Latest news with #TraderJoe's
Newsweek
5 hours ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Alex Schinasi's Tote-On-Wheels Makes Schlepping Easy
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Anyone who has tried to carry groceries through the city knows what it means to schlep. The word evokes summer heat, heavy grocery bags and feeling that whatever load you are carrying is one missed step away from scattering across the sidewalk. But this is not how Alex Schinasi sees it. Schinasi is redefining what it means to schlep. "There's the vision of the person carrying a million grocery bags from Trader Joe's back to their house and you have the marks on your arms from all the heavy lifting," Schinasi told Newsweek. "But there's the mental schlep too, of like, 'How am I going to carry this from my car to my house?' or 'How am I going to deal with this long day out and about in the city when I know I have five clients to visit?' Hulken makes that better for you." Hulken launched in 2020, but the idea originated almost 15 years earlier, when Schinasi's father built a bag for the family to use around the house. His background in manufacturing helped him develop the design, but her entrepreneurial experience took Hulken to the next level. Women's Global Impact: Alex Schinasi Women's Global Impact: Alex Schinasi Newsweek Illustration Schinasi's first company, Ivy, a workflow tool for the home remodeling industry, was acquired by Houzz in 2018, while her second company, Clay, an early AI-powered platform in early education, was acquired by Kangarootime in 2024. Both companies empowered people to do their jobs better and, at its core, Hulken is no different. Building community is at the center of everything Schinasi does, from the software companies to Hulken. "People would come for the software, stay for the community and it's similar with Hulken, right?" Schinasi mused. "One of my favorite parts of running Hulken is seeing all these thrifters and interior designers and makeup artists and hairstylists using Hulken to do their jobs better." This community has continued to grow, as the iconic tote-on-wheels has appealed to people both in the home and outside of it. "What makes me happy and happy to wake up every morning is to see that we're empowering these people professionally," Schinasi reflected. "But of course, much beyond that too, moms will use us to do daily errands." A mom and a female entrepreneur, Schinasi has always focused on how her companies can impact women and help build them up in their lives and in their careers. This mission has driven her work and her experiences as a founder. "If you look at our demographic: 95 percent women. And so every one of my companies is really focused on empowering these women and whatever it is that they do, and I think that's, for me, a very, very proud achievement" Schinasi said. Having started three companies, Schinasi knows how hard it is to be taken seriously as a female entrepreneur. While she has found a lot of success today, the road was not always easy. "Being a female founder, especially in my 20s with my first company was very money, being taken seriously, especially when you deal with a female audience," Schinasi said. "As I aged, obviously we got street cred because we sold companies and we made a name for ourselves, but we had to fight for it." In the end, the fight seems to have been worth it, with the distinctive bags popping up on street corners across the United States, carrying everything from groceries to books to children's toys. With limitless potential, what might one find Schinasi schlepping in her Hulken? "My emotional baggage?" Schinasi joked. "As a mom, I obviously am a professional schlepper because I'm schlepping my kids and everything else that comes with it in my Hulken," Schinasi said, emphasizing, "literally everything." Schinasi will join Newsweek at this year's inaugural Women's Global Impact forum. The August 5 event, hosted at Newsweek's headquarters in New York City, will bring together some of the world's top female executives and connect them with rising stars across industries and job functions. For more information on the event and entry guidelines, please visit the Women's Global Impact homepage.
