Summer has dropped and with it has come the new Trader Joe’s tote bag — the new hot item causing some customers to arrive at 3 a.m. to camp out at the stores. The bags are simple in design and measure 13 inches x 11 inches tall x 6 inches, and debuted on Wednesday, causing lines to stretch for blocks as customers hoped to snag the famed bag before it’s gone. The Striped Mini Canvas Tote Bags — sold for $2.99 — come in four colors: pale pink, sky blue, seafoam green, or desert sand Stripe. They are described as perfect for small shopping trips or a quick grab-and-go meal. Customers arrive earlier and earlier, hoping to grab a bag before the store runs out. Luckily for them, the bags are restocked daily and some stores limit the customers to four bags per person. One influencer arrived an hour and a half early and the line was still wrapped around for blocks.    View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Rachel (@eatsbyrachel) These bag drops unfortunately do get out of hand on occasion. A TikTok influencer said that the line to get into the store wrapped around the entire perimeter of the parking lot. The store initially had the bags in a corner as a free grab instead of handing them out until they “realized chaos would ensue.”  At one location, a customer claimed the bags were sold out — which the manager denied. In an attempt to keep things from getting out of control, the employees tried to have customers arrange in a single file line —  but the customers refused to cooperate. The line was rerouted to the back door instead. This store was only allowing customers to take six bags a person.  Trader Joe’s tote bag hype has developed a cult-like following, reaching back to March of 2024. The bags are so coveted that they can sell for up to $50,000 on eBay. But why? The bags are viewed by many as a status symbol, according to Forbes. They are merchandise that can only be found in U.S. stores — across some 600 locations — and they can’t be ordered online. The bag speaks to culture and wealth, and since the bag can only be found in the United States, having it in an outside country shows the ability to afford an international flight. It can also make owners seem well-traveled with an “international outlook.” Material status symbols are nothing new. Tyrian purple was only permitted for the elites in Rome, and anyone who wore it illegally was killed. Pineapples were the “ultimate cost signal” in Victorian Britain. Now it’s little striped totes bags — but what they all have in common is their ability to inspire child-like behavior from adults.