Visited this Trader Joe's on a Tuesday around 7pm. There was an under 5 minute wait to get into the store. The store was clean and had many holiday items stocked. The store associates sanitize the carts immediately when they are returned. There are also wipes located near the entrance and hand sanitizer. I liked that they control how many people enter the store. It allows for social distancing and makes you feel more comfortable shopping and looking at items before deciding whether to purchase or not. My friend had to speak with the manager about a previous purchase and the manager was very nice and accommodating. read more

To preface this, I'm from Southern California. So Trader Joe's as a necessity to my existence is like scrapple to a central Pennsylvanian. It's just the way out maker intended things to be. Fast forward to me moving to Hershey for grad school from my delicate life surrounded by Trader Joe's, Sprouts, etc in the bosom of Orange County, CA and I was shocked, saddened, and defeated. This wonderful area that I now called home had two Trader Joe's "in my area", one being in Towson, MD and the other being in Philadelphia. Luckily, as I traveled back home to California during holidays, I'd be lucky enough to fly into and out of one of those airports so I'd make it a ritual to stop by TJs on my way home as long as I flew in before they closed. Still though, going to TJs once every few months isn't ideal. So imagine my delight when I'm driving to my clinical rotation site at State College, and what do I see - Trader mutha$#*in' JOE'S. I'm only up here for 5 weeks total, but I've gone here every single day so far. I've probably spent about $500 in the last four weeks. I love this place. It's exactly how Trader Joe's should be: bright, inviting, clean, and with an excellent selection of food and goods. Hell, even the staff is as jovial as the ones back home, which is proof that they have incredible system-wide hiring practices. If you're in the area, go to Trader Joe's. Just bask in the glory of the wonderful stuff that they have. Pro tip: if you're going to do one thing to elevate your charcuterie game, make it the herb-crusted Chèvre goat cheese and grab a jar or the hot and sweet pepper jelly. Crackers are your choice. But do yourself this favor. Cheers! read more

PA laws make Trader joe's a diferent place ! It's consistent with the other trader joe's, well not quite. way less variety than other stores I have been to in other cities. where is you variety of cheese? where are the organic fruits? but It still has some of the stuff I used to buy at other location. Needs Improvement! (at least within the legal parameter of PA) read more

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If you can't find it at TraderJoe's, are you sure you need it? The perfect size store for weekly shopping. Super friendly staff who work hard to help you and keep the store running smoothly. Tips: if you want to try something that doesn't require cooking - ask them and they will open one for you! No questions asked refund policy. Bought it a day before the sell buy and aren't satisfied? Just bring it back. Receipt not needed. Avoid on Saturday nights -even with this large crew hustling to keep the shelf's stocked, items can sell out and shelves can be empty. On the upside if you can't find something- just ask and they will look in the back. If you need help shopping - just ask. I've seen this wonderful staff assist people on scooters and the elderly. They really are here best store employees in town. If you think something maybe seasonal and you fall in love - stock up! No guarantees it will come back. (Cinnamon rolls from the bread section - oh, how we miss you!!) Kids can look for Leo the Lion and when they find him they can tell someone at the managers station at the front of the store for a free lollipop. If you have looked and can't find Leo, ask someone working on the floor and they can give you hints. Kids can also ask for stickers at the register. They change in them regularly with the seasons and holidays. Pancake Bread is a required purchase every time you enter the store. It's not really, but how can you leave without buying one of God's greatest culinary gifts to humankind? Buy it! Trust me! It will change your life. Just when you think you've had enough, cut a slice and butter both sided then throw it in a warm skillet to crisp it up. Yes, it's what heaven tastes like. If you haven't gathered it yet - pancake bread is a religious experience. Only down sides: A recent change in store organization has placed all the candy in the front by the checkout lines. This makes it much harder to fill your basket with every delicious piece of chocolate in the store without feeling the guilt of all the healthy people with baskets full of salad kits looking to see who is still eating carbs! I liked it better when it was near the frozen food so you could stare down at the frozen broccoli while causally scoping arm loads of chocolate salted caramel balls into your cart! "I'm just here for the broccoli. What? They have frozen edamame?" (Stretch - I can just about reach the Jo-Jos!) Also - Joe, would it kill you to carry feminine products? If you can carry dryer balls and hand cream it is really that much of a stretch for some tampons and pantie liners? The absence of these products sends us ladies into the traditional grocery stores where we happen to fill up on everything we could be buying at Trader Joe's. Just sayin'. read more

