Trader Joes 14th St- when is it not a madhouse?

[DavyTheFatBoy]

Any good time to go the Trader Joe's on 14th Street? Last time I was there it was a half hour line snaking through the entire store.

[whitneybee]

I was told by an acquaintance who used to work there that you should only go on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesdays before 4 p.m.

[hungrycomposer]

It's also crazy after classes end - used to be OK until 5PM, but now it gets crowded after 3PM.

[piegirl74]

Weekend mornings are a pleasure! As is going on your lunch hour if you are lucky enough to work close by. I go at lunch and put perishables in the fridge at work. Much better than going after work.

Though, Thursdays after work tend to be better than Mondays. Definitely avoid Mondays!

[guyonatlantic]

It's usually pretty dead after 9 on Fridays and Saturdays. People with lives aren't at TJs. That being said, the one in Brooklyn is never that crowded.

[ukitali]

Right when they open...9am, weekend mornings and after 8:30pm. The worst is after work.

[kobetobiko]

I agree with princepork that you should go when it opens. Every time I go there late (after 8:30pm) there are less people but at the same time they run out of A LOT OF things. One time I went there at 9pm and I thought the store was robbed because all the shelves are so empty. I asked a staff what happened and he said it was a mad day and everything was out.

[princeofpork]

Be there when it opens and the whole store is yours. During the week of course.

[hungrycomposer]

I tend to get there just before closing time. If you arrive at 9:45 PM, they don't throw you out, and you can shop past 10PM. They do run out of things and need to restock, but that might happen at any hour.