Trader Joe's in Louisville

I have lived in a few other places:
Santa Fe
San Diego
London
LA
NYC

But I came back here for all the reasons that Chris stated.

I could definitely live in Santa Fe or San Diego again but I would have to have a huge paying job for the same lifestyle.

[Robin Garr]

LA
NYC

But I came back here for all the reasons that Chris stated.

Me too.

I loved LA, and I loved NYC, and I still enjoy going back for visits. But they're for visits. Louisville is for living. The other cities were twice as expensive, and it took twice as long to get things done. But yeah, they were fun.

I do think Portland, Oregon, is an interesting model for Louisville. I've traveled there quite a bit and think it's a cool town. They're ahead of us in some lifestyle points; we're up on them in a few. But after visiting cities in all 50 states during a career change in the early 90s that took me to a lot of places, I saw more of Portland in us (and vice versa) than anywhere else I went. We even get about the same number of rain and cloudy days in a year, but we spread them out while they cluster them together.

Louisville is perfect just like it is.

And plenty of excellent, locally brewed beer, the presence of which should always be one's primary consideration when seeking dining venues of true quality.

Yo, Adriaaaaaaan ...

my neighborhood association even has emails flying back and forth in excitement and also lamenting the possible demise of local indies.

For years we've visited my wife's family in Phoenix & Columbus, OH, where they make a regular trek to TJ's. We started stocking up on trips. So I've shopped TJ's often enough over the past couple of decades that I've had plenty of time to think about just this. It seems to me they aren't in direct competition with any local indy nearby that I can think of. Burgers might be the closest comparison but it is pretty far away. TJ's has a little bit of a lot of things for healthy, organic, ethnic, beer, wine, odds & ends. But they don't really focus on any one area. Lotsa Pasta has it all over them on international, Rainbow Blossom on health / organic. Really, for my part it would mostly shift money I'd spend at Kroger their way, which is not a local indy. We'd still spend at ValuMarket about the way we do now as they are in the neighborhood. For this family it would be a marginal decrease for local indies and probably more than a marginal one for Kroger.

For what it's worth, my husband (at that time, boyfriend) and I moved here from NY (me - Queens; he - LI) in August of '98. it was supposed to be a short term (no more than 6 month) relocation and then on to "bigger and better things". We were terrified as to what to expect once we got here. What we got was an amazing experience almost from the start. We rented a cool little place on Barringer in the Highlands and quickly found a wonderful group of friends and a pretty great way of life.

Fast forward 12 years, and we have since gotten married, bought a house in the 'burbs, and have a gorgeous little girl. Our life would not be the same had we moved back to our 2+ hour commute - each way - and our expensive cost of living in NY. If I had a dollar for every time I am asked "but don't you miss NY?", we'd be pretty well off! Yes, we miss our hometown sports and we know Louisville will never be the sports town we would truly love it to be, but that's the beauty of short trips to Nashville, Columbus or St Louis to catch our NHL fix. We go back often enough to visit friends and family, but there is no place we'd rather be raising our little girl. The way of life/cost of living here trumps anything we would have had back in NY.

Now back to the topic at hand... I am super excited at TJ coming to town. My first experience was out in CA many years ago and I was hooked. I am not a huge fan of Cincy, so it's a real P.I.T.A. to have to find a reason to go there just to get to TJ.

If those things are important to you, then you have clearly chosen the wrong location to live. Leaving is a really good idea for you. Most are things that will not change. The climate is what it is. I'm pretty sure there is nothing the community can do about that. However, since the new arena has opened, entertainment tours have not been skipping Louisville. The problem there was lack of available dates for them to play, not lack of interest in playing here. Freedom Hall was booked pretty much 24x7, and it still is, which is why this idea of an NBA team playing there will never come to pass.

