Bags of chips for ten cents. A four-pack of paper towels for a dollar.
Deals like that sound too good to be real, yet shoppers keep making the drive out to a quiet stretch of southern Iowa to find them. There is a discount grocery store tucked into the countryside where the shelves change week to week and the prices make people do a double take at the register.
Some travelers come from over an hour away just to see what turned up. What keeps folks coming back is a mix of rock-bottom deals, friendly faces, and the thrill of never quite knowing what you will discover.
Here is the full story on one of the most talked-about bargain spots in the state, plus what you need to know before you go.
Where the Bargains Live
Roughly ten miles outside the small town of Bloomfield, a discount grocery store sits along a rural highway where fields stretch in every direction. The address is 19686 IA-2, Bloomfield, IA 52537, and it goes by the name Highway 2 Discount Groceries.
The setting feels like a genuine country outing. Getting there often means a scenic drive through southern Iowa farmland, and plenty of shoppers treat the trip as a mini day trip rather than a quick errand.
Do not let the out-of-the-way location fool you. The store has built a loyal following, earning a 4.6-star average across more than 400 reviews.
The building itself is described as clean, newer, and modern, which surprises people who expect a bare-bones warehouse. Wide aisles make room for two carts to pass, and every item on the shelves carries a price tag.
Bloomfield serves as the nearest town, but the pull of the deals reaches far beyond it. That reputation is exactly what turns a remote address into a destination worth mapping out.
An Amish-Run Operation
Something unusual becomes clear once you spend a few minutes inside. The store is an Amish business, and that shapes nearly everything about how it runs.
Electricity use stays remarkably low. It takes a while to notice, but barely any power runs anything beyond the cash registers, a detail that quietly puts this shop ahead of the curve on reducing its footprint.
The workers are often described as friendly, efficient, and a little shy in the best way. Regulars mention that staff go out of their way to help, and the whole place carries an easygoing, welcoming feel.
The Amish connection also explains the building’s character. Clean, tidy, and thoughtfully kept, it reflects a work ethic that shoppers pick up on right away.
Payment reflects the same old-fashioned approach, which trips up first-timers who arrive with only a card in their pocket. More on that later, but the theme holds throughout: simple, practical, and honest.
That blend of low-tech charm and genuine helpfulness gives the store a personality you will not find at a chain supermarket.
Prices That Make You Look Twice
The reason people drive across county lines comes down to one thing: the numbers on the tags. Some deals are so low they seem like a printing error.
Bags of chips have shown up priced as low as ten cents. Candy sells cheap, and if you do not mind a smashed package, a big bag can run under a dollar.
Paper products stretch a budget in a big way. A four-roll pack of paper towels for a dollar and twelve rolls of tissue for three dollars beat what the box stores in nearby Ottumwa charge.
The store also runs three-dollar box clearances, and small finds like a bag of soaps for around a dollar turn up regularly. Cereal, marinades, and frozen items round out the affordable haul.
Not everything is a steal. Some items carry what look like standard grocery prices, so the trick is staying alert and scanning for the real markdowns.
The sharpest deals often hide up front and near the registers. Sharp-eyed shoppers who slow down and look tend to walk away grinning.
The Ever-Changing Inventory
No two trips look quite alike here, and that is part of the fun. Stock shifts constantly, so the shelves you see one week may hold something completely different the next.
Regulars have learned a golden rule: do not get too attached. If you fall for a certain product, grab it, because it may not be there on your return visit.
As a discount grocer, the store takes in random shipments, which fuels the treasure-hunt feel. Shoppers who go every few weeks do it partly to see what new items have landed.
A handful of staples stick around dependably, giving loyal customers a reason to count on the place for basics. Beyond those, the rotating selection keeps the whole experience fresh.
This unpredictability turns ordinary grocery shopping into something closer to a scavenger hunt. Unique finds pop up often, and the surprise factor is exactly why people keep coming back.
Flexibility is the name of the game. Come with an open mind rather than a rigid list, and you will get the most out of a visit.
The Cold Room Secret
Hidden behind two black doors sits a section that first-timers often walk right past. Missing it would be a mistake.
The refrigerated area is packed with good stuff, and longtime shoppers make a point of steering newcomers toward it. Think of it as the store’s not-so-secret back room.
Meats draw a steady crowd here. Many people come specifically for the freezer area, where they find affordable cuts that make the drive worthwhile.
Frozen items in general earn high marks for value. Shoppers routinely load up on freezer finds that they say are well worth the trip.
