Okay, so this is the ORIGINAL Trader Joe's! Yup. Looks like the general set up. The parking lot is busy and tight. read more

Trader Joe's - The original! - Grocery Near Me - Pasadena, California

I usually leave this Trader Joe's location in a happier mood. The employees and management here often go above and beyond. Each worker I encountered throughout the years really know the products and their way around the store. They are friendly and try hard to help out. Even during the worse of COVID I feel like they treated me with kind patience despite them risking themselves and probably working extra tiresome hours. In general, Trader Joe's offers some items that are actually better quality and priced than traditional grocery stores. Sometimes there are items that are seasonal that are really good but will be out the next time I head back....I guess it is probably better on my waistline... Before COVID they offered free samples of various goodies or must tries which got me hooked on a bunch of things I would have never purchased. I hope they bring back their samples, but I am now much braver to try new things. The parking lot is tight for me, but the bright side is that the customers are generally patient and I feel safe getting to my car and back. read more

The good: I love how kitschy and quirky it is that Trader Joes has that Hawaiian shirt theme going on. I love coming to Trader Joes because of their frozen food and snack selection. It isn't my go-to grocery store for fruits/produce because those can be pricier here but their selection of snacks (gummies and cookies!), international frozen cuisines (from Indian curry to chimichurri fried rice), and dried fruits/nuts are great. They also have really pretty flowers that included peonies. I love that they always keep it interesting by introducing new products. I recently tried the dill pickle popcorn and savory plantain chips. The bad: The parking lot is small. The interesting: This is the ORIGINAL Trader Joes that started in the 60s. What a legendary place! read more

Could not leave Pasadena without visiting the very first EVER Trader Joe's! Picked up some snacks for the road trip back home but was sad to see they didn't have any of the CA state reusable bags for me to add to my growing collection. Seems like it's a widespread shortage across TJ's all around the US. But aside from that, every single one of my experiences at a TJ's store has been exceptional, including this one! read more

Trader Joe's - Grocery Near Me - Pasadena, California

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The first TJ and I had time in Pasadena so decided to visit here. I also needed water and some fruits. When I entered I saw The cute drawing behind carts and it was 8a and not many people here yet. I decided to take a pic. The lady works here was organizing carts so I go side to not interrupt her job. And when she was gone I was taking only two pics: close and fat shots. The worker lady came in front of me again so I was just waited her to move. She noticed me and asked me to move from cart since people need it. I see no one coming to carts and she was kinda passive and aggressive way to ask me. I only need two pics and I've one already one shot. Oh well, I'm not kind of person who took 100 photos to bother people anyway so I gave up on taking pic. That's the bad experience. Usually any TJ workers are super friendly and nice. She wasn't. I'm sure she sees lots of people visit here to take pics since this is the first TJ. So she must be sick of seeing like me taking pics but I didn't take bunch snd I just take one pic with even 5 sec... Whatever! I go in and get water and a peach and left. Just one star for the first cute TJ. read more

Trader Joe's - Only pic I took inside before the TJ worker was not nice. - Grocery Near Me - Pasadena, California

First time at this location. The first impression I got from this location was not good. Parking is a NIGHTMARE! Very limited parking spaces. I came on a Saturday around noon and when I got in, no parking spaces were available. I went around the block and came back in then a spot opened up. As I was parking I noticed a few inconsiderate drivers even when I was leaving after shopping. Once inside, the ambiance of the store was ok but not the shoppers themselves. I encountered several rude and entitled people. I honestly did not have a good experience because of all these people. This is not TJ's fault and it's under their control but I would not come back to this location. The highlight of this review is the awesome service I got from the cashier. Steven was very thoughtful and considerate. He was very friendly and very helpful. My baby was very cranky and ready to go. I had my hands full as I was approaching the register and Steven saw my struggle. He immediately helped me get my items and checked me out in no time! I don't think I will be back to this location but decided to post this review to compliment and recognize Steven's awesome service! read more

Great frozen food! I'm petite so sometimes when they open a new register I get passed up. Other than that great original TJs been going since I was a kid w my dad. I only wish the corporate would give us heads up when discontinuing a product. read more