We like college sports. Always have. Instead of rooting for teams from someplace else, try supporting the local teams. We have baseball, football, basketball, soccer, volleyball, swimiming, track and field and many other sports all played at a very high level. I'm sorry that you require your athletes to be paid ridiculous salaries in order to enjoy watching them play. You're missing out.

We also have a thriving local music scene. Instead of longing for the bright shiny lights of some national act, check out any of the hundreds of local bands putting out music much better than anything you'll find on the radio.

Should I go into the local arts? I've lived a lot of places. Few have what Louisville can offer. Are we the best anywhere? No. Do we need to be? No.

What Louisville provides is a sense of community. Pride in itself. A love of simple pleasures. Those of us who grew up here don't care what Indy of Nashville or Tuscon have. We don't have to complete. We have what we need and we enjoy the people we share it with.

If you want a low cost of living, low risk of being the victim of a crime, friendly people, good job opportunities, a thriving local food, arts and sports scene, and a strong sense of who you are and what makes you special... then Louisville is the place for you. If you need someone else to tell you what to enjoy, need to keep up with the latest whatever, or just spend more of your time worrying about what you don't have then enjoying what you do have... then, once again, you picked the wrong place to be.

Louisville is perfect just like it is. We don't need the NBA (or NFL, or MLB or NHL) to approve.

Well, maybe J. Bruce Miller does. The rest of us not so much.

First of all I didnt pick Louisville, I was born here.

Second of all you jumped to the conclusion when I said entertainment I meant entirely big name acts. Now while I do love some Iron Maiden, I have played in local bands here for the last 2 decades. I am well aware of what bands reside here. But even at that level bands I want to see skip over Louisville because the fan base for them has all relocated to other cities. I know because I've tried booking them here myself.

As for sports, while it's all well and good that some quality athletes play collegiate and minor league level ball here, in the end I'd like to know I might get more than two years of enjoy seeing an athlete play in person if they excel. And yes we could devolve into free agency and what's gone awry with pro sports as well. Plain and simple, I'll never see the Stanley Cup or the World Series trophy contested for in this city.

While I'm glad many of you are proud of this city continuing to spin it's wheels exactly where it is, I'm not. I'm not saying there arent people, places and food I wont miss here. I'm tired of all the things I'm missing elsewhere. Some of you got tired of those things elsewhere and moved here, that's fine. You have your haven here.

Well, I agree that this place is not for you and I will miss ya when you're gone, MikeG. You and all yer pot stirrin' honesty. Truly.

Thanks Jackie. I've still got a bit before I go.

Like many on this post, I've had an opportunity to visit a portion of the outside world, and anticipate seeing much more; but (for me) Louisville has always been a great place to call home for many of the reasons articulated earlier -- America's Largest Small Town.

Admittedly, I know very little about Trader Joe's (though it sounds like a variation of Jungle Jim's, in Cincy)...if one eventually opens here, bringing new job opportunities and helping the local economy, then it's welcome...but as far as offering unusual, hard-to-find food offerings, established outlets such as Lotsa' Pasta, Fresh Market, etc., have adequately met my needs.

Obviously, different people have different criteria for what makes a city desirable to them. Louisville, like every other city in the world, has its plusses and minuses to consider, and while I personally enjoy living here, I certainly understand that it isn't for everybody.

But how can somebody whose location reads "Jeffersonville, IN" be leaving Louisville?

It actually brings up a larger question that I've contemplated since looking at the site. Why do so many foodies who champion the benefits of "keeping it local"(a practice I personally ascribe to myself, although quietly and not strictly), consider cities across the river "local". If we are looking at a completely different city, with completely different state and local governments to which the pay taxes, you are not supporting your community by spending your dollars there.

Again, I have no problems with where anyone chooses to spend the money they earn, I have always been confused by the idea of Louisvillians "keeping it local" in another state

Obviously, different people have different criteria for what makes a city desirable to them. Louisville, like every other city in the world, has its plusses and minuses to consider, and while I personally enjoy living here, I certainly understand that it isn't for everybody.

