I joined the long lines for Trader Joe’s viral tote bags. What I found surprised me
Jul 22, 2026
Shoppers are waking up before sunrise to score the $3 mini grocery bags, which have become a global status symbolA Friday morning on a public holiday usually means sleeping in. Instead, I was standing outside my local Trader Joe’s before 7am, staring at a line of shoppers that seemed to stretch fo
r miles.The grocery store in Santa Clarita, just north of Los Angeles, wouldn’t open for another hour. But hundreds of people were already waiting for the same thing: Trader Joe’s new striped pastel mini canvas totes, a $2.99 reusable bag that has inspired a frenzy more typically associated with sneaker releases or concert presale tickets. Continue reading... ...read more read less