The cold room also holds a variety of chilled goods that rotate along with the rest of the store. Cheese and other refrigerated staples have long been part of the draw.
Prices in this section can run a bit higher than the dry goods up front, so the same watchful eye applies. Still, for anyone hunting meat and frozen deals, those black doors mark the spot worth opening.
Damaged Goods, Great Value
Part of the magic here comes from goods that other stores would turn away. Much of the inventory arrives damaged during transport, and that is precisely why it sells so cheap.
The cosmetic flaws range from barely-there to obvious. A dented can, a torn wrapper, or a smashed bag might be the only thing wrong, while the product inside stays perfectly usable.
Even outdated or bent items tend to hold up well. Shoppers report that the quality stays solid despite the discount-bin appearance.
That torn-wrapper bargain applies across categories. A bag of soaps with ripped packaging, chips with a crushed corner, and dinged boxes all get marked down to move.
Buyers who understand the concept treat it as a smart trade-off. A little imperfection on the outside means real savings at the register.
The store backs its goods with a return policy for anything that turns out unsatisfactory, which takes the risk out of experimenting. That safety net makes it easy to try the deeply discounted odds and ends without worry.
Check Those Dates
One friendly piece of advice comes up again and again from those who shop here regularly: look at the dates. It is the single most repeated tip about the place.
Because the store deals in discounted and closeout goods, some items sit closer to or past their printed dates. A quick glance before adding anything to your cart goes a long way.
Product dates rank among the most mentioned topics for a reason. Savvy shoppers build the habit into their routine, checking as they browse rather than discovering surprises at home.
None of this dampens the appeal. Most people see it as a fair part of the discount game, and they factor it in without complaint.
Being diligent pays off. A little attention lets you scoop up the best deals with confidence and skip anything that does not suit your timeline.
The store’s return policy offers extra peace of mind for anything that disappoints. Between watching the dates and knowing you can bring items back, the whole system stays low-stress and rewarding.
Cash or Check Only
Here is the detail that catches newcomers off guard more than any other. Cards do not work at the register.
The store accepts cash or check only, a policy mentioned constantly by those in the know. Show up without either, and you will be stuck admiring the deals from afar.
The all-electric checkout is about the only place power gets used, which fits the store’s low-tech, Amish-run approach. Everything else runs on simple, practical systems.
Planning ahead solves the problem entirely. A quick stop at the ATM or a checkbook in your bag means smooth sailing at checkout.
Regulars treat this as second nature and pack cash before setting out. For first-timers, it is the number one thing to remember before making the drive.
Far from a drawback, the cash-and-check setup adds to the old-school charm. It is a small adjustment that fits right in with the store’s honest, no-frills character, and it keeps the focus squarely on those unbeatable prices.
Hours and Getting There
Timing your visit takes a little forethought, mostly because of one closed day. The store shuts its doors on Sundays completely.
Monday through Saturday, the doors open at 8:30 in the morning and close at 5 in the afternoon. That consistent schedule makes weekday and Saturday planning easy.
The location sits well outside town, so many shoppers roll it into a country outing. People happily travel from an hour or more away, treating the drive as part of the adventure.
Nearby Ottumwa and the town of Bloomfield give a sense of the surrounding area. Beyond those anchors, the route winds through open Iowa countryside.
A word to the wise on the website: the posted ad has been known to run a few weeks behind, so do not count on it for the very latest deals. The rotating stock is best discovered in person anyway.
Line up a weekday or Saturday, pack your cash, and give yourself time to explore. The remoteness is half the story, and the payoff at the shelves rewards the journey.
Worth the Drive?
So does a remote bargain store live up to the buzz? For the great majority of people who make the trip, the answer leans firmly toward yes.
The heart of the appeal stays steady: low prices, a wide and shifting variety, and helpful folks behind the operation. Those pieces have earned the store a devoted following over many years.
A few longtime customers have noticed some prices creeping upward on certain items, and they are honest about wanting the deep savings that first hooked them. Fair feedback, and worth keeping in mind if you drive a long way expecting rock-bottom everything.
Even so, the wins keep piling up. Clean building, kind staff who will hunt down an item in the back for you, and the steady thrill of unearthing something new.
People walk out with full carts and, more often than not, a smile. Many say they will return and bring friends along next time.
Come curious, come with cash, and come ready to browse. That combination turns a quiet spot in southern Iowa into one of the most rewarding grocery runs around.
Share this story
