A grocery bill that should read close to $200 sometimes rings up at $37.50 in Loveland, Colorado. That is not a coupon trick or a membership gimmick.
It comes from a discount market that buys name-brand food other stores cannot sell and passes the savings straight to shoppers. Here is how it works, what to watch for on the labels, and why some people drive 80 miles with a cooler just to fill a cart.
A Loveland Address Worth Remembering
Northern Colorado has plenty of supermarkets, but only one draws shoppers from as far as 80 miles away with a cooler in the trunk.
That store is Esh’s Grocery Market, a discount grocery at 375 W 71st St, Loveland, CO 80538, in the United States.
The concept is simple and a little bit rebellious. Esh’s sells name-brand and specialty groceries that are at, near, or sometimes past their printed dates, and it prices them far below regular retail.
The result is a loyal following that treats weekly trips here like a standing appointment. Budget-minded families, curious cooks, and bargain hunters all end up in the same checkout line.
Shelves hold produce, cheeses, frozen goods, bulk grains, snacks, spices, and a surprising run of health and household items.
Nothing stays the same for long, and that constant change is a big part of the appeal. The next section explains exactly how those shelves get filled in the first place.
The Story Behind the Shelves
Long before 71st Street, Esh’s was already stocking carts in town. Longtime shoppers remember the store from its earlier home on the west end of Loveland, more than 20 years ago.
The mission has stayed steady since then. Esh’s describes itself as a discount grocery that helps cut food waste by selling items that are at, past, or near their expiration dates.
According to the store, that effort keeps thousands of pounds of food out of the dump each year.
So where does the stock come from? Buyers work with larger grocery stores to pick up goods that are nearing their dates or simply are not moving.
Those stores recover part of the cost, and Esh’s passes the reduced price along at the register.
That also explains a quirk of the aisles. Items that rarely expire at big chains, such as many canned soups, show up less often.
The newest chapter includes a line of house-brand products, proof the store keeps building its own identity.
The $37.50 Shopping Haul
Here is the math that gave this article its headline. A typical Saturday haul here can include wings, eggs, cheese, coffee, dairy, cereals, sauces, canned goods, and spices, all packed in free bags.
At a conventional supermarket, that load would land close to $200. At Esh’s, it rang up at $37.50.
Stories like that are common. First-timers often leave with a cart that would have cost roughly twice as much elsewhere, and some items sell for less than half of retail.
The deals can get almost comical. A bottle of peri peri sauce once sat on the shelf for 25 cents, and it did not stay there long.
Savings are not uniform, though. Prices on some meats have climbed, and bulk grains and candy now land closer to natural-food chain prices.
Main entree items are hit or miss, so flexible plans pay off. The biggest wins usually come from rice, produce, snacks, pantry staples, and the occasional high-end surprise.
Fine Print on Every Label
Every bargain here comes with a small homework assignment: read the label. Best-by and use-by dates vary widely, and the store itself encourages shoppers to check them before anything goes in the cart.
Most products are perfectly fine, and many shelf-stable goods hold up well past their printed dates. Still, some items age better than others.
Dairy, bread, and frozen treats deserve an extra glance. There have been reports of products far past their dates, including milk and ice cream, so a quick check is worth the few seconds.
The good news is a strong safety net. Esh’s offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on anything that turns out to be inedible.
Management also responds publicly to concerns and has said quality and the customer experience should always come first.
Shoppers who treat each date like a second price tag tend to leave happy. A little attention at the shelf keeps the savings real and the pantry safe.
A Condiment Museum and Global Aisles
Somewhere in the middle of the store sits an aisle so packed with bottles and jars that longtime fans have nicknamed it the condiment museum.
It holds varieties of nearly every sauce, dressing, and spread a home cook could want. Many of those bottles cost three or four times more at upscale supermarkets.
Spice lovers get similar treatment. Shoppers who go through seasonings quickly treat Esh’s as a regular stock-up stop.
The international selection is another quiet star. Sauces, spices, snacks, frozen foods, and specialty products from several cultures fill the shelves, often in greater variety than the small global sections at mainstream chains.
Rare items from Asia and elsewhere pop up without warning. Some are so unusual that staff members have asked experienced shoppers what a product is.
Home cooks hunting a key ingredient for a new recipe should make this a first stop. Just grab it on sight, because it may be gone next week.
Organic Coffee, Frozen Finds and a Deli
Health-focused shoppers might be surprised by how much of the store speaks their language. Organic options run throughout the aisles, along with vegan choices and plenty of items that fit specific diets.
Organic coffee beans are a standout, and some call Esh’s the best place in Northern Colorado to buy them at a fair price. Eggs, milk, cheese, and butter come in at decent prices, and bulk baking supplies fill out the pantry side.
Frozen cases are worth a slow lap. Bulk meat, frozen baked goods, cheesecakes, and odd finds like bacon maple caramels rotate in and out, alongside several brands of Italian sausage.
A deli handles cold cuts, cheeses, and breads, and it will prepare something to eat on the spot.
Beyond food, the shelves often carry vitamins, supplements, sunscreen, and body wash at steep discounts. Plenty of people come in for coffee and leave with a stocked medicine cabinet too.
Friendly Faces and a Weekly Ritual
Discount stores sometimes get a reputation for chaos, but this one breaks the mold. The space is clean, well organized, well lit, and clearly priced, so browsing never feels like a struggle.
Friendly staff come up again and again as a highlight. Employees help with questions about unfamiliar products, which makes the international and specialty aisles far less intimidating.
The overall feel is community-focused, and many families make a weekly trip part of their routine. Saturday visits are a tradition for more than a few loyal locals.
Popularity has one side effect. The store can get crowded, so patience belongs on the shopping list.
Esh’s suits bargain hunters, adventurous cooks, and budget-conscious households most of all. Shoppers who arrive with a rigid list may leave frustrated, while those who come to browse every aisle usually find more than expected.
Around here, flexibility is the real currency, and curiosity earns the best returns.
Hours, Coolers and a Final Tally
Timing a trip is easy. Esh’s is open Monday through Saturday from 9 AM to 7 PM and closed on Sundays.
Parking is simple, and bags are free, a small perk that adds up. Little boxes near the front help keep glass jars safe on the ride home.
Long-distance shoppers have a proven strategy: bring a cooler for frozen and refrigerated finds. Stock changes from week to week, so a return trip a few days later often turns up entirely new products.
A few habits help too. Check dates, keep the receipt for the 30-day guarantee, and leave a little room in the budget for an unplanned treat.
So is it worth the drive? For shoppers who enjoy the hunt, the answer leans strongly toward yes.
Esh’s will not replace every errand, but it can shrink a grocery bill in a way few Colorado stores can match.
That $37.50 cart is no myth, just a very good Saturday.
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