Bulk Food

Does anyone know of good bulk food stores? Thank you!

spa_girl wrote:Does anyone know of good bulk food stores? Thank you!

It really depends on exactly what you're looking for but two quick options come to mind (beyond Whole Foods):

Dubby's (on Division), is your best independent option (I haven't been there in a little while, not 100% sure if they're still around).

You also have People's Market (Wild Oats chain) in Evanston on Chicago. I believe they carry bulk toiletries (like shampoo) in addition to many bulk food items.

Dubby's
2108 W Division St

People's Market
1111 Chicago Ave

Home Economist in Skokie.I believe they still have other locations.

Thanks - I'll check those out! I knew I should have clarified - I was looking for bulk stores for items like nuts, oats, candy, etc. Thanks again!

The Home Economist stores are much cheaper than Whole Foods. I go to the one in LaGrange, which is also their corporate office. I love it for all types of flour, bulgar (which I use in bread), a wide variety of rice, and, most especially, for yeast. There's a huge candy selection which comes in very handy at Halloween or for pinatas. They also have a lot of dried soup mixes, etc, that I haven't tried.

I get the sense the chain is not doing as well as in years past. I don't see a web page, and the LaGrange store is smaller than it once was. They've tried to branch out into (surely more profitable) frozen entrees, deli meats, fresh baked goods, and cheeses. I try to avoid those sections of the store, but at least at one point I could vouch for their excellent date bars.

Home Economist
419 N. LaGrange Road
LaGrange Park, Il
(708) 352-1514

We were in the Skokie Home Economist a few months ago. It was a pale shadow of what it was a few years ago. Many prices were on the high side compared to bulk or packaged goods in many North Side ethnic stores. There seemed to be fewer grain products and more candy.

The number of powdered soup bases really struck us. Use of these things has always struck me as the reason so many restaurant soups are so bad.

1) The Home Economist is a LOT cheaper than Whole Foods. That is not saying much.

2) The one in Palatine is a shadow od what it was three years ago. It often looks like an outlet store for Sanfillipe and Sons. All the refrigerated cases are empty. I will drive past it 19 out of 20 times before making a stop.

3) The best bulk stores and salvage grocery operations are run by the Amish near major communities like Arthur and Arcola, IL. I used to stop in there every three months when living in St. Louis. AND unlike this area, the prices are REASONABLE.

Sorry to hear they have gone downhill.I cannot verify if any of these are still open,sorry,but maybe someone else can.More or Less,Buy the Weigh,Treats and More and Mr. Bulky's.These were all in malls.Fuzzwig was still in Gurnee Mills the last time I was there roughly four months ago.Also I think J.D. Mills in Evanston has a limited selection.Perhaps Sherwyn's on Diversey in Chicago.Sorry not to be more specofic but these are places I haven't visited in over two years.

Nuts On Clark.Near Wrigley.Also State and Lake.I am not sure if they still have a Union Station outpost.All in Chicago.

Jlawrence

The best bulk stores and salvage grocery operations are run by the Amish near major communities like Arthur and Arcola, IL. I used to stop in there every three months when living in St. Louis. AND unlike this area, the prices are REASONABLE.

We seem to travel in the same circles. The one near Arthur has an unlikely name or is it a description of being railroad salvage. This is a rare opportunity to shop along with Amish. They will sell Cladder Girl baking powder in several pound containers. You can buy canning supplies, ect. It is very, very cheap.

When you buy in bulk, whether it is this railroad salvage shop or perhaps Costco, you begin to understand the impact the cost of packaging has on a product's price. Of course, you really need to cook a tremendous volume, have good storage practices or share with a friend to really effectively take advantage of the savings. Nothing is cheap if you end up throwing stuff away.

Cathy,

I usually hit those places more for the salvage items than for the bulk items. For example, if I can get some Smucker's preserves for under $1 as opposed to $3-4, I am a happy camper.

I look for deals. Once I find one, I quickly assess what I will do with it. For example, while in Cleveland, I would occasionally visit the Stouffer's plant salvage store. They needed to get rid of cases of the Nestle foodservice pack 4-5# Macaroni and Cheese. They offered to sell them for $5 a case. I asked them for a discount if I would move 50 (yes, 50) cases for them. For $200, I scored 1000# of Stouffer's Macaroni and Cheese. And in 4 hours, I was able to able to get rid of all of it.

Hit Eastern Market in Detroit late on Saturday afternoon during the summer, and you will find case lots of various vegetables for $1-3. My Italian neighbors in Dearborn loved me. They would have a great stream of vegetables coming from the Market FREE, and all winter, I would have little old ladies bringing their cookies, panettoni, expresso, homemade sausage, etc.

Storage and planning are critical. Also, finding a store that keeps the product FRESH is also critical. Some of the worst bulk places were the Cleveland major grocery stores (FINAST comes to mind.

If you are still looking we were at Meijer and they had bulk bins for nuts and candy.