Friend Canda and I heard the boom, boom of live music, saw the crush of people who stood in line outside a truck-sized barbecue and smelled the aroma of grilled meat.
We’d just pulled into Trader Joe’s parking lot.
Oh happy opening day, you’ve never seen so many smiling people.
What economic downturn?
What 16+ percent unemployment?
What rain?
People were enjoying a Trader Joe’s contact high Friday.
In all my years in the north state, I can’t recall such an elevated level of excitement over a grand opening. Anderson Wal-Mart Super Center? The Shasta County Library? The Sundial Bridge?
All contenders, but my guess is Trader Joe’s saw more people Friday at its opening day than any of those places.
Canda and I shuffled through the entrance with the others, and received a free Trader Joe’s shopping bag before we crossed the threshhold. And we’d already eaten a complimentary cookie, and could have eaten a free hot dog or hamburger, except we’d just had lunch.
It was a grocery-store carnival inside as shoppers blindly pushed carts that careened in all directions as their drivers took in the sights.
Trader Joe’s in Redding.
Every few feet a Trader Joe’s employee appeared with some kind of sample.
Chocolate covered coffee beans? Sure!
Cookie? OK.
Biscotti? Alright.
Ding, ding, ding, ding! A loud bell rang out across the store.
“We have another winner!” announced a voice over the store’s speaker. Everyone applauded.
Craaaazy.
Canda and I agreed that normally, neither of us would have ventured near Trader Joe’s on opening day (because we knew it would be a crush of Trader-Joe’s extremists) except we were shopping for the Frugalista Flea Market and wanted to check out its coffee prices. As it turned out, we didn’t buy coffee, or anything.
But it was worth the visit just to feel the excitement and see how full the store was.
Welcome to Redding, Trader Joe’s. Thank you for the memorable first day. We’ll see you soon.