Like a kid in the candy store or the first time you go to Disneyland. My eyes were wide as I waited to go in. I have always called myself a "Trader Hoe" because I really only shop at Trader Joe's and I have been to so many from Charleston, SC to New York City to Provo, UT! I always feel at home at a TJs and love that they always have the staples plus fun new items depending on geographic location. This location (though it looked similar to most TJs) felt magical as I walked in. It felt like home. We just popped in for a couple items as we waited for the LA traffic to calm down. Just be aware that there is limited parking and all Covid precautions are being followed. read more

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Oh, Trader Joe's. Where do I even begin. I come here whenever I'm in the area. I'm not going to lie, sometimes I cheat on this location with other locations. But this place is my home! I remember my first interaction with a Crew member and thinking "OMG, I just made a new best friend!" Why is everyone at Joe's so insanely nice! I love it so much. Also! The products are always a hit, never a miss! I've never bought something I've hated, and I hope I'm not jinxing myself. Also, I love how the layouts of the stores are all so similar! The only downside with this location is the parking which makes you feel like you're auditioning for the Hunger Games, but there's usually plenty of street parking. read more

Trader Joe's - Toffee Chips - Grocery Near Me - Pasadena, California

A little about me I don't like diets but I do like meat now you may wonder why I do not like diets well simply a diet when you can eat the food that you want your great cuz you've lost all the weight but once you go back to eating the things that you like phone and all the way back so that just makes me mad I wouldn't make me upset what's the point. until recently my boss introduced me to a word keto or the keto diet. once he told me what it was that can eat what I want minus the sugar and carbs but have all thr meat and cheese within reason (protein and fat is what I want) I was all in but what does all that have to do work my review or Trader Joe's right? Well I was reading Googled about Keto friendly foods and this was on of the spots and it was right on the money cause let e let tell you those cheese bites yes those are the bomb of course I couldn't have the wine boo, however Chris nice TJ employee showed me these fudge bites yes Fudge brownie and Keto go figure, good stuff also I asked for cloud bread but Chris didn't have them but he did show me these cauliflower wraps let me tell you if you trying to watch your carbs this is it right there I mean basically you can put what you want meat cheese cabbage in those wraps taste just as good as having a bun. They were delicious! So I would like to say thank you to Chris and the rest of trader Joe's for helping me on my keto journey which is all day in Pasadena. read more

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I have been meaning to write this review for forever and ever!!! This longtime employee...ugh not sure of his name but you will know him when you see him! How you ask? His GAIT!!! He literally is always on his toes and moves faster than a roadrunner even when standing in place! The guy is a superstar and CORPORATE needs to take notice and promote this fireball. People like him are RARE gems! If you own a company, believe me you want this guy running it for you. You should try and steal, hmm, I mean recruit him away from TJ's if you need a TOP employee for your company. He does the work of five employees! Think I am kidding, just watch him. C'mon Trader Joe's, know your talent! This guy is one in a million!!!!! read more

Trader Joe's - The number one Trader Joe's employee of all time!!!! This guy rocks....not just in the time of Covid either! - Grocery Near Me - Pasadena, California

All Trader Joe's have a common factor and that is the parking lot is always small. This location is not an exception. Due to COVID, there's a line outside, but it moves quickly. They sanitize their shopping carts and is ready for you to use. I like that the market is pretty spacious and well stocked. The best part about the market is that the new items are right when you enter the store. The staff is very friendly and the store is clean. read more

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Parking is usually hard here, but the staff is very friendly. I appreciate that the store looks clean and organized. Happy that my trip here was good and quick. read more

There are 3 Trader Joe's locations in Pasadena and this location is the smallest of the three. Parking here is very challenging. It has a small lot that can only accommodate about 10 - 15 cars. On the positive side, it's a great location and the store is very clean. The employees are very helpful and friendly here. read more

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I always love exploring Trader Joe's and the Pasadena one is no exception! Today I went in to see what fall themed items they had and went home with a $30 haul of food. I've already dug into the pumpkin/squash soup and it's delicious! I can't wait to try the rest of the items. There were some cute fall leaf tortilla chips with a pumpkin salsa that I didn't get - I might have to go back for it since I kind of regret but buying it. Staff here are super friendly and helpful. During COVID they limit the number of people in the store and you have to wait in line outside until someone comes out. I suggest going after sunset to beat the heat, but the line is shaded with tents if you go during the day. They have clearly marked the area with clean carts vs dirty carts so you know exactly where each is and I saw them actually wiping down the carts. Parking is limited here, so you might need to find street parking along some of the side streets if you go at a busy time. read more

