I shopped at Trader Joe's in the Midwest and New York City. Here are the most surprising differences I noticed.

The author outside Trader Joe's in Wisconsin.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

• I visited two Trader Joe's stores, one in the Midwest and one in New York City.
• I noticed surprising differences in the alcohol selection due to state laws.
• The stores were also laid out and decorated differently.

As someone who grew up in the Midwest and now lives in New York City, I've been a Trader Joe's fan in both locations thanks to the store's low prices, friendly employees, and eccentric snacks.

During recent shopping trips in my Wisconsin hometown and my New York City neighborhood, I took a closer look at each store to discover some unexpected regional differences.

Here are six things that surprised me.

The Trader Joe's store I visited in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was part of a large mall complex.

Trader Joe's in Wisconsin.

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In New York City, I visited a Trader Joe's store on 72nd Street, one of Manhattan's nine locations.

Trader Joe's in New York City.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

At the Midwest Trader Joe's store, all items were across one floor.

Produce at Trader Joe's in Wisconsin.

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In New York City, the store featured two levels with escalators in between.

Shopping cart escalators at Trader Joe's in New York City.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The Midwest Trader Joe's stocked beer from local Wisconsin breweries.

Beer at Trader Joe's in Wisconsin.

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The New York City store sold local beer from Brooklyn and the Bronx.

Beer at Trader Joe's in New York City.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The alcohol section in the Midwest store I visited spanned several shelves with dozens of options.

Wine at Trader Joe's in Wisconsin.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

In New York, state laws dictate that only licensed liquor stores can sell certain alcoholic beverages, so the selection was much smaller.

Wine at Trader Joe's in New York City.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

The Midwest store was decorated with artwork highlighting famous sites like the Milwaukee Art Museum.

A sign at Trader Joe's in Wisconsin.

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The themed decor in New York City paid tribute to the city's famous skyline and memorable movie scenes that have taken place there.

A King Kong display at Trader Joe's in New York City.

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Checkout counters at the Wisconsin store featured short lines.

Checkout counters at Trader Joe's in Wisconsin.

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The lines at the New York location stretched throughout the entire floor, with an employee holding a sign to indicate where to begin waiting.

The checkout line at Trader Joe's in New York City.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

Trader Joe's remains my top grocery store, whether I'm loading my bags into a car in the Midwest or lugging them home on the subway.

The author at Trader Joe's in New York City.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

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