This used to be a pretty good healthy place to buy food. Now I find it has a lot of the products in their own name and they've added garbage to them. An example is I bought seaweed yesterday, the label said zero added sugars so I bought it. We purchase these all the time from other manufacturers. When my son went to eat it he said, mom this taste very sweet does it have sugar? Of course I said no. Then he looked at the ingredients and low and behold YES it had sugar in it. I found it extremely deceitful that they put zero added sugars but then in the ingredients yes there was raw sugar in it. We also purchased some blackberries and blueberries which upon initial site appeared good but when we got to our location and opened them up to eat them the blackberries were moldy and the blueberries were soft. Very disappointing. While we were there we wanted some pork rinds. I asked if they carried any. I was told they only carry vegan pork rinds ‍ and they were out of those. The Only thing that was good was the organic dark chocolate bars they offer. read more

They keep deleting my review, so just know you can see only positive ones. They are always out of the new items. The lines are long and sooooo slow. Their cheese has gone downhill. read more

Hooray Finally opened! Seriously, what's not to love? Above average quality food at reasonable prices. Trader Joe's has a definite formula and standard and the State College location is no exception. Customer service is always excellent, there are product samples at the back of the store ( who doesn't love a free sample!) and an amazingly diverse selection of nuts, salads, meats, cheeses and just basically anything under the sun. I especially loved the frozen food section but would warn against the produce (it's pretty mediocre) . The only bummer is the absence of beer, wine and spirits (since TJ's on a whole tends to stock pretty stellar wines) but that has more to do with silly PA laws and less to do with the awesomeness of TJ's. Shop on! read more

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Love love this place! Always fun experience and the items are fantastic. Now with out of control inflation I notice that they are the ONLY store in State College who isn't price gouging! In fact most everything is the price it was a year ago. read more

I love Trader Joe's, so many options and the prices are great. I find a lot more vegetarian options here then most places.

Best customer service ever. Any issue I've ever had is resolved in minutes. Unique food you couldn't find at Wal Mart. Beautiful, fresh flowers for sale that I can practically fill my house with because of the cheap price! I love the wild flowers. One time I had flowers die the day of, which isn't usual. (Normally they last a couple weeks) They immediately gave me new flowers. I love this place! My only complaint is...why did it take me so long to shop at Trader Joe's!? read more

I rely on Trader Joe's to provide excellent food and some great household supplies at a reasonable price in a safe environment. I truly appreciate how they monitor the entrance so the store doesn't get overcrowded and make sure the carts are cleaned after each use. They are head and shoulders above the other grocery stores. read more

they had a good selection of food however the customer service was weird they made me feel very uncomfortable after the cashier named Ryan with blue hair was giving us an attitude and then he accused me of calling him a shit head. extremely odd behavior and service. they continued to stare at us after leaving the store. read more

Wow. After god knows how many years, they finally have opened a Trader Joe's in the middle of Pennsylvania aka the middle of nowhere. Now, I normally don't ever go to Trader Joe's because there's this place called Whole Foods, but when compared to every other place in State College, Trader Joe's has single handedly taken the throne away from Wegmans. The only downside is that this place is kind of small, and it doesn't sell what I love most at Trader Joe's: Charles Shaw wine. Damn you Pennsylvania and not allowing me access to my 2 Buck Chuck. Trader Joe's has opened up in a brand new shopping center. It currently shares it's space with Pier One and another empty building. Fittingly, this center is named after Trader Joe's. Now if you're unfamiliar with Trader Joe's, it is pretty much a cheaper Whole Foods, but with only Trader Joe's branded goods. From produce, to meats, and even all your snacks/drinks, they are all Trader Joe's brand. Thankfully, that's not necessarily a bad thing. For the most part, the Trader Joe's branded good are pretty decent. On the regular, I end up buying their fruit ice bars which I think are just amazing. The branded juice and breads aren't half bad either. Towards the back, you'll find a nice spot where you can sample their food. The sad thing is of course the lack of alcohol. I know Trader Joe's can't be held accountable for that, but no trip to Trader Joe's is complete without a case of cheap wine. In my opinion, this location is a little on the small side. It has a decent amount of stuff, but the produce/fruit section is quite small. There are just enough frozen goods, and about half the store is dedicated to non-perishable goods. Well, Trader Joe's you have just won my business for the next 6 months that I will be here in State College. After that, I will return to a real city and be reunited with my buddy Whole Foods. read more

