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Thursday, July 19, 2007

Atlantic Avenue Standoff: Trader Joe's vs. Sahadi's

Will Trader Joe's bring more business to Atlantic Avenue's Sahadi's, or will Sahadi's lose customers to the new kid on the block? Opinion is running in both directions on Chowhound. The trend:

Sahadi's: lovable, incomparable, avenue stalwart, dusty(?)

Trader Joes: unique, low prices, a yuppie cult thing designed to lure money out of the pockets of fanatics(?)

Main area of overlap: cheese, dried nuts, chocolate, spices

More here: Chowhound

8 comments:

  1. Trader Joe's is a chain. Sahadi's has been here in Brooklyn since 1948, and once was the only reason to go to Atlantic Avenue. Where there's an overlap, Sahadi's gets my dollar. (But for canned tuna, I go straight to Trader Joe's.)

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  2. two different environments, 50 different reasons. I love both places and will continue to patronize both. sahadi's rules atlantic ave but will not be forced to step it up a little (not sure if that's good or bad). TJ will hold it's own and will be a destination for many.

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  3. I'm just happy to have a choice.

    TJ's for frozen stuff (like their edamame, tasty and really cheap) and Sahadi's for most everything else.

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  4. Why choose? Sahadi's doesn't sell green tea mochi, Trader Joe's doesn't have a bubbling vat of homemade lentil soup.

    Sahadi's will never carry vitamins & dog food, Trader Joe's will never pop a loaf of bread in the oven if a customer wants one and there are none left on the rack.

    I patronize both places now, but I'm currently forced to schlep to Union Square to do so.

    When Trader Joe comes to Brooklyn, I'll continue to go to both stores, but my shopping trips will be much shorter. Can't hardly wait.

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  5. ya know what i'm curious about? the price differences between TJ in Bklyn and their other locations. right now I'm measuring things based on stupid coffee filters! I get 100 natural filters for only 1.69 at the TJ on LI. curious what they'll be in Bklyn

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  6. I think I'll probably buy more at both places because I'll have more reasons to go to Atlantic and Court. No nobody loses.

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  7. What about the fruit store on Pacific? (Pacific Green?). Do you think they will suffer or thrive? They have late hours but are severely overpriced in many areas. Thoughts?

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  8. I go to Pacific Green more for fruit and vegetables. Trader Joe's = canned tuna.

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