Trader Joe's Is Culty But Okay

Trader Joe's is one of those places I feel has more of a cult-like following than actually offers "value" to customers, and that's not a diss on the place, mind you, but simply an observation. The first time I had ever been to one of their stores was probably 14 or 15 years ago when my wife and I lived in the Milwaukee area. They had one at the Bayshore Mall near Shorewood not that far from us.

People really talk it up, though. And I had been hearing a lot about it again for whatever reason so yesterday I thought, "Let's go and give it another look."

The store we went to was in the Brentwood area of St. Louis across the river from where we live now in Southern Illinois and was bigger than I remembered it to be the first time we went to one. I also did find the experience to be slightly better, but I was admittedly not much more impressed with the place than I was the first time either.

As I remembered it to be, it was a lot of organic and "healthy" hype, and the prices are still quite high compared to most other places I shop. I did notice the place was teeming with eager shoppers, though, piling all sorts of overpriced items gladly into their carts without a care in the world.

People like it, of course. There's a reason Trader Joe's has the following it does and continues to delight a certain group of shoppers. It is interesting to peruse some of the foods they offer, especially in the frozen aisle where they sell what I would call "restaurant fare in a bag or a box." 

We didn't buy much. Most of what they offer I can cook myself for much cheaper—even if something is a bit unique, it's not like I can't easily find a recipe online and go and get the ingredients and put it all together at a fraction of the price.

And what I would make at home would probably be healthier too despite Trader Joe's "healthy" angle.

It is among one of those places, as an investor, I would actually have some interest in investing in if it were publicly traded, partly exactly because of the trendy cult following it tends to have. Trader Joe's has a "hooked" audience who truly believe in Trader Joe's and would stop at nothing to shop there. 

There are many other places you can't say that about. That is what makes it interesting as a potential investment, of course.

All in all, I would say it was a bit "fun" to peruse the aisles. At the same time, we did not spend much. Only around $30. And we didn't get much for that. Just a couple of items. I don't think it will be 14 or 15 years before we return. But it also won't be often we will shop there. Maybe once or twice a year will be good enough for me.