Buzz Feed
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
31 Fun Products You Probably Don't Need, But Sure Do Deserve
A cheerful, ridiculously roomy corduroy tote bag that you'll want in every pattern. This lightweight number is strong enough to handle your groceries but also adorable enough to demand that you stick a little Trader Joe's bouquet in them to peek out the side. Also ... it has an inner POCKET. A Baccarat Rouge 540-inspired moisturizing body wash infused with white jasmine, red currant, and sweet amber that reviewers swear by for a cheap alternative to keep that delectably luxe scent on them all day long. Nothing wrong with smelling a lil' ~~expensive~~! A buildable Lego cherry blossom reviewers love for a small but thoughtful way to add a touch of whimsy to their floral displays, or to gift to a fellow Lego enthusiast as a cheerful lil' pick-me-up. L'Oreal Paris Makeup Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara in a new brown shade so you can have all the *vavoom* of thick, full lashes with that romantic ~softness~ of the more muted shade. Similar to the iconic black shade that made it famous, this mascara doesn't smudge, clump, or flake for alllll day wear, and washes easily to be extra gentle on lashes. Death Wish Instant Coffee Packets so downright (dare I say, DANGEROUSLY) delicious that even the biggest coffee snobs you know might trade in their precious pour-overs. That is, if they can handle the 300mg of caffeine per cup 👀. Clinique Almost Lipstick Tinted Lip Balm in Black Honey you're definitely going to want to stock up on *now*, before TikTokers go feral again (guilty as charged). This cult-classic, lightweight, slightly glossy shade is beyond "holy grail" status — it matches skin tones so beautifully that I'm personally starting to suspect witchcraft, after seeing so many TikToks of it subtly transforming entire beauty looks with just a few swipes. A TikTok-beloved "Soft" perfume rollerball that honestly has no right smelling so delectable and layering so well considering it's only five cash dollars. Reviewers are obsessed with the scent's warm sweetness with a hint of citrusy zest, comparing it to waffle cones, lemon pound cake, and warm vanilla scones ... and this $65 bottle of Pink Sugar 👀. A mini Bob Ross paint-by-numbers kit for anyone on their "happy accidents" beat — this itty bitty set comes with everything you need to create three tiny masterpieces of your very own. A set of hair tie bracelets designed to look like *actual* jewelry, so you won't be kicking yourself when you realize you left a hair tie on your wrist for every photo. Murdle, Volume 1, a true essential for anyone who relaxes to true crime podcasts or Only Murders in the Building. The book is full of 100 mystery-themed logic puzzles with four different levels of difficulty that they can do solo or with pals, and in order or out of order (although if they do it in order, they get the full scoop on Deductive Logico and Inspector Irratino, whose hilarious misadventures guide you through the book). A cheeky pair of double-buckle slides that look like what happens when a Birkenstock from the 2000s falls in love with a jelly sandal from the '90s in a forbidden time-crossed romance. A set of limited edition wildflower Band-Aids so the next time you get a little ouch, you can be like, "wound care, but make it fashion." A NeeDoh "Dream Drop," a beloved member of the *elite* Needoh sensory fidget toy line for anyone who wants to add more calm and focus to their day. This goo-filled, delightfully colorful fidget has a satisfying squish with a "slow rise" before going back to its original shape. Reviewers also love that it doesn't have the kind of stickiness that picks up debris and makes it hard to clean. A pair of pretty pastel wireless over-the-ear headphones crafted to look like AirPods Max, so you can still enjoy the comfort and chic style of their iconic headphones without shelling out hundreds of dollars. These feature premium cushion padding, a built-in mic with the ability to take calls, 10 hours of playtime per charge, and surprisingly decent noise blocking for the price. The TikTok-viral Nooni appleberry lip oil that more than earned its spot on the MVP List — this K-beauty staple not only tints your lips for all-day wear, but helps moisturize and plump lips, so it's your one-stop shop for lip color *and* care. A set of cowboy straw toppers to add some much-needed "yeehaw!" into your hydration regimen, and keep your straws safe from germs out here in the wild, bacterial west. A three-pack of vintage-inspired polarized sunglasses for anyone who needs to stock up on a few "these look like Ray-Bans, but I won't cry into my Baja Blast if I accidentally leave them in the Taco Bell parking lot" pairs this year. These are especially handy because you can match the subtle prints to whatever 'fit you're wearing! Built's "Puff Protein Bars" that are basically chocolate-covered marshmallows that also, by some witchcraft, have 17 entire grams of protein in them?? And NO weird aftertaste. If you are also someone who is in a perpetual state of "I need protein or I will bite someone's brain off," I am telling you, nothing in this WORLD will feel better than pulling one of these out of your bag. A "float-tea unicorn" to make steeping your tea downright magical every morning, no matter *how* much caffeine you need to get yourself across today's rainbow. A light up solar frog figurine for your garden or porch so when you come home from that "just one drink" dinner past midnight, this croaky lil' fella can lovingly judge you for it. A goth popcorn maker and bowl for anyone who wants an extra side of spook with their saltiness. This silicone skull is so easy to use that you can pour in the kernels, pop it in the microwave for two to three minutes, and get eight cups of freshly popped popcorn