I Did it! I Went to Trader Joe’s, Now I’m Cool

OK, its official: I'm one of the cool kids. I'm an authentic hipster.

No, I didn't grow a man bun. To do that I'd have need to start growing my hair out well before the man-bun became a thing.

No, I didn't watch all of HBO's Girls; just the first episode and that one scene the internet was on fire about a few years ago.

And no, I didn't get drunk at 11:00 AM and call it brunch.

No my friends, what qualifies me as a cool kid, what gets me my hep cat card, is that I went to Trader Joe's.

I've been listening to comedy podcast for over a decade. Most of the shows that I listen to, like Never Not Funny and Jordan Jessie Go!, are based in Los Angeles. They are basically one to two hour talk shows with comedians and actors that live in LA.

I really enjoy hearing about how the entertainment and comedy worlds work from people on the inside. I love the stories about pitches, auditions and club tours.

Another topic that comes up often is places these people in Los Angeles shop. I heard so much about The Grove, an outdoor mall, that I feel like I've been there myself. I've heard all about eating at Mel's Drive-In and In-N-Out Burger. I've also absorbed many hours of conversation about getting groceries at Trader Joe's.

Trader Joe's is just a grocery store. It's a great grocery store, but it's not magical. But, when I heard that they opened one in Omaha recently I got unreasonably excited. It was the same excitement whenever a store or restaurant that I've seen on TV opens up in Sioux Falls.

Yes, I know it's silly. I like to think that I'm not that kind of person. That I'm still that guy that sits in the back of class and makes fun of everyone excited about prom. Alas, it turns out I'm just like everyone else. Shoot.

Anyways, I was driving through Omaha recently and decided that I would do it. I will go to Trader Joe's so that when I hear people talk about it I'll be able to say, "Yes! I too get that reference!"

So, I set my phone to navigate me there in-between my travels from I-80 to I-29.

The lady in my phone got me to my destination, and I saw it! There it was. The real thing. A store!

I'm being silly now, but that Friday afternoon, as I parked my car and walked up to the automatic doors, I experienced real excitement. Not quite birth of my children excitement, more like Weird Al concert excitement.

I walked through the doors, past the red carts and saw inside my first Trader Joe's! And it WAS a grocery store. The produce and meat look good, there was lots of cool stuff, but it was a grocery store.

As I walked around noticed two things.

First, it seems that almost everything here is infused with sriracha.

Second, I'd shop here if Sioux Falls had one (hint hint). The prices and food were really good. Plus, there was a good sized beer, hot sauce and hummus selection. That's three of the four food groups. The fourth is, of course, all Mexican food.

Well, now I can add another place to my list of places I've been. The Pacific Ocean; a McDonald's in Canada; the Tri-State Iron Post Historical Marker where South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota meet; and now Trader Joes.

See Also: