Neighbors who live near the Trader Joe’s on Columbus Avenue between 92nd and 93rd Street have a front row seat to the conversations of the people who are waiting to get into the store. Given the length of the lines, which keep people spaced at least six feet apart, they end up hearing quite a bit.
At first, the constant crowds and their conversations were annoying. But the neighbors in the brownstone — Kyle Luker, Ash Fulk, Gabrielle LeMoullec, Max Gayle and Winnie Sabbat — turned their annoyance into a funny project that was just featured in the Times.
They started writing posters with some of the things they heard from the people waiting in line and created an Instagram account that features the posters. Check out some of them below:
If I lived in the front of those brownstones on 92nd Street and had to hear line chatter and, worse, line telephone calls on speakerphone all day I probably wouldn’t be alive to be writing this right now.
these are brilliant. If I was living in that location, I don’t think I’d be quite so subtly sarcastic. Folks on that line have the same lack of awareness as those who insist upon screaming so loudly into their cell phones that one is forced to be part of the conversation, like it or not.
Good for them! These are fun and funny. And I’ll be checking myself anytime I’m on that line. 😀
I wouldn’t label it as “cracking jokes” … They are merely putting a humorous spin on the conversations these folks are blabbering on about in front of their apartment building … Mazel Tov to them for turning a sour situation into a sweet one
I think this has the potential to a regular feature in the WSR!
Bravi to the neighbors who dreamed up this project and so masterfully executed it. Such a clever gesture makes me proud to be a New Yorker — and reminders me NY is NOT merely comprised of self-absorbed types targeted by the posters. By the way, what efforts has TJ’s been making to mitigate this madness? I’m willing to forgo my cauliflower gnocchi should its purveyor fail to prove a good neighbor.
Another reason why I’ll never live on a lower floor in Manhattan.
Clever, but surely it’s someone at Trader Joe’s writing them. Notice each one mentions a specific item they’re selling.
Nope promise it’s us!
Brilliant!!!!!
It’s one of my best friends and I can assure you she doesn’t work for TJ 😊
It’s not … If you read the NY Times piece, they simply just incorporate a new item every time to joke about why else you’d be waiting in a 50 min line when Dag or Mani Market are right there w/ NO lines
Dag? For double to triple the price, yes there’s no line.
New Yorkers take lemons and make lemonade.. The best city in the USA…
DEFINITELY!!
Add one MORE accolade:
We wear MASKS!! Every time m’wife-and-m’self venture outdoors just about EVERY person we see is wearing a mask.
Despite NYers well-earned reputation for crankiness, cynicism, etc. we ALL respect the need to protect ourselves and others from this plague.
This is so funny! Also considering how much of their own “chatter” we are subject to listening to from their own back yards facing 93rd st anyway! Ha!
Gift of Gab LeMoullec!
Very entertaining but do they have to use the word “basic” in nearly every sign??
Needed a little levity – just what the Dr (Fauci?) ordered – these are so fun!
These are brilliantly hilarious! I used to live on West 92nd street. It was not nearly as entertaining then!
Thank you for the social commentary with wit, TJs. It almost makes up for the line of people outside my home every day XO- Me