Trader Joe's - Fall themed food haul! - Grocery Near Me - Pasadena, California

This is the ORIGINAL, First ever Trader Joe's. Yup, these stores may be everywhere these days but this was the first one ever. That said it is pretty small and therefore seems limited in their selections, but the staff are friendly and the store in general seems to have a somewhat laid back and grungy vibe. When I went there during a weekday afternoon it was pretty empty and had no problem finding a parking spot. ---------------------------- Details Value: (4/5) Menu/selection: (4/5) Quality: (4/5) Service/staff: (5/5) Ambiance: (5/5) Value I find most items they sell here to be a good value. If I had regular access to a Trader Joe's, it would probably be the only place I'd shop. Menu/selection Most stores carry the same items and I found everything I was looking for at this one, but can't help but think if I were at another location, I. probably would have left the store with more bags. Quality Everything sold at Trader Joe's seems to be high quality, yet very reasonable prices. Service/staff I think most Trader Joes I've been to had great and friendly staff. This one was no different. Ambiance The small size of this store makes you feel like you are shopping at you local mom and pop grocer. So much to be said for that. Final thoughts I stumbled into this location by accident but it was a pleasant surprise finding out this was the original. Definitely was a pleasant shopping experience. read more

Trader Joe's - The first Trader Joes! - Grocery Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Wow, one of the best Trader Joe's I've been to! I stopped by this location after a doctors visit in Pasadena, and thought "why not". To my surprise, there was ample parking, the store was not crowded and everything i needed was in stock and so organized. You must be thinking "which TJ location does this girl usually shop at"? Well the answer is, the USC and Silverlake location. You can only imagine how chaotic they are. I'll definitely make the commute up the 110 to shop in peace!! read more

The original location, which may make your shopping trip even more special. Very tiny parking lot (which is nothing new), out of all of my visits here I've always parked in the surrounding neighborhood. Went a couple of weeks ago on a whim and it was a great experience, as expected. Due to the current pandemic, customers must queue up...look for the white tent along Pico Street, across from Lucky Boy. Waiting time was minimal and it added to the anticipation of what I would discover during this particular visit. Once inside, immediately noticed the number of customers is dramatically decreased. According to a crew member, 35 people maximum inside is the magic number. Took about 30 minutes to get my shopping done. It's really nice to shop here without bumping into people or zigzagging the aisles with your cart. However, I miss the frenetic energy and enthusiasm from other other shoppers as well as their excellent staff. Needless to say, in-house samples are temporarily (hopefully) halted. Covid has caused us to rethink our daily routines and altered any chance of impulsive shopping like days gone by (can't just pop in whenever we want to). Hopefully things get better soon so we can. Kudos to all frontline workers making something we used to take for granted, possible. Note: must don a mask when shopping here. read more

We were visiting Pasadena, and after lunch we decided we needed to pick up some water. Trader Joe's was the obvious choice, and we just went to the closest one on the map. Turned out that it was the very first Trader Joe's ever! Considering we're huge fans, we were pretty excited to have unintentionally stumbled into the original Trader Joe's. The store itself seemed pretty standard, except that it was not very crowded which was nice. They also had at least 5 different things at the sampling station, much more than we were expecting. The only not-so-great thing about this Trader Joe's is that the parking lot is tiny. We were lucky enough to get a spot, but I didn't want to imagine what it would be like trying to find a spot in there on a regular basis. read more

Trader Joe's - The very first Trader Joe's! - Grocery Near Me - Pasadena, California

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My weekly go-to for treats, some frozen good and recently, our favorite Speculous Cookie Butter ice cream.

