Grocery shopping before a snowstorm is never fun anywhere, but in DC, where even the slightest bit of winter precipitation throws everyone into a frenzy, it’s truly one of life’s most unpleasant experiences. The scene at the Trader Joe’s in Foggy Bottom a day before a potentially record-setting blizzard hits the East Coast offers a raw example of such chaos.
While the store was otherwise well-stocked after the frozen pizzas and eggs had been ransacked, the checkout lines were unfathomably long, snaking up and down the aisles throughout the entire store. (Trader Joe’s employees held up flags to signify the beginning of these lines). One employee estimated customers were waiting between 45 and 50 minutes to pay for their food, and that at one point, there was a 15-minute wait just to get into the store.
Watch more of the chaotic scene below:
If you have any video or photos of pre-blizzard supermarket anarchy, email dessner@washingtonian.com or tweet @washingtonian.
