The Guardian · California · Original story
I joined the long lines for Trader Joe’s viral tote bags. What I found surprised me
Shoppers are waking up before sunrise to score the $3 mini grocery bags, which have become a global status symbol
A 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 for 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.
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Liz Lindain in Santa Clarita, California · Wed, Jul 22, 2026, 4:00 AM
California | The Guardian
Shoppers are waking up before sunrise to score the $3 mini grocery bags, which have become a global status symbol
A 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 for 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.
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