I am tired of store cards (Wegmans), surly employees (Weiss), shenanigans (Giant, Weiss), so this is my new go-to grocery store. it is not as big, but when you want to get dinner party food or interesting food, or just staples, it serves. the only down side is the irrepressible humor of the workers, and it's small size and limited selection, if you know what I mean. The stores farther away are a little better, but this one does very nicely, and thank you very much. read more

The main reason I'm a fan of Trader Joe's is for the alcohol... so PA laws mean that this will never be my favorite TJ's. But that aside, it's a nice BIG store. The aisles are a good bit wider with more space between than my TJ's in Georgia. They were a little low on produce, and they didn't stock some of the items that I wanted to tell my BFF about, but all in all, a great store. I recommend the frozen Indian items (Chicken Tikka Masala, Palak Paneer, Tandoori Naan, Garlic Naan), the peanut satay sauce, the Ends and Pieces (fruit leather, but the weird edge pieces so it's cheaper), the frozen rice (why would you ever take the time to make rice the old fashioned way?!), the coconut milk in cartons, the cultured coconut milk (yogurt made from coconut milk), and the Quiche. Don't forget to stop by the counter for free samples! Our recent delights have included the butternut squash soup, the olive oil and french bread, and the grape juice. read more

We were so thrilled to learn Trader Joe's was coming to State College. If you are from out of the area, you may think it's not as good as other ones. Well, I have to say it is MUCH better than no Trader Joe's at all. This one, the people are sooo nice and helpful. Thanks! read more

Great new grocery store! They sell unique items that are very tasty. The only downside is that the store is quite small and I don't see myself doing all my grocery shopping here. It's more of a place where you would get those different items for a unique dinner. For those who don't enjoy cooking, they do have a wide variety of frozen dishes that taste much better than similar frozen dinners you would buy at a grocery store from a name brand--they're also very easy to make. The prices are also much cheaper than I thought they were. This was the first Trader Joe's I shopped at and I had a preconceived notion that all specialty stores like Trader Joe's would be expensive. There were even some things that were cheaper here than at local grocery stores (including Walmart). Overall, I would shop again at Trader Joe's for the unique items and relatively low prices. However, I can't see myself making it my weekly go-to-grocery-store. But more of a store to go to when I want something different. read more

Is this a dream? A Trader Joe's with NO lines or hustle and bustle??! This one is clean, spacious, and NOT exasperatingly crowded like the ones in California. Service is still friendly and casual. All the usual Trader Joe food items are here: wonderful selection of cheese (how I've been craving Parmesan), garlic hummus, almond crunches, delectable snacks! The only thing that's missing is the large selections of wine and 2 buck chucks. But that's because of a silly state law. I traveled far for this, but it was well worth it because this TJ brings back the familiar tastes of home without the busy atmosphere! read more

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One of the best things about shopping here is the staff. Every employee is eager to please. It's not like other local groceries where you may ask a question and hear 'I don't know. Take it up front and get it scanned' Or 'That might be in aisle 12, but don't quote me.' Then they stand there looking at you. Downsides? The prices are a little high, but the items are unique so it's hard to compare. Not many staples...I wanted mayonnaise and could only find dairy and egg free stuff. Back to the upsides. I am willing to pay a little more merely for the customer service....trust me, it's outstanding. I asked someone in produce how an apple tasted. It was a variety I had never heard of. She immediately tore open the bag, walked me to the sample area, and cut one open. You will not find an employee who doesn't represent the store well. There are many options for vegetarians, vegans, gluten watchers, etc. I was able to pick up some deli meat that didn't have added nitrates/nitrites. Normally, I do not allow myself to eat deli meat because of the additives. Just walk through and you will find a lot of things that you want to try. Last time I went in for some organic sweet potato chips and walked out with a cart full of food. No stupid store card you have to carry around. Also, if you bring at least one reusable bag, you can enter into a weekly drawing for a store gift certificate. read more

