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| - Trader Joe's is a way of life.
First things first: either go right when Joe's opens at 8am, or park on the second floor and take the stairs down. Ignoring these guidelines will bring you grief. Trust me on this.
Second, everybody mentions the fresh flowers -- and for good reason, they're cheap and gorgeous -- but just as excellent is the selection of greeting cards. They're a dollar a piece, and they're different than the cards you can get anywhere else. If you're going to a "greeting card" event like a birthday party or baby shower, avoid the shame of giving the same card everyone else is by picking up a card at Joe's. They're delightful.
Get some bananas, even if you don't need 'em. They're 19¢ apiece and you'll probably want a smoothie tomorrow or banana bread this weekend.
The produce section is a little different than many supermarkets in that you buy per piece or per package rather than by weight. For example, you can't buy one knob of ginger for 57¢, you have to buy a little bag for a set price. I'd imagine this is only noteworthy if you're single and eat like a bird, but it's worth mentioning.
There are dozens of reasons I do the bulk of my shopping at Joe's, but I must mention how pleasant the employees are. Nearly every other grocery I visit is staffed by frowning drones, unhappy about everything around them and unwilling or unable to help should I need it. At Joe's, though, every employee is pleasant and helpful, consistently going the extra mile and making my shop much more enjoyable.
There are a few areas in which Joe's is lacking; for example, their tortilla chips make for poor nachos, and all of the sausage options are all kind of funky. But if you're looking to make a bomb cheese and charcuterie board without dropping serious cash, Joe's is clutch -- and for me, no other grocery in Charlotte measures up.
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