without even having to use oil! Yellowbird's Small Batch Garlic Shiitake Hot Sauce, the beloved brand's *hottest* sauce yet. Those brave enough to ride the burn will love the combo of umami mushroom and spicy garlic and the fresh, slightly floral top note of habaneros. Bonus — this hot sauce is vegan and gluten-free! An affordable, elegant gold-plated paperclip-style necklace to instantly give any outfit a touch of sophistication without also making it a little, well, *boring*. Elegance, but with a bit of a modern edge. A dimmable flexible clip-on mushroom light so versatile that it'll become your Emotional Support Shroom — this gizmo clips to desks, cribs, bedside tables, and computer monitors to give an ambient, soft glow that's easy on the eyeballs when you're trying to focus. (Also, it's just so darn precious??) A set of book-shaped sponges, aka what happens when Cinderella and Belle collaborate on your birthday gift. A set of itty bitty ceramic rice ball vases that all onigiri lovers deserve to have on their desk as a delicious aesthetic. LOOK AT THESE HAPPY BUBS. A set of retro-style novelty socks perfect for anyone whose plans are, "Be cute, sleep, repeat." Reviewers note that these are delightfully soft and hold up well in the wash! A set of dainty but surprisingly strong bow-shaped hair clips to pair with all your frilliest dresses or to add a soft touch your more structured work outfits. A bunch of teensy macaron boxes for a delightful upgrade to many things in your life, whether it's storing pills or trinkets or just staring at them looking all fancy and delicious on your bedside table. A set of itty bitty vintage-inspired spoons that are just BEGGING to be used for all your coffee, tea, dessert, and yogurt needs. (Is it just me, or do we all have an Emotional Support Tiny Spoon?) A set of espresso martini instant cocktail tea bags — all the sophistication of tea, the zing! of coffee, and the 😜 of a cheeky cocktail. All you have to do is add three ounces of cold water, 1.5 ounces of hard liquor, and the tea sachet into a glass, and you'll have a delicious (far more AFFORDABLE!!) cocktail in one minute.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Trader Joe's trendy totes are the hot new status symbol in this foreign country — with no Trader Joe's stores
The Trader Joe's brand reputation precedes them globally — thanks to their viral totes. The grocery store's infamous tote bags are something of a status symbol here in the United States, but across the pond, even without a single location in Britain, Trader Joe's bags have become a must-have accessory. 'I think I've seen more of the Trader Joe's tote bags in London than I have where I live in San Francisco,' Hannah Tyldsley, a 27-year-old who works in consulting and was in the city visiting friends, told the New York Times. Christos Paphiti, a London-based lawyer, told the outlet that visiting Trader Joe's was a months-long wish for him after seeing more and more people in his East London neighborhood wearing the totes. 'Seeing people in their cute fits wearing them, I was like: 'What is Trader Joe's? Where can I get one?' he said. Paphiti, 29, made Trader Joe's a vital part of his itinerary during a trip to New York and he returned home with seven tote bags for him and his friends. 'Everyone was super touched by it,' he said. 'I was like, 'Sweetie, it was $4.'' One girl on TikTok said that since she moved to London, she's noticed that so many people carry Trader Joe's bags — and she echoed the sentiment that she's seen more there than she did in America. And while many people on social media seem confused why an American thing is so popular in London, it seems as though the American aspect of it is part of the draw. 'It's a subtle flex that you've been to America,' one person commented on a TikTok. 'You're a little bit well traveled,' Jarrod Stevenson, 30, told The Times. 'Obviously, at some point, you've been to the States. You've picked up the bag. You know what's up.' In order to get one of these bags in London, Brits have to either travel to the United States or know someone who is going and will bring one back. One person even commented on TikTok that she moved from London to LA, but 'brings back 100 [tote bags] every few months as souvenirs cuz allll my friends want one.' If you're not able to make it to the states or don't know someone who can gift you one, the other option for Londoners to get their hands on one of the viral tote bags is to purchase on a resale site, such as Vinted, which is popular in the UK. There are hundreds on hundreds of Trader Joe's bags listed on Vinted for about £10, or $11.50, though some people get more of a profit from them. Aysun Yeter, 28, told the Times that she sold an extra TJ's tote she had for £20 ($27) last year, and she wanted to buy one for herself because 'the American girlies have it.' Many London-based users on TikTok also noted that the tote bags aren't just cute and popular — they're also practical. 'It's such a perfect size tote bag, literally holds everything and so comfy and convenient,' one said. 'It's such a sturdy and multi-functional bag. I take it with me everywhere I go,' another wrote. 'It's the only bag that holds EVERYTHING I need,' someone declared. Solve the daily Crossword
Eater
2 days ago
- Business
- Eater
A Beloved Chef Is Retiring and Closing His Bainbridge Island Restaurant