4 stars = Yay! I am a fan! Yeah, that about sums it up. Tip: Peruse the frozen items slowly and methodically. There are treasures to be discovered. I am a fan of the mochi (mango and green tea flavors), garlic naan, orange chicken, kung pao chicken, arugula pizza, margherita pizza, mushroom & black truffle flatbread, organic jasmine rice and brown rice that cooks up in 3 mins in the microwave, korean short ribs... and so much more! Oh yeah, the snack foods selection is also pretty fantastic. What is not to like about having a TJ's in State College? Oh yeah... the lack of wine but don't let current PA liquors laws discourage you; as with every TJ's this is still a great place to shop. read more

Finally, a Trader Joe's in State College! I know what you're thinking, and yes, I've been around the block a time a two - this is NOT your mothers supermarket. TJ's is the embodiment a streamlined, quality supermarket products and near wholesales prices. Sound fishy? Yeah, I thought so too. Then I did a bit of reading. Turns out, TJ's business model absolutely rocks. They source and rebrand mostly everything in the store to be TJ's brand. Again, maybe you're absentmindedly shaking your head staring at your computer like a crazy person, but I can assure you - this is high quality stuff we're talking about here. Cheeses, breads, flowers, juice, eggs, bacon, chicken, etc. all of it has been carefully selected and priced well. Have I mentioned the FREE SAMPLES?! Back corner of the store. My advice, go straight there. Chat up the food slinger, and embark on your first or most recent TJ's culinary experience. In summary, this is where you will shop next. I guarantee it. read more

I am a Trader Joe's fan and have been shopping at them since I was kid. That being said, I am so bummed that PA alcohol laws ruin one of my favorite parts about Trader Joe's in State College. That's okay though! Because this Trader Joe's is brand spankin' new the experience is above and beyond that of the older ones I've been to back home. The produce is cheap cheap cheap compared to Wegman's and the options for just about everything are significantly more appealing (organic, grass fed, uncured, no preservatives, etc.) Unfortunately, I can't do my entire week's worth of shopping because they just don't have some of the stuff I can get at Wegman's. That being said, I spend a lot less at Wegman's now that TJ's is in town! Some staples: TJ's unsweetened coconut milk, kerrygold unsalted butter, TJ's uncured bacon, chocolate almond bark, coconut chips, microwavable jasmine rice packets and their organic navel oranges are my FAVORITE! PS their flowers are super cheap ! And every time you bring in a reusable bag you get to enter your name in the raffle. They do a drawing twice a week for a $25 TJ gift card! How awesome is that? read more

Love Trader Joe's! So I must express my happiness of having one within 40 miles now. This Trader Joes is pretty nice, and lacks the massive crowds found in the DC and West Coast TJ's which makes the trip a little more relaxing. The staff here are always willing to assist you, and are all very polite. It's great to be able to get fresh avocados as well as quality frozen foods without all the preservatives and additives. The drink selection is wonderful as well.. We love the Green Plant Juice, Kettle Brewed Tea, and Aloe Vera Juice. Sadly the only downfall is the lack of wine (which is always so cheap)... but I can't blame TJ's for that.. Good old PA liquor laws. read more

As with any trader joe's, it's a bright and very pleasant place to shop. I like to pick up funky appetizers and dips for company here, or grab fruit to bring to work. The fruit here is usually really decent. The thing I like most about this store (and this company) is that employees seem happy to be there. Not in that fake, "my manager's watching so I have to smile" kind of way, but genuinely happy. It makes you feel like a part of something good when you shop there. Only complaint? The line can really build up and it can take a while for backup to arrive and open another register. Tragic? No. Annoying when I am buying a single piece of fruit and need to get to work? Yeah, a little. All in all, though, great place. read more

Pleasant new discovery. I love trader joe's. They have so many healthy food there at such cheap price. It helps me a lot to stay on a gluten free vegan diet because I can find great variety of options. The customer service is good, very fair price. What a joyful place. Love love love read more

While Trader Joe's is a chain this store has a local feel to it. I feel like I know the people that work there. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful. Several months ago it was raining and a young lady helped me and my toddler to my car with an umbrella and held it while I got him in his car seat. That's full service. This isn't even touching on the products. (which are terrific) read more

Everyone is helpful. The stock is hit or miss because a lot of things are seasonal. I always stop by when I am driving past. read more

I love this place! It has super affordable food that is both unique and pretty healthy. (And honestly, what more could you possibly want from a grocery store.) The coolest thing to me is the fact that they will let you sample pretty much anything you want. All you have to do is head the back, where at least one employee will be handing out a feature sample which usually includes a portion of hot meal, some kind of juice or cider, tea, and coffee. Anything you want, they'll head in the back and let you try it. read more

