changes at TJ's -- good and bad

[salsah]

earlier this week i was at tj's and noticed that they didn't have any balloons (and the helium tank was gone). today i was at another location and was told that they aren't giving out balloons anymore. it's good for the environment but it was sad for dd2. she is so used to getting a balloon every time we go that she was sad and confused. even though i tried to explain to her that they aren't giving out balloons anymore, she is 2 and didn't understand. she looked at me and said "but i said please."

maybe they'll get the kids size carts instead. those aren't bad for the environment.

[SnuggleBuggles]

For me, the no balloon thing is great news!! Ds2 refuses to let me attach the balloon to him in any way and he thinks it is truly funny to let the balloon go and make people get it. Then I have to worry while he is holding it in the car that he will get hurt (the string or suffocating on the latex if the balloon pops or he manages to get his mouth and nose covered with it...I know, I am a worrier).

Beth

[infomama]

Bummer...my dds looked forward to those balloons, too. We don't shop at TJ's enough for it to be a federal case though...oh well.

[MamaMolly]

I thought the balloons were the biodegradable kind. It was always printed on the ones we got. Bummer.

[ett]

Yeah, I found out about the balloons too when we were at TJ's earlier this week. DS2 loves balloons and always looks forward to getting one every time we go. The check out person game him a long strip of stickers when he told us they didn't have the balloons anymore.

[LexyLou]

Oh, that makes me happy. I can't tell you how many deflated TJ balloons we have stranded in our cars and house. We have a high ledge in our entry way which has a deflated blue one but I don't have a ladder high enough to get it! GRRR.

My kids will be totally bummed, but they'll get over it.

[ChunkyNicksChunkyMom]

Say what? Or TJs was full of balloons today. And we found Finnegan so we got fruit leather, all around good day!

[s7714]

And we found Finnegan so we got fruit leather, all around good day!

Finnegan? I have to ask, what is he and what does he look like? We've got Coconut Joe at our store--a coconut with a eye patch!

O.k., I'm tempted to do a spin off thread now to find out what/who is hiding at all the different TJ stores!

[s7714]

Well, I was glad when our TJs finally got rid of the treasure box of cheap, plastic, crappy toys. I can't say I'll miss the balloons either although my DDs will (just like they miss the cheap plastic junk).

[LexyLou]

Oh, we don't have Finnegan but we have Wolfie.

[baymom]

We haven't had balloons in ages at our TJ's... But, my kiddos would be very disappointed if they stopped giving out the stickers and didn't have the find "Jo-Jo" the bear in the store for a prize game to look forward to.

[doberbrat]

OK I'll be the one to say it. I'm truly grateful. As someone who is severely allergic to latex, I cant pay at an isle where they attach balloons to the credit card machine. I worked w/the district manager to make sure that 1 register at the stores where I shop always has a balloon-free isle but when it isnt open, I have to go to cs and ask them to open it or wait in that line which can get long.

[DrSally]

Oh no. DS really looks fwd to this when we go to TJ's. None of ours have ever had the kiddy carts, but I'm sure he would love that.

ETA: Never thought about the latex allergy thing. I could see where that would be a big pain with a store full of balloons!

[liz]

But, my kiddos would be very disappointed if they stopped giving out the stickers and didn't have the find "Jo-Jo" the bear in the store for a prize game to look forward to.


I have been to TJ's a few times, but what are the characters that you are talking about? I would love to find something fun for the kids to do while shopping. Alas, no tiny shopping carts or balloons at our TJ's.....

[egoldber]

I haven't seen them at our TJs for a long time and I'm grateful. They were always a source of heartache (would get lost, popped, trapped on the ceiling of our 2 story family room until they delated, etc.).

ETA: Most TJs seem to have a small animal/character that they hide throughout the store. If your kid "finds" it, they can go to CS and get a fruit leather. Ours is a cow called Mr. Mooyagi. :)

[maestramommy]

No way! We actually call TJs the balloon store, and getting the balloon is the height of our monthly trip! Waahh!

[ChunkyNicksChunkyMom]

Finnegan? I have to ask, what is he and what does he look like? We've got Coconut Joe at our store--a coconut with a eye patch!

O.k., I'm tempted to do a spin off thread now to find out what/who is hiding at all the different TJ stores!

Finnegan is a plastic dolphin and it is a true mission to find him EVERY SINGLE TIME. We succeed about 90% and cry the other 10.

