The time has finally come, boys and girls, for small town USA to expand and grow into something meaningful. A place where others might visit and think it normal to live here. A place that has the proper stores for a healthy living. Small town USA is still here, but move over Super Wal*Mart because there’s a new BIG DOG in town and he’s going to chew you up and spit you out! Friday, December 9th, an event occurred in our small town that took the breath away from the normal folk heading to their normal payday shopping at the local Super Wal*Mart. The sign has been there for a while, but it still seemed too good to be true - TRADER JOE’S lit up in red neon. It was like a dream and as soon as I woke up it would be gone. We have been following the construction as Trader Joe’s moved into an already existing building in the same shopping center as Super Wal*Mart. Kinda ironic, in a weird kinda way - don’t you think?

Let me pause for a moment - as I am sure some of you might think I am a crazy person way too obsessed with Trader Joe’s. I live in a Wal*Mart town, and the closest all-health-food store was fifty miles away! When you have to drive that far to get quality food from the only and smallest Trader Joe’s - it makes you appreciate it.

Rumors of Trader Joe’s filled the air, and everyone filled with excitement and anticipation as the best thing to ever happen to this small town in a long time was becoming a reality. It is sad but true folks, our greatest joy for the moment is a new grocery store in town. We were so excited about it that we had to go opening day! Although our excitement was contained for most of the day as we had to go to work. Other’s weren’t as patient and were waiting at the front doors when they opened. I was telling just about everyone I saw that we were going to Trader Joe’s after work! Some didn’t know it was opening day and were pleased that I passed important information on. Some knew but didn’t want to take on the opening day crowds - I can understand. Others were just as gung ho as I was and would be there as soon as they were freed from work!

We parked and walked towards the new store with saliva dripping from our mouths and our eye wide trying to take it all in. It was like some one had just given us the best gift ever and although we wanted to savor it, we wanted to rip into it at the same time! Walking in through the automatic sliding door felt warm and inviting as a large display of fresh flowers welcomed us. “Hello old friend.” I whispered to myself as we dove right in and started shopping as if the Trader Joe’s had been here forever.

It’s here people - we are freed from small town Super Wal*Mart life and are headed into the twenty-first century…. Kinda sad isn’t it? But, it’s true. I moved here in 1992 from Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley to be exact - yeah, that’s right, I’m a valley girl! I was pampered living in the big city, with any store you can imagine at your disposal! Trader Joe’s were all over the place (1992, remember) and life was good. Then we moved here to small town USA - help! The only Trader Joe’s was fifty miles north. It was small and cramped - not a lot of fun to shop in. People flocked there - to this small sad little store - because it was the only one for hundreds and hundreds of miles! When our town got a Pier One Imports - I thought my head was going to explode! Best Buy moved in, and then the gift from god himself - In and Out Burger opened! Starbucks arrived and life seemed to be getting better here in small town USA. We kept saying, “All we need now is a Trader Joe’s” but really had no hope of it ever really happening. We finally got our Trader Joe’s and now we can sit back and enjoy our fresh organic foods any time we want without making a huge trip out of it. We no longer have to buy ten jars of spaghetti sauce at once… Life is going to be good. Though, we still live in small town USA and even though it’s growing right before our eyes, it’ll never be a big city - it will never be home to us.

Welcome Trader Joe’s! We plan to enjoy you - a lot! *GRIN*

*PS- I don’t want you to think I hate Wal*Mart, because I don’t…really. We shop there just like every other Joe in town - even thought it’s not the nicest place, nor are their products the best. But, for the most part they have a lot of the same stuff everyone else has and the prices are lower. I dislike getting our produce there as it sucks so much! I dislike the long lines and the person behind the cash register with the t-shirt that reads, “I don’t do school.” Yeah, that’s obvious! Wal*Mart is way too big and way too dirty - but like I said, I am an average Joe who needs to save a few bucks here and there, and so we find ourselves in there even if we don’t love it. There no judgment call on those who shop there - I do too - I am simply stating the obvious, that Trader Joe’s is so much better!*