But how can somebody whose location reads "Jeffersonville, IN" be leaving Louisville?

It actually brings up a larger question that I've contemplated since looking at the site. Why do so many foodies who champion the benefits of "keeping it local"(a practice I personally ascribe to myself, although quietly and not strictly), consider cities across the river "local". If we are looking at a completely different city, with completely different state and local governments to which the pay taxes, you are not supporting your community by spending your dollars there.

Again, I have no problems with where anyone chooses to spend the money they earn, I have always been confused by the idea of Louisvillians "keeping it local" in another state

Oh this again, first of all if you must know, I was born and raised in Shively. Second of all, I am one mile from the bridge, considering I can bet downtown faster than most of the board, I still pay a local occupancy tax, and work in Louisville, yes I am still leaving Louisville.

Obviously, different people have different criteria for what makes a city desirable to them. Louisville, like every other city in the world, has its plusses and minuses to consider, and while I personally enjoy living here, I certainly understand that it isn't for everybody.

But how can somebody whose location reads "Jeffersonville, IN" be leaving Louisville?

It actually brings up a larger question that I've contemplated since looking at the site. Why do so many foodies who champion the benefits of "keeping it local"(a practice I personally ascribe to myself, although quietly and not strictly), consider cities across the river "local". If we are looking at a completely different city, with completely different state and local governments to which the pay taxes, you are not supporting your community by spending your dollars there.

Again, I have no problems with where anyone chooses to spend the money they earn, I have always been confused by the idea of Louisvillians "keeping it local" in another state

Oh this again, first of all if you must know, I was born and raised in Shively. Second of all, I am one mile from the bridge, considering I can bet downtown faster than most of the board, I still pay a local occupancy tax, and work in Louisville, yes I am still leaving Louisville.

I wasn't trying to slight anybody or any particular city. Are all of you Hoosiers so defensive? We Louisvillians are a peaceful and neighborly people and...I'm just joking of course!

Seriously, you have every right to live in the city of your choosing, and your criteria for choosing a home is no less valid than those of anybody else.

I was only using your situation as a springboard into discussing the larger question of what is or is not local. No offense meant.

Oh this again, first of all if you must know, I was born and raised in Shively. Second of all, I am one mile from the bridge, considering I can bet downtown faster than most of the board, I still pay a local occupancy tax, and work in Louisville, yes I am still leaving Louisville.

Good luck finding what you are looking for. We will welcome you back when you are ready to come home.

[Robin Garr]

But how can somebody whose location reads "Jeffersonville, IN" be leaving Louisville?

It actually brings up a larger question that I've contemplated since looking at the site. Why do so many foodies who champion the benefits of "keeping it local"(a practice I personally ascribe to myself, although quietly and not strictly), consider cities across the river "local". If we are looking at a completely different city, with completely different state and local governments to which the pay taxes, you are not supporting your community by spending your dollars there.

Again, I have no problems with where anyone chooses to spend the money they earn, I have always been confused by the idea of Louisvillians "keeping it local" in another state

The greater Louisville metropolitan area includes about 12 counties on both sides of the river. People cross the river to live, work and play, and the urban center of the region is the city of Louisville. Southern Indiana is a part of "Louisville" just as Oldham, Shelby, Bullitt and even more outlying counties in the suburban ring.

The introduction of "different state" is really trivial. As an aconomic engine, the greater metro area (once labeled Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area or SMSA) defines the regional economy, media market and employment catchment area.

For what it's worth, my husband (at that time, boyfriend) and I moved here from NY (me - Queens; he - LI) in August of '98. it was supposed to be a short term (no more than 6 month) relocation and then on to "bigger and better things". We were terrified as to what to expect once we got here. What we got was an amazing experience almost from the start. We rented a cool little place on Barringer in the Highlands and quickly found a wonderful group of friends and a pretty great way of life.

LI and Queens? fellow Jets fans here?!?!