Line at Trader Joe’s pretty freaking crazy


Trader Joe’s line too damned long
Originally uploaded by carlweaver

Were you in line at Trader Joe’s on 25th and L Street today? When I realized what was going on I turned tail and left. Those folks on the left in the photo are in line for the register. The folks on the right are waiting in a line that wrapped around the entire inside of the store. No foolin’.

I normally like working near this store but not today. I am curious, though, why it was so busy today and why people chose to wait in that long ass line. Were you there? Can you shed some light for me?

Carl Weaver is a writer and brewer for RealHomebrew.com and has been making beer and wine for more than 20 years. He is also an avid photographer and writer and just finished his first book, about a trip he took to Thailand to live in Buddhist monasteries. He considers himself the last of the Renaissance men and the luckiest darned guy in the world. Follow him on Twitter.

21 thoughts on “Line at Trader Joe’s pretty freaking crazy

  1. All that because of a snowstorm? Are that many people really in danger of starving if they don’t get their foccacia bread and organic walnut dressing?

  2. I’d bet good money there isn’t a bottle of “3 buck chuck” left in the place! What I don’t get is why people who live in the city are freaking out…walking a few blocks in the snow to a variety of places that still remain open is a welcome escape from being locked down in the apartment!

  3. This is so confusing Carl. I just don’t get it either. Why would people be out in droves buying massive amounts of alcohol, toilet paper, bread and milk on a random Thursday?! So odd…

  4. That TJ’s regularly has checkout lines wrapping around the entire store. It makes shopping the perimeter difficult, but the line usually moves pretty quickly. I’d say the only unusual thing here is that this was a Thursday afternoon and not an evening or weekend.

  5. Apparently you people never go to this TJs. The line is ALWAYS wrapped around the store in the evenings. This is nothing special.

  6. Okay, like I said, I work in the neighborhood and go there somewhat frequently. I have never seen it that long before or anywhere close to it. Maybe I always hit it at a good time.

  7. I live in the neighborhood and have been going to it fairly regularly for a long time now and see the line wrap around the store quite a bit. It doesn’t happen enough to describe it as “regularly” but it does happen enough that i’m not surprised…

    The line does, in fact, move quickly.

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  9. The last two times I’ve been to TJs the line was that long, and neither time preceded a snowstorm. On the other hand, the fact that it’s that long MIDDAY probably is indeed because people are stocking up.

    Anyway, they’re used to handling lines that long.

  10. As someone who works there I have to stand up for Mr. Weaver. Yes, a line wrapped around the store is not unusual. However, what happened yesterday was anything but normal. The line not only went down every aisle it tripled itself in places. It was a unique day. Happy snow!

  11. This store happened to be the only store open within miles that day. They know how to expedite that line quickly and fairly.

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