rfenno's Profile
My Austin Trader Joes Lament
Good news! http://www.star-telegram.com/news/story/157129.html
Aldi is moving to Texas, starting with Hurst and Ft Worth. And that means there's going to be a distribution system in place. Aldi is TJ's OWNER. Joe sold out a long time ago. They often expand into markets by opening a network of Aldis first, then TJs follow.
Everywhere that Aldi's goes...Trader Joe's is sure to go! [moved from Texas]
Aldi OWNS Trader Joes. Joe sold out back in the late seventies I think. I worked in Europe last summer and walked into an Aldi store. It was lots different than TJs (which I miss terribly in Austin, having grown up in TJ's area of founding) but there were enough similarities--even TJ's brand PRUNES--to get me rolling on the whole idea of TJ in TX!
My Austin Trader Joes Lament
Update: 6 years later, rumors have come to me that the ink is dry on a lease at TX TJ's #1 in San Antonio. I also had an interesting discussion with the manager at TJ's Santa Fe while on vacation. He said that TJ opened a distrbution center in Arizona to service JUST the Santa Fe store and future expansion. Cuts out a lot of time when the perishables don't have to come from Southern California.
Why we need a Trader Joe's in Austin
I take a 2-tier approach to coffee. I do agree with you about the first tier, being close to Anderson's. (I lived in the east bay too, so I know what the deal is with Peet and even made some pretty good dough on their stock a couple years back.) But, when I'm not making coffee for myself I'm satisfying the Jones of my wife, whose taste buds were ruined long ago when they started making the sweetener in the blue packets. HER favorite is Bay Blend from TJ's, so when I fly to California or the east coast (or now Atlanta) for gigs I bring an extra suitcase and load it up.
Why we need a Trader Joe's in Austin
Coffee is yet another reason why we need a Trader Joe's in Austin, thus in Texas.
Austin - Hoover's and Threadgill's - still good?
Hoover's is my neighborhood restaurant and I'm proud of that. The ambience is so wonderful that my wife and I take anyone visiting there first or second thing. The food is a little pricy, but they make up for it in other ways. Last time I ran into Hoover I thanked him for all he's done to drive my house's price up. And I meant it.
Where should we eat tonight? [AUS]
I second Sampaio. Went on a family outing. There were 4 of us, and the waiter was very pleasant and knew just what to do and say to introduce his country's eats to a table of the heathen. The food was wonderfully presented and excellent in every way,
I'd go back and tried to last night when I was outvoted by fellow musicians (these from Alabama) who had a craving for the excellent Manuel's, which too has made great strides.
