Apparently, some of their stores sell liquor. Some of their stores don't even carry beer & wine (see Mass.)
Baltimore has a Whole Foods and a Trader Joe's. While I'm sure there is overlap in their customer base, both stores are thriving. Personally, I would never shop regularly at Whole Foods b/c it is too expensive, while Trader Joe's prices are very reasonable and the quality of their products is high. Also, the store in Baltimore does not sell alcohol of any kind. Bummer.
i understand that. i was just making a blanket generalization about chain stores from outside of Texas coming into the Texas market. having been in the alcohol business for over 12 years, i've witnessed this phenomenon pretty closely. incidentally, i would like trader joe's to come to Texas...i stand to gain from it experientially and financially!
LOL! My Dad wrote Trader Joe's a letter to this effect (why don't you put one in Houston) 10 years ago, after I took him to one in Los Angeles. He got a standard reply....thanks for the interest, we'll let you know when one opens near you.
I like what you've got. For clarification, though, my sister lives in Santa Cruz and there are two in her immediate area already. You hate her, huh?
Nahhh.....perhaps a bit jealous though. Especially seeing as how close she lives to Ridge, Patz & Hall, Peter Michael, Talbott, and Chalone......
Theres a Trader Joes like 10 min from my house. Place is awesome, I usually dont get anything there except belgian chocolate. It is a nice little store with food from everywhere.
I thought that Trader Joe's only sold wine and beer. Now I haven't been in one in over a year, but if that is the case then they shouldn't have problem in Texas. The Fiesta Mart on the 610 North was a split store with beer and wine on one side, and hard liquor on the other.
My first trip into a St. Louis grocery store was an ephiphany. At 11:30 PM on a Saturday night they were selling hard liquor. I just stood there in awe of the entire aisle of vodka, tequila, bourbon, etc. It was like heaven, or really just life away from TABC. Arizona has hard liquor for sale in regular grocery stores too.
TJ’s started gorwing well before $2 Chuck, which also is $3 here. TJ's in Arizona sell mostly sell beer and wine along with their food (I would guess food is well over 60% of their business, not beer, win, port, etc). And in Az groceries can carry hard liquor, so I assume it is not one of TJ's main items nationally. The only think I think they carry that would be impacted by the Texas 17% rule is Port (maybe something like Sherry too?)—very limited part of their spirits section. For what TJ's carries (much more limited selection) they slaughter your Whole Foods/New Leaf/Wild Oats on price, TJ's would definitely find their niche and do killer business even in the presence of such stores. There must be some other reason they don't want to touch Texas right now (some other archaic laws maybe—my guess it would have something to do with keeping local distributors and other middle men in the fold?—that would be my guess for the hang-up because they would do huge business in Austin and inside the loop Houston I can assure you). On the bright side for ya’ll they broke into NMex last year, I’ll bet Texas is soon. I would guess Tx and Col are soon once they get their distributor networks set up, if there are not other stupid laws in the way.
Missouri has some of the more lenient laws that I have seen which was cool with me. I just couldn't get past how much St Louis sucked. I hated living there.
I did some soul searching one night and decided there were more reasons to leave St. Louis then stay. After some heavy negotiations with the wife, one must pick their battles wisely in marriage, I convinced her to move to Tucson. The funning thing now is she loves it in Arizona and wouldn't move back to Midwest.
I still kick myself for leaving Charlotte. By far the best place I have ever lived. Unfortunately, my kids are here in Houston so I don't have much choice other than stay. I'd miss way too much if I went somewhere else and I'm not willing to do that. Only 12 more years to go!
Sheesh, don't tell anyone Don't see TJ's coming to Green Valley, you have to come up here and join us semi-urbanites.
