Photo by Andrea.
Trader Joe’s has been closing stores where employees were suspected of having Covid-19 or tested positive. Now the chain is scheduling further closings for additional cleanings, including at both Upper West Side locations.
The location on 72nd and Broadway will close on April 21. The one on 93rd and Columbus will close on April 29.
TJ’s has been enforcing 6-foot separations on its lines, which now stretch even farther down the block. The 72nd location had a line stretching to West End Avenue and then toward 71st. At the 93rd Street store, the line now stretches to Amsterdam Avenue from Columbus.
#TraderJoes at Broadway & 72nd on the UWS. The line stretches down 72nd to Sushi Kaito, Emerald Inn, and Mel’s Shoe Repair—nearly West End Ave.
According to a friendly employee holding an “End of Line” sign, the line has even reached West End + curled down 71st. @westsiderag pic.twitter.com/3M8tM7HxsO
— Michael McDowell (@mcdowellish) April 14, 2020
There are of course lots of other options for your shopping needs — in fact, we’ve been hearing good things about the stocking situation at Pioneer on 74th and Columbus.
I went to Pioneer after work last night, I was in and out of the store in ten minutes. NO LINE.
The cramped space in Pioneer scared me.
Once they insist on face coverings, I might reconsider it.
Also highly recommend Pioneer. Went yesterday and though there was a brief wait to get in, less than 10 minutes, the store was extremely well stocked and manageable. They even had flour and general baking products that seem to have disappeared over the past month.
Please support the bodega at the corner of West 72 and West End. TJ is great every couple of weeks, but this bodega is very well stocked and needs our support.
I wanted to buy some fruit and juice from their outside display. Asked the service guy who sits by the flowers if I could pay him. He said he could only sell the flowers, I need to go inside (which was crowded at the time).
I’d love to support them, but could they deputize the flower guy to do “Cash only”
Produce sales in front?
I used to go to the bodega several times a week, but they have very narrow aisles. Are they limiting the amount of people coming inside? Even Joseph’s with all of their precautions can’t control the 6-feet-apart rule. 🙁
I see the 72nd St Trader Joe’s lines during my daily walks and can’t figure it out. I like the store but rarely am willing to wait in their long lines even under “normal” circumstances. What is it about the place where folks are willing to wait so long just to enter? No matter how much one hates Fairway (I like it) there are rarely lines there and they sell food too. Lots of it. 🙂
Fairway does not have much of a line, but once inside, it’s havoc. There’s no social distancing and no one in the store is encouraging it. The long lines at Trader Joe’s is because they’ve been very careful about how many people can be in the store at the same time and I do appreciate that.
In addition, I find their food of high quality. I’ve never gotten moldy fruit, and don’t see anything wrong with their bread, etc. I also have not seen homeless gathering there, nor the trash etc. that someone has commented on.
I know some people don’t get Trader Joe’s. You may say, oh, you can get frozen pizza, or Hummus, or this other item anywhere else. And without waiting in line.
The quality of TJ’s food is great. They have very unique items that you can’t find anywhere else. And the price for that quality is amazing. So people are waiting in that line because they know they can get twice as much food for the same amount of money compared to any other grocery store in NYC.
That is my testimony and I will see you in line when my 2 weeks of groceries are ready to be replenished.
And there are those of who us really enjoy their selection of Indian food. Spouse likes their whole wheat muffins and frozen waffles. I waiting in a line yesterday (Wednesday) that began just west of the veternarian’s storefront–took about 30 minutes but the weather was fair and I had my Kindle. The staff inside is also the friendliest and most helpful in the neighborhood. I, too, use Fairway and Citarella and Pioneer.
In this pandemic, many have lost their jobs. Possibly, their choice is Trader Joe’s or a free-food line.
With few exceptions, TJ’s prices are significantly lower than those at other stores. Their produce and dairy is always wholesome and fresh.
TJ’s overrated imo. The selections on prepackaged produce and meat are very limited.
OH MY GOD!!!! WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO!!!!!
Mani’s Market at Columbus and 94th St. northeast corner, is consistently well-stocked with fresh vegetables and fruit, and a wide variety ot quality goods. Best of all, the only line you’ll encounter is a short one at the cash register.
I’m avoiding the big stores and patronizing the Korean grocery stores at 72nd & West End, and 74th & Amsterdam. For bigger supply needs, I started using Instacart with their shopper getting my needs for me at Fairway and delivery to my building. No lines with any of these choices and no dealing with the still too many people who don’t understand their responsibility for 6-foot distancing.
Mid-March I was in trader Joe’s when I asked the cashiers, two of them, why they were not wearing masks. And one responded “we don’t want to scare our customers.” This was two days before the store was closed for a day after an employee was discovered to have COVID -19. I haven’t been back since.
So many of us wish TJ would totally vacate the 72nd st.location.It has brought dirt, crowds, homeless people, and trash trash trash. We laugh and cannot imagine these lines for moldy fruit, awful bread, and cereal that seems like birdfeed. Honestly the whole line seems in a daze. They invaded this neighborhood and what a mess! Why are we destined for junk stores? Why no Hudson Market for us? Why no Westside Market? Why no Morton Williams? Is it the rent or the residents?
It’s unclear whether TJs on 72nd st will just close the store for a cleaning April 21, or will it be longer? Anyone know?
I shop there & get a my favorites repeatedly, broth, ground turkey, Brussel sprouts, fresh salmon, milk eggs etc. Prices are good, staff is friendly and helpful. I have waited on a line outside that moved quickly.
However I’m glad they finally have the workers wearing masks now.
I can buy other food elsewhere like Fairway, fresh produce, bread, bulk oatmeal, organic products.
Zabars is also great, tho you have to go at the right time, and now they’re closing at 5:00. Happy cooking!
Even though the line is long, it is typically fast. Also, once inside there’s literally no line at the register anymore. So unless it rains…
What about the Trader Joe’s on 14th St. abd 3rd Ave. When will that be closed?