Greg Atkinson is riding off into the sunset. After a 48-year-career as a chef, food writer, and teacher, the longtime fixture of Seattle's dining world is retiring, reports the Seattle Times. The bad news? That means that his Bainbridge Island restaurant Marche has closed. The good news is that it's being replaced by a seafood and oyster spot called Sweetwater Tavern, which should open later this year. The Times recounted Atkinson's career, which started in 1977 when he got a cooking gig at his brother's Irish pub. He spent a long time working on San Juan Island, where difficulty sourcing good produce from the mainland encouraged him to use local ingredients. 'It seemed like the food I could buy from the local fishermen and farmers was higher quality than what was coming in on the trucks on the ferry,' he told the Times, 'so I just started doing that.' That made him, as the Times puts it, one of the 'first proponents of local, seasonal and sustainable foods in the Pacific Northwest.' That attitude is commonplace now, thanks in part to Atkinson. He spread this ethos through his cookbooks and writing (he won a James Beard Award in 2000 for his writing), and as an instructor at Seattle Central's Culinary Academy. In 1997 he got a job as a consultant at storied Seattle restaurant Canlis and became the head chef there for seven years. Now, with Marche closed, the restaurant part of his career is over, though he told the Times he still plans to write. Yes in my backyard (bagel) One of Seattle's hot bagel shops is expanding. Backyard Bagel, which opened in Fremont last year, announced on Instagram that it was opening a second shop at 4520 Union Bay Place near University Village, which until recently was a General Porpoise doughnut shop. 'We weren't planning on it but this opportunity was too good to pass up,' Backyard wrote on Instagram, indicating that it would open in the next few months after staffing up. Croissants from Ukraine Lviv Croissants, a Ukrainian-born sandwich chain, is planning to open its first West Coast location in the Westfield Southcenter mall, reports Puget Sound Business Journal. The chain has a production facility and storefront in Georgia, and is planning to open other shops throughout the United States, according to the Journal. Trader Joe's could come to Northgate Also from the Journal: Popular grocery chain Trader Joe's is considering opening a Northgate location, in the long-closed Bed Bath and Beyond. Trader Joe's didn't confirm these plans, but the Journal reports that the company has filed a pre-application for the space. Trader Joe's operates several stores in the Seattle area, but the latest opening, in Greenwood, still drew a massive line earlier this year.
New York Post
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- New York Post
Trader Joe's trendy totes are the hot new status symbol in this foreign country — with no Trader Joe's stores
The Trader Joe's brand reputation precedes them globally — thanks to their viral totes. The grocery store's infamous tote bags are something of a status symbol here in the United States, but across the pond, even without a single location in Britain, Trader Joe's bags have become a must-have accessory. 'I think I've seen more of the Trader Joe's tote bags in London than I have where I live in San Francisco,' Hannah Tyldsley, a 27-year-old who works in consulting and was in the city visiting friends, told the New York Times. Advertisement 3 People in London carry around Trader Joe's tote bags — even though there are no stores in Britain. TikTok/@poshgalkimmy Christos Paphiti, a London-based lawyer, told the outlet that visiting Trader Joe's was a months-long wish for him after seeing more and more people in his East London neighborhood wearing the totes. 'Seeing people in their cute fits wearing them, I was like: 'What is Trader Joe's? Where can I get one?'' he said. Advertisement Paphiti, 29, made Trader Joe's a vital part of his itinerary during a trip to New York and he returned home with seven tote bags for him and his friends. 'Everyone was super touched by it,' he said. 'I was like, 'Sweetie, it was $4.'' One girl on TikTok said that since she moved to London, she's noticed that so many people carry Trader Joe's bags — and she echoed the sentiment that she's seen more there than she did in America. And while many people on social media seem confused why an American thing is so popular in London, it seems as though the American aspect of it is part of the draw. Advertisement 'It's a subtle flex that you've been to America,' one person commented on a TikTok. 'You're a little bit well traveled,' Jarrod Stevenson, 30, told The Times. 'Obviously, at some point, you've been to the States. You've picked up the bag. You know what's up.' In order to get one of these bags in London, Brits have to either travel to the United States or know someone who is going and will bring one back. Advertisement One person even commented on TikTok that she moved from London to LA, but 'brings back 100 [tote bags] every few months as souvenirs cuz allll my friends want one.' If you're not able to make it to the states or don't know someone who can gift you one, the other option for Londoners to get their hands on one of the viral tote bags is to purchase on a resale site, such as Vinted, which is popular in the UK. There are hundreds on hundreds of Trader Joe's bags listed on Vinted for about £10, or $11.50, though some people get more of a profit from them. 3 To get a tote, Brits have to either travel to the United States or know someone who is going and will bring one back. TikTok/@poshgalkimmy Aysun Yeter, 28, told the Times that she sold an extra TJ's tote she had for £20 ($27) last year, and she wanted to buy one for herself because 'the American girlies have it.' Many London-based users on TikTok also noted that the tote bags aren't just cute and popular — they're also practical. 'It's such a perfect size tote bag, literally holds everything and so comfy and convenient,' one said. Advertisement 3 Many London-based users on TikTok also noted that the tote bags aren't just cute and popular — they're also practical. TikTok/@poshgalkimmy 'It's such a sturdy and multi-functional bag. I take it with me everywhere I go,' another wrote. 'It's the only bag that holds EVERYTHING I need,' someone declared.