[SnuggleBuggles]

The other day I was looking at bread and ds2 started making an animal noise. I didn't know why he was doing that because he usually has to be playing with a stuffed animal to be imitating it. Followed his line of vision and there was the animal! Very exciting! Turned it and and got a 100 calorie pack of cookies! Yay! I had been mentally preparing myself to let fruit leather slide once (bad for the teeth) and was ready to let him have it. Yay cookies! We hid it somewhere easy so another toddler could find it easily. :)

Beth

[Katigre]

Both our trader joe's stores have the kiddie carts - DS loves them. Our animal to find is a stuffed turtle named Shelley (at store #1) band Tiki (at Store #2). #1 gives a ruit leather when you find her, #2 has a 'treasure chest' full of single serve snacks.

[bcafe]

Hmm, we have a parrot, but for the life of me I can't remember the name.

[mommylamb]

A friend of mine put on her FB that her 2 year old had a total melt down because she had promissed him a balloon and there were none to be had on their last TJs trip.

I for one am secretly glad because I have that suicidal cat who consistantly tries to eat balloon strings and I'm tired of having to sneak them away and pop them when DS isn't looking to keep them away from the cat.

[AnnieW625]

Most of the checkout counters at our TJ's have balloons, but when DD is with me it's about a 50/50 chance that we even get them because the checkers aren't super friendly at our store, which does kind of suck, but thankfully DD doesn't pitch a fit if she doesn't get a balloon. Our store is super crowded 98% of the time so I think they are just set on getting people in and out as quickly as possible. Another rant for my store is that they never put the juice out anymore and they make you ask for it?! They don't notice that I have a 4 yo in the top seat of the cart who might just want some juice. It's definitely an odd breed of workers there.

[alien_host]

I was just coming to post this! We went yesterday and found out the no balloon policy when DD asked the checkout gal for one. The checkout gal said they had gotten complaints about it being bad for the environment and also due to latex allergies.

I have to say I was happy to hear they are taking allergies seriously (don't have latex allergies but food allergies and appreiciate the kindness) and the environmental thing is helpful too.

Those balloons were always a PITA, they would be on the floor after like 6 hours and DD would refuse to let me toss it and they would hang around so she could toss them around.

They offered her stickers and an organic lollipop.

[crl]

I'm happy to have the ballons gone. I never could tell DS no, but I always felt guilty about them because of the environment. Also DS went through a stage where he was terrified of the noise the tank made while filling ballons.

We have an alligator, I think, at our store. I never go with DS anymore--go while he's at school, so I've never looked for it.

I was sad to see the TJ brand castille soap disappear. :-(

Catherine

[Fairy]

We haven't had balloons are our TJs in quite some time. Taht's totally fine with me. DS only ever has cared about the kiddie carts. He is expert at loading them up with as much as he can, I'm barely allowed to have anthing in mine! Now the animal thingie I am clueless on!! I really must go check out who we have at ours!

[bubbaray]

the checkers aren't super friendly at our store


Yeah, what's the deal with that? I have found the checkers at TJs to be downright surly -- even when I don't have the girls with me.

I've never seen balloons at our closest TJs. I've also never seen a hidden animal. Hmmm, must look.

I'm totally bummed that they discontinued the castille soap. Anyone know why they did that???

[Fairy]

Our checkers are awesome. very very nice. they do, however, have one woman working there now that I know personally, and I can't stand her. I try to avoid her at all costs. But it's my closest TJ's, so i just kind of deal.

[mommylamb]

Our checkers are really really friendly too. Almost too much so.

[egoldber]

Our checkers are really really friendly too. Almost too much so.

Exactly. Sometimes I just want to get out of there and they are chatty, chatty, chatty. I've gotten around that lately by starting to bag my own stuff.

[arivecchi]

Our checkers are really really friendly too. Almost too much so. :hysterical: I was freaked out by the super cheerful and helpful TJ employees on my first failed mission there. I high-tailed it out of there partly due to the lack of surly employees, which is what I was used to at my regular grocery store. :rotflmao:

[Katigre]

Our TJ's workers are so friendly! They even offer to walk my groceries out and load them into my car when they see I have my hands full with the kids.

[AnnieW625]

Yeah, what's the deal with that? I have found the checkers at TJs to be downright surly -- even when I don't have the girls with me.

I've never seen balloons at our closest TJs. I've also never seen a hidden animal. Hmmm, must look.

I'm totally bummed that they discontinued the castille soap. Anyone know why they did that???

Not sure about the soap thing as we've never gotten it. The worst checker at my store gave me, my mom, and my DD (who wasn't even 2 at the time) a dirty look and made some comment about DD not being clean and then immediately used some purell or something on her hands. I was like come on it's a toddler. I have always avoided her line since.


