Trader Joe's

All the foodie people in Pittsburgh probably know, but Trader Joe’s is opening tomorrow in East Liberty. Some people I know were saying “meh” about Trader Joe’s, what with Whole Foods just down the street. I, for one, am excited because finally there will be a place in town to get fancier foods without all that attitude. We got the flyer today at home, even way out here in the ‘burbs. I figure the place will be mobbed much like the Whole Foods was when it opened. Pittsburgh has no lack of pent up demand for this sort of thing.

I look forward to the rice crackers laced with crack, the frozen chocolate cake, and the mustard. Most of all though, I look forward to shopping for food that is a bit cheaper and has not wrapped itself in a political and moral agenda. This is not to say that I am annoyed that Whole Foods exists in Pittsburgh. I love the place and happily put up with its foibles in order to obtain the excellent products that they bring to us from all over.

But, the place does get tiring. Trader Joe’s will be a nice break. I’ll be happy to be able to walk through a store and not have to ponder the lack of any real hot dogs, the piles of bacon made out of poultry, that whole meat case filled with 50 flavors of sausage, all tasteless, and the huge freezer cases full of “Tofurkey” and other crimes against humanity. The frozen chocolate lava cake will just be icing on, well, the cake.

Now, if only we could get the liquor laws out of the Eighteenth Century, we would not be deprived of the Two Buck Chuck.

The place opens at 9am tomorrow. You better get there early if you want to get in.