Shoppers Lined Up in Silver Lake for Trader Joe's $2.99 Halloween Totes

The new mini canvas bags come in black, green, purple and orange, and availability varies from store to store.

Shoppers lined up outside the Trader Joe's in Silver Lake on Wednesday to buy a grocery bag.

It's a particular grocery bag. The chain released a Halloween version of its mini canvas tote on Wednesday, Sept. 30, and KTLA's Sky5 helicopter filmed people waiting outside the Silver Lake store for one, KTLA reported.

This edition comes in four colors: black, green, purple and orange. Trader Joe's says the bags are "ideal for trick-or-treating or a small grocery store haul," according to the station, which is a fair pitch for a bag that's small on purpose.

The price is $2.99, the same as the earlier mini totes, KTLA reported.

Three dollars. People lined up for it.

This has happened before. The mini canvas totes went viral in 2024, and the chain has kept bringing out new versions every so often since then, so a fresh color run lands with a crowd that's already watching for it.

I get the line, honestly. A $2.99 tote is about the cheapest way to own a piece of a chain whose bags already had their viral moment, and the Halloween one comes with a job attached: the company itself says it's sized for a night of trick-or-treating. That's a candy bag and a produce bag in one, for less than most things in the checkout aisle.

The catch is supply. KTLA reported that availability varies by store, so a friend's new orange tote doesn't mean your Trader Joe's got any. I'd guess that uncertainty is what turns a $3 errand into a wait on the Silver Lake sidewalk: if you can't count on the shelf, you show up and find out first.

If you want one, the details are short. It's $2.99, it comes in black, green, purple or orange, and whether your store has it depends on the store. Check with your nearest Trader Joe's before you head over, and bring a tote to carry your tote.