. . the presence of which was one of the reasons I bought here (of course, TJ's was a lot different back then). While originally much larger than the Proto markets (the original name of the Trader Joe's chain) it had been there for more than 35 years and was now tiny by TJ standards. They opened a big new one down in Montrose - not too much farther away.

Some of the Montrose locals said they'd never shop there because it would compete with the local Cordon's market (a single non-chain market). They just didn't understand the three prime factors of retail - location, location, and location.

My expectation was that a great many people who would never have gone there before would now be driving right by Cordons and would stop to pick up stuff TJ's doesn't have (and some that they do but at better prices). Judging from their parking lot, that appears to be what has happened.

Like all the other independent markets and small chains around here, Cordons sells at prices way below those of the big grocery chains, and has a better selection of specialty items (and it's much less yuppified than TJs - this is not a particularly yuppified community - they're mostly over on the East Side).

Of course you Texans will probably be paying $3 for "two buck Chuck" (or do they prohibit wine sales in grocery markets in Texas?). I never buy the stuff, even for cooking. This is one of only a couple cases*** where I agree with a New York critic. "Charles Shaw wines can stand up to any $2 bottle in the country" - a masterpiece of faint praise.

My daily guzzle is Crane Lake, much better. Unfortunately, after many years, the price at Sunland Produce just went up from $2.99 to $3.33 (I think it's long been $4 elsewhere). That's still nowhere near enough to lure me to 2$Chuck.

*** The other time I know if is the NY critic who declared Los Angeles "The creative capital of the world". Of course, you must realize that in New York that's an insult. In New York they are "intellectuals". Intellectuals don't create, they criticize. They look down upon the creative types their careers would evaporate without.

. . as far as I can tell - though they said they'd retain anyone who wanted to move to the new store.

In particular I haven't seen the Australian guy, who, when I checked out with 5 six packs of Dutch beer (the big 1 pint cans), two bottles of red wine and a small block of cheese, told me I had the ratio between food and drink exactly right.

Of course this is Southern California, so we don't have a coldness problem at all (apparently TJ's doesn't hire recent arrivals from New York). Maybe your store needs a new manager.