Exactly. Sometimes I just want to get out of there and they are chatty, chatty, chatty. I've gotten around that lately by starting to bag my own stuff.

Oh yeah that's a bugger too when it's busy...chit chat between the checkers. DH will bag his own groceries when he's with me because he used to work in a supermarket in college. I don't care and sometimes it keeps them moving along a little faster.

[liz]

Just came back from a TJ's run. I went to the CS desk to ask about the animal they have for the kids to find. The first clerk looked at me like I was crazy, but someone else behind the desk knew what I was talking about. Ours was a lobster (never did find out the name). Anyway, thanks to PP's for the tip, the shopping trip was more fun for the kids (and me) because they knew there was something there to do. We never did find the darn thing, but it kept them occupied and they knew there were some goodies coming home with us anyway.

[maydaymommy]

SUPER friendly workers and check-out people at the two stores we frequent.

There's one woman at the one I used to shop at who has shown me pictures of the dresses she wears for civil war reenactments.

We'll miss the balloons.

However, what I miss even more is the OLD demos and meal ideas.

Do you remember when they had little recipe sheets and the meals at the demo counter were products that you added a few ingredients to to make it into a meal? A "Demo Dude" told me that corporate did away with that because they wanted it to be more simple -- like meal in a single bag, rather than meal that you get by adding 2 ingredients to a bag.
BUMMER

[caheinz]

No way! We actually call TJs the balloon store, and getting the balloon is the height of our monthly trip! Waahh!

That was us, too!

I tend to go by myself now... there was one at DS1's old daycare. Now I go after work, and I don't have any kids with me.

[s7714]

Just came back from a TJ's run. I went to the CS desk to ask about the animal they have for the kids to find. The first clerk looked at me like I was crazy, but someone else behind the desk knew what I was talking about. Ours was a lobster (never did find out the name). Anyway, thanks to PP's for the tip, the shopping trip was more fun for the kids (and me) because they knew there was something there to do. We never did find the darn thing, but it kept them occupied and they knew there were some goodies coming home with us anyway.

There have been a few trips were I'm 100% positive they didn't have ours hidden anywhere. (I'm ashamed to admit I look for the sucker even when I'm shopping without kids!) But they do get really creative and sneaky sometimes. And if you can't find it, and the cashier asks "did you find everything you were looking for today?" feel free to say you couldn't find _______ (insert name of store object)! I've done that a couple times. The cashiers always laugh and offer up a hint to my DD(s). It totally makes my DD's day to find it, so I'm not afraid to ask for a hint!

My DDs favorite was when they put ours (a coconut with a pirate eye patch) over a decorative flamingo's head, because it looked like Coconut Joe had a flamingo body. ;)

[miki]

I was there earlier this week and plenty of balloons to be had. At the 2 stores near us, the kids have a list of things they need to find. The staff will give hints so the kids always get a prize. Usually a small package of chocolate cat cookies. Once it was lollipops.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Huh. At our store the kid that finds the toy gets to hide it for the next person so I'm not sure employees could always give clues. Maybe as soon as one finds it they communicate it with everyone? But, it sounds like at some of your TJs the employees hide it not the kids?

Beth

[mommylamb]

:hysterical: I was freaked out by the super cheerful and helpful TJ employees on my first failed mission there. I high-tailed it out of there partly due to the lack of surly employees, which is what I was used to at my regular grocery store. :rotflmao:

That's me normally. I'm often suspicious of too friendly people. It's the New Englander in me coming out. Living in the South now (if you can count NOVA as the South) and traveling through the South for work a lot... well, I'm trying to not be so New England-ish.

[maestramommy]

I was glad to see this thread before I went yesterday. I warned the kids in advance that the balloon store didn't give out balloons anymore, they said it was too dangerous. To which Dora said, "because they pop!" :p Anyway, they were fine with it, and the checker gave them each a strip of stickers, which Arwyn didn't care about because she was too concerned about the cup of yogurt she was already carrying;)

I love shopping there because they seem to be the only store I know that knows how to properly bag groceries into the reusable bags. At my local chain it seems like they never understand about the insulated bags.

I've never asked about finding the little animal because the kids usually walk when we're there, making our trip really long. Yesterday I was amazed to make it in and out of there in half an hour.

[Globetrotter]

We have a gorilla named curious Joe :D The staff hides it and the kids get a treat when they find him - but we don't move him. Last time there were bags of those awful bunny shaped Easter candies - seriously GROSS. They do get a few options, though.

I'm glad they stopped the balloons as it bothered me, from an environmental POV.

Our TJs staff is very friendly and helpful- they actually seem to like working there. I think they only hire people with positive demeanors, but this could be a regional thing.