Trader Joe's

Columbia has long been missing some of the national retailers found in Greenville and Charleston, but that trend is starting to change. Columbia recently got a Mast General store (which I have been in once, nothing special), Whole Food (okay that have cheap wings, but again nothing special), and now Trader Joe’s. Columbia had the genus idea to put this new store on what’s getting to be one of the busiest streets in Columbia. Great! What’s even better is its right near our house.

So when anything new comes to Columbia, everyone talks about it and everyone feels the need to go there as soon as possible. Course, this time I gave in! Ben watched the girls while I went “grocery shopping” for the week. Fun times, but not have the girls would make it easier. I’m driving down Forest Drive, late Sunday afternoon, and I see police officers directing traffic outside the parking lots to the glorious Trader Joes. REALLY? A police escort for a “neighborhood” grocery store. This place better be good. Unlike most of the crowd, I didn’t mind walking, so I parked a few stores down.

I walked in and was immediately disappointed. It was tiny and almost felt a little “hippyish” I don’t even know if that’s a word. I did buy some jalapenos and cilantro hummus, apple juice, eggs, cheese tortellini, and tomato basil spaghetti sauce. We made the tortellini and sauce last night, and it actually turned out really good. I loved the sauce.

When everyone found out that we were getting a Trader Joe’s all you heard was, that’s where you can get “two-buck chuck” basically $2.00 wine. Well of course I go in there looking for a wine label that says, “two-buck chuck”. Well evidently it’s not called that, it’s called Charles Shaw and it’s $2.99. We already had wine at the house, so I didn’t even buy any, plus I’m not sure I was to drink $2.99 wine.

All and all, it was a neat place. Course I ended up at Kroger afterwards to complete my shopping, because I was not going to buy chicken for $10.00. I’ll take the chicken pumped with hormones for $3.00. I’ll go back when the new wears off. Now all we need is a Costco and Ikea and Columbia would be set! And probably an Apple Store even though I don’t have an Apple phone or computer.