Awesome location and fairly easy parking. Unfortunately, central PA does not have a TJ's, and I have emailed them to request one for our area. I live almost equidistant to any TJ's, whether in Baltimore, Philadelphia, or State College. State College is our favorite. Great selection, friendly employees and nice samples to try. We go whenever we need to stock up on our favorite items. Tip: If you are a returning customer and traveling from a distance, call them to inquire about availability of an item. I learned the hard way that sometimes items sell out and it might be days until the next shipment arrives. Good to know, especially if one is traveling 80 miles to shop! We love their natural freeze dried banana chips, pineapple slices with no added sugar (I'll never get why this is so hard to find elsewhere, since pineapple has plenty of natural sugar already and tastes great without any more added in!), snacks, liquid hand soaps, etc. I do steer away from the produce because I can buy that at my local market. Plenty of items to choose from. read more

this is my go to place for groceries! they always have fun new seasonal snacks, the most beautiful flowers in town, the prices are cheaper than wegmans for better quality, and the employees are always so sweet. the environment is really welcoming and the store is tidy. id definitely recommend going here. read more

Trader Joe's is awesome. It makes you feel good as soon as you walk in. I usually get the peanut/almond butters (unsalted, crunchy) and produce. This is about 15 minutes from my house yet I make it a few times a month. Staff is super friendly and the store itself is geared towards Penn State, definitely a must see/visit. read more

This is a great Trader Joe's location! TJ's is by far my favorite place to get groceries. It's small and cozy and has a vibrant atmosphere. The employees are unfailingly nice and helpful! (I always leave in a better mood than before I arrived. How many stores you can say that about?) I have found that the produce for sale can be a bit riper than I would like, and that I need to use it up more quickly than I am used to, such as lemons, apples, and kiwis. They have a great selection of squash right now. It's also the perfect place to stop in a hurry to buy last minute flowers for someone special. For my fellow Paleo eaters, they have almond flour at about half the price of the products at Wegman's or other grocery stores. That's a big plus for me because I cook with it often. read more

Awesome selection! Great prices. Clean store and bathrooms. Very friendly staff. Glad we decided to stop at this store. We are fans of trader joes in general but this one is great! Wish it were closer to our home because we would visit this one all the time! Even if it's out of your way you should check out this shop. read more

Trader Joe's - Grocery Near Me - State College, Pennsylvania

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Trader Joe's has been my savior for the past 5 months! I feel safe shopping here as they're sanitizing everything and are strict about their mask policy. I love the freshness of the products and the friendly service from the employees! read more

This was my first visit to a Trader Joe's. I absolutely loved the variety of items that I have not seen anywhere else. I picked up some unique food items. They have fresh veggies, frozen items and much more! I was just a bit surprised it wasn't bigger in size. The store was fairly small. read more

Large parking lot and friendly staff. I'm thrilled it opened near campus but wish it came earlier when I was in school. Typical items you can get at TJ's: cookie butter, nuts, wine, other healthy snacks.. Etc. read more

I love this place. Everything is fresh. The store is well run and well stocked. They have interesting goods. I love their reusable bags. You would think it would be pretentious but it is more like a high end mom and pop shop. One employee in particular, John ticket, is quite outstanding with his knowledge of their store and kind customer service. read more

I am from the West coast originally so I was waiting a long time for this one to open. I have to say that the one thing that I notice about every Trader Joe's I go to is that the staff treats you like you are their only customer. This location gets my kuddos because on a day when there was a downpour one of their staff stood outside with an oversized umbrella and walked people to their car. I have never in my life seen any service like that. The other day I let someone with less items go in front of me and they gave me two free reusable bags and a ticket for the raffle just for being 'nice.' I shop like a European so I go there often and with a staff like that, I won't shop at any other place in town. Not to mention, my food bill was cut in half when I stopped shopping at Wegman's across the street. 5 stars from me. read more

Unique items. Not exactly what I was expecting. Interesting grocery items for all. Will visit again, probably for holiday gifts.

Trader Joes is my #1 grocery store. I get 90% of my groceries here. If I ever had any questions or if I cannot find something I swear that half of the store's employees get involved to resolve the issue. Everyone working there always seems to be happy and the produce is always fresh. I'm glad that State College is fortunate enough to have a Trader Joe's. read more