I like this store as you come into Pasadena via Pasadena Frwy. Quite often I come in for snacks or dry goods I don't need to put in frig right away. I always get good parking, but my friends hate the parking situation here. The is a TJ lot across the street that helps also. Love tasting whatever they have going on。 read more

Good prices Variety and specialty items Fresh vegetables and fruits Cool atmosphere Excellent service on floor and cashiers read more

Your employees need to be protected also. I can't understand why your employees can't wear gloves at the registers? The person directing traffic into your store is not even wearing a mask at the door. The virus hit 3 other stores out of state, it can happen here!! Protect your employees too. read more

Trader Joe's - This would be a great idea for Trader Joe's !! - Grocery Near Me - Pasadena, California

Pick another Trader Joe's location, such as South Pasadena on Mission or the other Pasadena Joe's on Lake and Del Mar for two reasons: 1) the place is smail and it sometimes get really hard to maneuver a cart when it's busy and 2) the parking is so bad and it's not meant to handle the traffic the store gets. My bumper got seriously damaged when I parked in their lot, and the rude person who hit my car did not even leave a note. It's no surprise because there's very little room to back up your car when you leave. If you have to go here, park on the street instead. If you go to the parking lot, let's just say I warned you. read more

I visit this location often when I stay in this area for business. Trader Joe's always has great prices, friendly service and a good selection. Great place to pick up the essentials or some healthy snacks. This location can be a little hectic for parking but most places in this area are. Definitely a good Trader Joe's. Cheers! read more

This Trader Joe's is located on Arroyo Parkway and Pico St which is down the street from my office. We come here quite often for salads for lunch, snacks, and fresh vegetables or fruit. I love that it is so close and convenient. They also have a bunch of healthier options compared to other grocery stores. Parking here is a nightmare, the lot is super small and difficult to manage trying to get in and out of. I prefer to park on the street. Service is fast and friendly which is always a plus. If you can't find an item they will gladly show you where it is. read more

The only thing that I don't like is the parking lot but I am walking distance now, so horray! Customer service is awesome. They have really nice orchid plants and seasonal items that I can hardly wait for. They now have a puppy parking area!!!!! This is adorable. I stayed with my pup while the fiancé bought stuff and my doggie super appreciated the water bowl and being able to wait in a shady area on a 82 degree day. read more

Trader Joe's - Grocery Near Me - Pasadena, California

I love shopping at Trader Joe's because they have a unique selection of food items that are great quality and priced well. TJs is part of my grocery shopping routine. My regular favorite items are their salads, frozen pizza, ice cream, and $2.99 Charles Shaw wines. This particular store is always kept clean and well stocked. The staff is friendly and helpful. Only complaint is that the parking lot is VERY small and I often I have to look for parking on the side streets. read more

Always super clean , well-stocked, great selections and very help friendly staffs! Love love love this place!

Great people there. All of Trader Joe's locations provide excellent customer service. I love their samples, and I love how you can literally try everything in the store. The had this new turkey and gravy potato chips. I asked the cashier "does it really taste like turkey?" and next thing you know, she was ripping the bag open to let the entire line try. Huge huge downfall is their small parking lot. Granted the store is small enough to have a quick turnaround, but it can often be frustrating, especially if you have a larger car. Their strengths are their snacks and frozen section, great selection of cheeses, and they do have some less expensive healthier products like kombucha and juice. Also, I feel like their meat and produce section is really hit or miss, like most Trader Joes' are. I've bought some apples and some filet mignon that have both been bad in the last month. However, they have a "no-questions-asked" return policy, thank goodness! I would not want to hold on to that stinky meat until bringing it back to the store! read more

