The Trader Joe's Shoppers Who Love The Store So Much They Made A Song
There are all types of shoppers: Those who have never been to Trader Joe's, those who have been to Trader Joe's for the first time and like it, and then there are the people who love Trader Joe's. And by love, we mean really love. There's something about Trader Joe's that gets certain people really excited to the point these people can actually be called "superfans." In fact, said people would go so far as to even write a song about their beloved grocery store chain.
In fact, some superfans recently took their fandom to the next level. On May 19, brothers Dana and Alden McWayne released the song "Let's Go to Trader Joe's." The McWayne brothers, or as their band is called, Dana and Alden, collaborated with Cinya Khan, singer of the band Tiny Habits, to produce this song, which can currently be found everywhere from Spotify to TikTok. The song itself seems to be rather popular (especially in the Trader Joe's shopping community), with one 21-second snippet of the song on Instagram breaking over one million views. It can be said that Trader Joe's fans can find humor in their favorite grocery store.
But what exactly are the McWaynes and Khan singing about? Are they singing about all the interesting stuff Trader Joe's is so famous for selling? Are they singing about low prices? Actually, the song isn't really as much about Trader Joe's as it is about "finding young love" in the grocery aisles of your local Trader Joe's. And who said grocery shopping isn't romantic?
The Trader Joe's song is about love in a Trader Joe's
While Aerosmith sang about "Love in an Elevator," the McWaynes and Khan sing about finding love in the aisles of Trader Joe's. With lyrics like "You're as sweet as lemon tea/ You're mushy like pumpkin pie" and "Meet me in the yogurt aisle," playing over a backing track of smooth jazz, "Let's Go to Trader Joe's" aims to tell a sort of love story filtered through the din of cash registers, checkout aisles, and grocery store muzak.
But why write about Trader Joe's to begin with? If the McWaynes wanted to sing about love in a grocery store, why not talk about finding love in the deli at Walmart or the dairy section by Publix? According to the McWaynes, their background of spending time with their grandmother helped to influence the song, as reported by TODAY. Their grandmother was a huge fan of Trader Joe's and would always take Alden and Dana with her whenever they visited. The song itself isn't meant to be anything deep or introspective, but more a catchy and simple song based on nostalgia.
Although the McWaynes may be one of the first to write a "love song" built around a grocery store chain, this isn't to say other Trader Joe's fans haven't gone on to show how much they love Trader Joe's in their own unique ways.
One superfan family went on a 4-month Trader Joe's field trip
Love makes you do crazy things, even if the target of affection isn't actually a person. Just as the love and nostalgia for Trader Joe's inspired Dana and Alden McWayne to create "Let's Go to Trader Joe's," Trader Joe's superfans have done some pretty wild things in the name of love and groceries.
Take, for example, the Patterson family. In 2019, Insider tells us, the family went on a 4-month road trip across the United States to visit Trader Joe's locations all across the country. At each Trader Joe's store, the Pattersons were treated with open arms by the employees, who not only prepared gift bags, but also prepared kid-friendly activities for their son Carter and recommended different attractions and restaurants at each rest stop.
The reasons why Trader Joe's has such a dedicated fan base are varied. The store has been noted for offering a unique customer experience, designing its stores based on the culture of its locations, and keeping a variety of unique, interesting, and off-beat products in stock. It's this combination of quirky but friendly design, and accessible, interesting foods that Trader Joe's maintains that sets it apart from other grocery chains. If it's enough to inspire songs and road trips, why change your model?