Does Trader Joe's Sell Liquor? What To Know Before You Shop

Trader Joe's has built a loyal following of customers over the years due to its affordable private-label products, quirky store atmosphere, and ever-changing selection of treats and snacks. But if you're planning to grab a bottle of bourbon on your next Trader Joe's run, you might want to make sure you're in a state that allows the retailer to sell it first. Because the truth is, not all Trader Joe's stores sell liquor — and the ones that do are located in just 14 states.

This is because alcohol laws vary from state to state (and region to region), and this affects what Trader Joe's can and cannot sell. In some areas, liquor can only be sold at liquor stores, while others allow grocery stores to also do so. And just because a Trader Joe's location sells beer and wine doesn't necessarily mean it sells liquor, since they're different types of alcohol. Also, not every single Trader Joe's located in those 14 states are guaranteed to sell liquor. Your best bet to know exactly if a store sells liquor is to use the trusty store locator tool on the Trader Joe's website, which will explicitly tell you (and lets you search using beer, wine, and liquor filters).

Naturally, not all Trader Joe's locations that sell liquor will carry the exact same alcohol offerings. But generally speaking, Trader Joe's sells a variety of liquors at its locations that permit it. You can get a pretty affordable bottle of Scotch at Trader Joe's, as well as bottles of tequila, vodka, whiskey, and rum, in addition to various liqueurs, pre-mixed cocktails, and seasonal offerings. Most of these are sold under a private label and are Trader Joe's branded (though there are some exceptions).

And of course, you don't want to forget your mixers when shopping for that liquor. Trader Joe's has all of the summer cocktail ingredients you could possibly need, from unique fruit juice mixers to the perfect margarita seasoning. The great thing about Trader Joe's is that the chain is always coming out with new items, so there will always be new seasonal drinks to try out. If you need some ideas, the store has plenty of cocktail recipes on its website (and I personally suggest the Jalapeño Limeade Margarita recipe, in particular).