so for my 300th review, an ode to a lifelong friend. Trader Joe. who cannot love the very first ever, yes FIRST EVER TJs??!!! for decades i shopped at the 2nd oldest TJs (in La Crescenta, which closed in 2011) and i'm now proud to make this original on Arroyo my Main Man. any TJs aficionado should definitely pay homage. this is where the love started, back in 1967. throughout my life TJs has been by my side. when i went to Cal i'd take the 580, over the bridge to the San Rafael store. when i lived in Vegas, in the mid 90's i was fortunate to be within 20 minutes of their first store there. when i worked in Century City i'd go to the one on Olympic during my lunch hour. on trips to San Francisco i go to the Westlake or Emeryville stores. on a Chicago trip, there was a TJs a block away from our hotel, the James. I'm thankful there's a TJs in Redlands where my older daughter goes to school, and that there's a Goleta store, for my UCSB daughter. you have been a constant by my side TJ. and thankfully so. i heard through the grapevine that Mr. Joe himself comes by this original store on occasion. that's enough reason for me to make this my go-to store. you will usually find me at the South Lake store 2-3 times a week, which is just .3 miles from my doorstep, but this one is just a bit further at .7 miles away. how spoiled am i to be sandwiched between two TJ stores, both less than a mile away. all your TJ stores have similar parking situations. and rightly so. everyone loves TJ. regulars know the routine. you won't get a spot right away, but it does work out and you get to know the busier times so you can to plan ahead and avoid rush hour when everyone is picking up dinner after work. or if you have to do it, no fret. you know exactly where your products are and can be in and out in no time. still more efficient than any big national chain grocery store, if you ask me. i do 90% of my food shopping at TJs, and have been doing so for years - actually a few decades. the only things i don't pick up here are things they don't sell like Coke, diapers and baby wipes etc... that's what Target is for, and for Japanese or Pilipino staples, i go to Mitsuwa or Seafood City. i'm a huge (and picky!!!) ice cream fan, and TJ doesn't disappoint. what great taste and quality at bargain prices. TJ wins over Dreyers Lucerne et al any day. their COFFEE is some of the stronger flavored ones i like. i mean, if you're putting coffee ice cream on the market, you NEED to please coffee lovers, and that means please, give it a bang of coffee!! their CHOCOLATE is a deep darker chocolate, yet not overly sweet. the VANILLA is smooth, light and finishes nicely. their NON DIARY options are pretty awesome as well...MANGO SORBET is a burst of flavor, the STRAWBERRY (COCONUT MILK BASED) is so creamy you don't miss the cream!! MOCHI ICE CREAM (by Mikawaya) is also available here and at a fraction of what you'd pay at Vons/Ralphs. TJs makes living a healthy lifestyle easy on the wallet. ORGANICS are reasonably priced. whether they're SALAD GREENS (already washed and ready to toss. hello, they've got Kale already trimmed and ready to throw into your Vitamix, Organic Arugula that goes perfectly with their Burrata), DAIRY, EGGS ($4.69/dz), FRUIT, VEGGIES, PASTA ($2.19 for 16 oz of spaghetti), PASTA SAUCE ($2.29 for organic marinara). MEATS (organic ground beef $7.49/lb) ... i could go on and on... btw, i love their organic Garlic Olive Oil. it's a salad dressing in itself, just a little cracked black pepper and seasalt with their Modena Balsamico and you are set. oh.. and that Himalayan Truffle Salt... wow, just sprinkle some of this on your seared RIB-EYE ($8.49/lb - yes look for the marbled ones!). it's the best dinner you never had to leave the house for. ... and their holiday items? GET OUT!! you can get so much of your holiday shopping done here. the only big problem is you'll want to buy one of every item for yourself. trust me!! can't complain on their wine and liquor selection either. for those of you who like to bake, i recently started integrating ORGANICS into mine. organic butter here ($4.79/lb) and organic eggs make my muffins such a beautiful yellow. i can see and taste it, it's amazing and life-changing. i haven't found Kerrygold Butter (grass-fed) ($3.19) at a more reasonable price anywhere else. you will never want to butter your toast with anything else. ever. i mean really folks, why pay MORE at Vons/Ralphs for something when you can get the healthier version at TJs for LESS??!! it doesn't make sense. well, i could rave forever about the virtues of shopping at TJs, but it would take a lifetime. and it has been a lifetime conversation for me. honestly, i don't know who i would be without TJs. that's why i really would love to meet you Mr. Joe. your store has made a world of difference for me and my family. it's on my bucket list.. hope to see you soon and personally thank you sir! read more

