Our dear next door neighbor was absolutely correct! Shopping at Trader Joe's in Brookine MA is like day & night in comparison to shopping at Trader Joe's at the Assembly Mall in Somerville.
For two years, a small bus has been taking 16-18 retirees every week to the Assembly Mall. As time went on customer service became non existent to the point of undeniable rudeness!
Our next door neighbor attempted to place a phone order through their Assembly Mall store for a very sweet, but totally incapacitated couple. I believe she commented on line at Trust Pilot that not only was her attempt to place the order unsuccessful, but the most polite comment she received was from the manager stating, "We are not your personal shoppers." In person, she found her experience with the store to be even worse.
For months, as head of the resident association, she has literally been begging me to transfer our shopping to the Coolidge Corner branch. Not only had she gotten permission from the store manager to shop there but on a personal note confessed originally she found shopping for the couple to be a chore but now truly looked forward to it as a fun experience.
I am so delighted, ecstatic to report how wonderful shopping at this particular branch has been for every single one of us and our neighbor continues to inform me she has yet to experience a problem with the telephone order.
To begin with, should you have a problem locating an item, without saying anything, an employee magically appears, noting your confusion and offers their assistance. All the employees are non-stopping busy bees, except when it comes to
assisting customers. Yet, they always are friendly and maintain smiles on their faces. When you add this to the much larger inventory it all adds up to a fun and enjoyable experience.
From our very first trip to this store, when the bus returns for us, there is always an employee outside retrieving shopping carts. Without
exception or being asked, on every occasion
an employee has stopped to ask if he/she can help placing our bundles onto the bus. Despite the fact our driver is paid handsomely, including transportation, assisting anyone needing help getting on or off the bus and handling the groceries, NOT ONCE has a Trader Joe's employee ever accepted a tip! I have always been a pushy broad, at 84 there have been no signs of this letting up, still I can not get any employee who has helped to accept a tip.
Truthfully, I have not experienced such kindness, graciousness, etiquette, whatever you choose to call it in over 40 years!!! As a result, I have informed our driver he is NOT to accept an employee's help with any of the groceries or we will find a different company.
I wonder, does the manager of this store slip the employees some sort of happy pill as they begin their work schedule? (ONLY JOKING)
I do have every intention of writing the head of the Trader Joe's Corporation and detailing just how wonderful their Coolidge Corner store is. Our neighbor had buried the Assembly Mall store quite nicely, but I will address that as well. Finally, I will have every resident who has experienced the pleasure of shopping at this store sign the letter.
I certainly encourage anyone who still insists on shopping at Market Basket, Stop&Shop or any other grocery store in the Boston area to give this store a try. Not only will you not be disappointed, but I promise it will become your store of choice.
Annie Marsh read more