline but I didn’t shop at TJ’s even when i lived on queen anne. It seemed like the only stuff they had I couldn’t get anyplace else was mostly highly processed or junk food. Great for when you get the munchies, not so much to plan a week’s menu around.

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[JoB]

dhg..

i have chronic fatigue syndrome and an incredibly sensitive auto-immune system. it turns out that ultra pasteurized is the only milk i can consume that doesn’t land me with severe repercussions:(

if not.. i would be buying at the farmer’s market.

i am grateful to find any milk at all that i can drink… but prefer to get even that as locally as i can.

austin…

i did buy junk food at Trader Joes on saturday.. they just came out with salt and pepper potato chips at a significant savings over Kettle Chips… which are my guilty pleasure..

I can’t tell you if they are as good because we haven’t opened them yet… but i have high hopes.

Mostly what i buy at trader joes is neither prepared nor junk…

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on the way back to West Seattle i was reminded of the Grainery on 1st at about 136th… a good place to buy bulk grains and other organic products.

If i hadn’t had the pups and perishables in the car together, i would have stopped.

Next time i think i need to go with a plan:)

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[anonyme]

WSB, thanks for the WF update. I know there are lots of complaints about WF (especially price and politics) but I like them anyway. I find that when doing actual price comparisons they are cheaper on many items than any other store, including PCC. I also like the fact that I don’t have to scrutinize every label for GMO content, etc. The WF 365 brand is really, really good as well as inexpensive.

I’m with Austin on TJ’s. Not much good, basic food available there. Mostly packaged stuff, and I really hate the fact that they pre-package fresh veggies in styro and plastic. Of course it would be nice to have a Safeway/QFC alternative closer to Arbor Heights. All the good stuff is on the north end.

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[austin]

I think the whole foods hole would be a good location for a homeless encampment. A stairway shouldn’t be too hard to put together. It’s not like anything else is going to happen there before about 2025.

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[JustSarah]

Why a stairway? How about just a slide to get in?

Oh, you think they need something to use to get out…?

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[FrogBaseball]

Trader Joe’s rules. The gluten free bread and soyrizo alone do it for me.

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