Now open: Trader Joe’s

The time has finally come—Trader Joe’s, a neighborhood grocery store with an emphasis on low prices and produce sans preservatives or artificial flavoring, has opened its first Louisiana location.

Throughout today, the store will have face painting for kids, giveaways and food demonstrations. The store’s hours are 8 a.m.-9 p.m. daily and it’s located in Acadian Village near the Perkins Road and Acadian Thruway intersection (Map it!).

Earlier this week, store manager Brian Augustine took 225 Dine on a tour of the store.

Augustine is a 10-year veteran and employee of the chain, and he moved from Oregon to set up this location. He’s quick to point out the ridiculously cheap prices and unique items that are rich in flavor without all the additives.

For example, there’s olive oil for $4.99, and that’s the big bottle; Italian pastas sourced from Italy for $1.99 per pound; bags of salad for $1.99; frozen pizzas or dishes from India for $4.99; and even some of the wines come with an eye-opening price tag—$2.99.

The store can do this because it buys directly from suppliers whenever possible in volume. You won’t find big name brands at the store, but you will find Trader Joe’s line of everything from cookie butters and cereals to nuts and trail mixes.

“Everything we have here is popular,” Augustine says. “The customer decides what we sell. If something isn’t selling, we take it off the shelves.”

If you’re not sure what to expect, the November issue of 225 (on newsstands tomorrow) features a few in-the-know locals chiming in on what they are looking forward to. Read the story here.

For more information on Trader Joe’s, click here.