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Came here yesterday afternoon on a Sunday. It was expectedly crowded and popping, but oh well, people came out frequently and parking was easy because of that. I am not going to lie, it was really busy, but for me, I love coming to places when there's life to it. Service here was exceptional. I had a ton of questions as usual because I am trying new foods and trying to work on improving my health so I have to incorporate new foods and I tried this new product and am beyond impressed, I am a super huge fan and food addict now. We came in and out of this place, knowing what to buy. It can get very easy to buy more than what you need, but this place has it all. The crowds can get rowdy though, you just need to know what to buy and go. I think TJ has become extremely trendy, but for people who are health conscious, this place has been here and personally my family has patronized TJ for many years. As with all great places, it just gets more crowded and crowded as people become more aware of how good it is. Before this was a hidden gem, now it is the place to shop. read more

The first store branded as "Trader Joe's" opened in 1967. This is the original store, on Arroyo Parkway in Pasadena, California. Parking lot is small. I woudn't even bother coming here on the weekend. The employees are cool and helpful. The store is tiny and they have a limited selection of items but definitely have the essentials covered. I love the New Zealand gallons of water, the hummus, pesto and garlic sauce in the refrigerated section are some of my go to items. Trader Joes has good wine selection at great prices. I enjoy coming to Trader Joes but I prefer the bigger locations. read more

When ever I need to go grocery shopping, this is my ride or die. Huge fan of TJ's and this store is my fav one despite the chaotic parking situation. Staff are so awesome here, it's always a joy to come in and everything is well stocked and organized. Also a big fan of the snack bar. Brilliant. It's actually on the smaller side of other locations that I've been to. Maybe it holds a special place in my heart bc its the OG. My advise is to avoid coming at rush time (I aim for 2-4pm) and if ur turning onto pico, take advantage of any street parking u find. Fav TJs item? Dark choc pb cups. They hit like no other. read more

I don't frequent Trader Joe's too often, but I needed to go to get their new Cookie Butter ice cream. $4.49 for a pint (GOOD DEAL.) & it was AMAZING. My bf and I killed it. To my surprise, he really enjoyed it! I think I'll just have to come here more often to get that ice cream! Employees were super nice as well. :D read more

Trader Joe's - YAAAAS - Grocery Near Me - Pasadena, California

Wow I only stopped here today because there wasn't a line. but the guy working in the front wiping down the carts was really grumpy and probably unhappy because he has to wipe down the carts and it was hot. Well that's too bad because you should still be courteous to your customers especially if there is no proper signage outside indicating that there is a separate area to unload your cart. There's no need to be a jerk when someone doesn't know the protocol and hasn't been to this location since the lockdown. It's called customer service and you certainly lack that. Oh by the way this was today around 5:30 pm in case management wants to know who was working :) read more

Four stars for the variety of items, staff's helpfulness, and store's cleanliness but I wish I could leave -5 stars for the parking lot. The way the parking situation is set up is an absolute disaster. I was almost hit three different times by people pulling out of their spaces and again by two other people after I was trying to pull out of my own parking space. Chaos. read more

The first TJ's...and the BEST! I just walk out the back of my place and there I am, in front of TJ's. I laugh uproariously when I see someone trying to back up their Hummer into the ridiculously small parking spots. Everyone who works here is so nice. And I actually won the recycle-your-bag contest back in August (people really do win!). I used to work for TJ's back in school on the East Coast. Did you know that you can ask to sample any product at any time, no questions asked? Try it next time... read more

Trader Joe's - Signage - Grocery Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I love many of the goods that Trader Joe's sells. I do choose to shop at Trader Joe's over other large grocery stores. However, I have 1 issue... they waste so much plastic! Are they even aware of the global plastic issue that we all have to deal with? Why do they wrap 3 different colored bell peppers with non-recyclable plastic, while selling them right next to them in piles without plastic? They even charge over $1 more for the plastic wrapped ones. That means you are literally paying them $1 for plastic you throw away immediately! Trader Joe's, can you please reduce the amount of plastic waste that YOU are creating. YOU have control of how much plastic waste people are using. It is unnecessary and I hope you are working on changing this. If Trader Joe's did not produce so much plastic waste, I would easily give them 4 or 5 stars. Unfortunately when companies do not consider their environmental impacts, they lose a few! 2 stars. read more

This is the original trader joe store located in Pasedena. What a nice area to be in! Every trader joe store must be a copy of this one for store layout. Flowers are outside, produce in front and liquors in the back. Parking lot is quite small. Staff are always helpful and friendly. read more