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Dear Trader Joe’s,
Oh, how I love to wander the aisles of your store! I always find something new to try. Do you know that I have to travel at least two hundred miles to shop? That limits the type products I can purchase to cans, jars, or bags. No frozen items for me. If I have a cooler with a cold pack, I can bring home a few refrigerated items. It is a sad fact of life that there is no Trader Joe store in my town. We did have a great location for a store, but you passed us by and now there is a sporting goods store in the location that I thought would be perfect for you. But that is not really the point of this letter.
I have enjoyed several of your products but then you discontinue them. Argggh! This is devastating! You used to stock Van Houten cocoa every Christmas. What happened? I always bought several cans to carry me through the year. Currently, I have to use Hershey. Definitely not the same!
My last bag of tangy chips. What a sad day!
On the last visit to your store, I discovered you have discontinued the Cheddar & Horseradish Potato Chips. Why, oh why? I loved those crunchy chips with the spicy tang of the horseradish that makes my tongue burn just a bit. The Siraracha chips just won’t replace the Cheddar & Horseradish. Please reconsider and bring these chips back!
What will you discontinue next? The Pub Cheese? If you continue to delete my favorites from your store, there won’t be any joy in shopping. So please, bring back the Cheddar & Horseradish Chips, and see what you can do about getting the Van Houten cocoa reinstated in the stores too. Okay?
A disappointed chip lover,
elsie
elsie tries writing 
I love Trader Joes and have one within 5 miles, maybe you should come visit me to shop! I’m going to look for pub cheese and give it try. This reminds me of a slice I wrote this spring to Honda about their drab color choices.
We are tj regulars. I have many favorite items and would be devastated if they were discontinued. Send this lovely letter. I think you’ll see your chips and cocoa make a come back:)
I find that happens all the time at Costco’s. My fav. cereal, special rumballs at Christmas, etc. Felt your pain Elsie!
I think you should send the letter! If nothing else, it will make them laugh (should I admit that we have had a Trader Joe’s less than ten minutes away from me for over a year and I have never est foot inside).
It’s so frustrating when your favorites aren’t there any more!
I’m so lucky to have several Trader Joe’s within a 5 mile distance. My parents and sisters are not so lucky where they live. So it means I can bring just about anything from Trader Joe’s when I visit them and it feels like Christmas.
I’m convinced they use a planned scarcity tactic. Those horseradish and cheddar chips are so tasty!
You should send the letter to Trader Joe’s. The only way they will know is if customers tell them. Plus, it would be really interesting to see the response!
So true! We loved their gorditas, but they don’t have them anymore!!! So many unique, yummy things there though! We are lucky to have one close to us, but we don’t make it there often enough! Your post has reminded me that we need to go back soon… and now I’ll feel lucky that we are able to go easily!
Love the letter. I think I would have to write mine to Costco. They’ve quit carrying my cereal and my crackers. Why don’t these merchants check with US first??
I have a favorite mustard from Trader Joe’s…looks like I need to run over there and stock up–just in case.
They discontinued my husband’s favorite mustard years ago. 🙂
What always upsets me at a store is when I see something I have always enjoyed with the words New and Improved stamped all over it. It ends up being neither.
So many stores are like that to us. We have to travel to your town just to shop. So I can feel your pain. There are some many stores that discontinue the items you really like. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to a Trader Joe’s. Maybe have to search one out when we head north next week. Send the letter – they will get a laugh – and who knows, they just might bring something back.
This is my only beef with Trader Joe’s – they discontinue stuff often, and it’s the good stuff…arghh!
They should listen – customer knows best! We have a Trader Joe’s. We are fans of their Reduced Guilt Chunky Guacamole. Reading this slice makes me want to go there now and buy some guac. If they bring back the cheddar and horseradish chips, I will buy them! Those sound delicious. Loved the letter format!!!
Oh, Rose, I wish you hadn’t mentioned Wegman’s! My daughter lived in NY (we’re on the west coast) for two years and a Wegman’s stop or two was always part of our visits. Trader Joe’s is not close, but it’s a dangerous stop for me. So I’ glad we don’t have one in our town.
You made me hungry!
Oh, how I wish we had a Trader Joe’s out here. The nearest ones are in Baltimore and Philly, which are over 90 minutes away.
This is great! Are you sending it? If you do, you should post their reply.
We don’t have one, either. 😦 There were rumors for a time but nothing… Thankfully there is one near my mother so sometimes she will pick things up for and bring them out.
I would send the letter, too, and wish you had a Trader Joe’s close by. I have one very near, and it’s not my favorite, sorry. Have you checked to see if other stores might have these favorites? Fun to read your lament, Elsie.
I think it’s a great letter Elsie and I would definitely send it, if nothing else the customer service person who reads it will smile for sure! I know how you feel, no Trader Joe’s near me either a good 45 minutes away UGH! And as long as I’m complaining with you 😉 the Whole Foods which is a good 40 minutes away, is not even very good.
Well, now I am craving delicious treats that I can’t have because they aren’t around anymore. That’s too bad. These sound wonderful. I hope Trader Joe’s does read your letter! Thanks for sharing in such an engaging way.
I am in the luxurious position of lining in a town with a couple of Traders Joe’s. I don’t shop there often because I end up buying to many snack things. But I do love to go.
I love the letter format! I’m lucky enough to have a TJ’s nearby. I’m hoping they don’t discontinue the plantain chips! I’m addicted to those!
I’m with you. Our closest Trader Joe’s is Cincinnati- a two-hour drive.
I love the letter format, Elsie, and am thinking of trying it. It is so disappointing when you travel so far to not find what you are looking for. Sorry you have no Trader Joe’s close by. Do you have a Wegman’s? But I have been disappointed in them lately, too.