The Capital Region's newest grocer, Trader Joe's, opened it's doors this morning on Wolf Road in Colonie.  The store opened for business at 8am and will be open until 9am this evening.  Parking is tight as there are only 80-90 total parking spots.

trader joes albany
loading...

A few police officers were on-hand in the parking lot as well as the middle of Wolf Road.  I was surprised how quick and easy it was for me to find a spot.  I attribute that mostly to the police officers who did a great job controlling traffic.

trader joes albany
loading...

The first thing you'll probably notice is it's not that big, however, the layout of the store is very consumer friendly.  Trader Joe's is very much a "quality over quantity" store.  Here's a description via their Wikipedia page:

Trader Joe's describes itself as "your neighborhood grocery store" or "your unique grocery store". Products sold include gourmet foods, organic foods, vegetarian food, unusual frozen foods, imported foods, domestic and imported wine and beer (where local law permits), "alternative" food items, and staples like bread, cereal, eggs, dairy, coffee and produce. Non-food items include personal hygiene products, household cleaners, vitamins, pet food, plants, and flowers.

If you go to Trader Joe's looking for your favorite brands like Kraft, Frito-Lay, etc. prepare for dissappointment.  Most of the item's sold are Trader Joe's brand:

trader joes albany
loading...
trader joes albany
loading...
trader joes albany
loading...
trader joes albany
loading...

Before you spend $200 on household groceries, I suggest you sample a few products at a time.  Just like any brand, some of the foods are bound to suck.

More From HOT 99.1