Some of the best grocery runs start with a plain building you would drive right past. In Texas, there is a little discount store where the shelves change every week and the prices make you double-check the tag.
Families drive in from other towns just to fill their pantries for less. If you love a good hunt and a cheaper grocery bill, keep reading.
A Salvage Grocery on Runnels Street
Tucked at 403 Runnels St in Big Spring, Bargain Mart is the kind of place locals mention with a knowing grin. From the outside, it looks like a simple neighborhood grocery.
Inside, it works a little differently.
The store calls itself a discount and salvage grocer. That means it buys food other sellers can no longer move, often because the items are close to their date, past it, or overstocked.
The owner has said plainly that the shop deals with all sorts of dates, so the savings come with a little homework.
That trade-off is exactly why people love it. Shoppers who are fine checking labels can walk out with a full cart for far less than a typical supermarket bill.
Others come simply for the thrill of seeing what turned up this week. Either way, Bargain Mart has carved out a loyal following in this corner of West Texas, and it has kept that crowd coming back for years.
Decades of Loyal Customers
Ask around and you will hear stories that stretch back years. One longtime shopper said they have been coming since childhood, and the family still stops in every time they visit relatives in town.
Another started shopping here in 2008 and liked chatting with the staff so much they told people about it while standing in line at other stores.
That kind of loyalty does not happen by accident. Regulars describe the place as an old-fashioned grocery, the sort where a real checker rings you up instead of a self-scan machine.
Some customers have shopped for over twenty years and have seen prices and deals shift over time. Not every memory is rosy, and a few longtime fans feel prices have crept up lately.
Still, the fact that people keep measuring the store against their own history says a lot. Bargain Mart has become part of the routine for many Big Spring households, passed down like a family recipe.
Deals That Fill a Whole Pantry
Fifty-one mentions. That is how often deals come up when people talk about Bargain Mart, far more than any other topic.
Savings are the whole point here, and shoppers notice.
One family of seven from Petersburg drove in once a month during tough times. They said their pantry stretched well past a month for a fraction of what they would normally spend.
Another shopper on a tight monthly food budget said they could eat all month and still afford a few treats, buying meat, produce, and bread for well under a dollar a loaf at the time.
Older reviews mention classic pricing like 3 for $1.00 and buy 2, get 1 free, plus weekly specials. Prices and offers change, so expect variety rather than a fixed menu.
Some regulars say the best value lives in the sale items. If you plan around those, your grocery money can go surprisingly far.
The Ten Cents on the Dollar Corner
Here is a fun little secret regulars like to share. According to one longtime shopper, staff watch the dates and move the oldest items to special corner shelves priced at around 10 cents on the dollar.
Think of it as the bargain bin within the bargain store. These items are often well past their printed date, so they are priced to move fast.
For canned goods, some shoppers swear by them. One regular said they have bought hundreds, maybe thousands, of expired cans over the years without trouble.
Of course, smart shopping matters most in this section. The owner has stated that the store follows the guidelines set for running a discount food store, and staff do keep an eye on dates.
Still, look closely at what you pick up, especially anything soft, boxed, or chilled. Treated with a bit of care, the corner can be the most rewarding stop in the whole place.
Meat Case, Frozen Foods, and Produce
Don’t assume it’s all cans and boxes. Bargain Mart also stocks frozen foods, a produce section, and a meat and dairy case, which surprises many first-time visitors.
One regular explained that meat arrives frozen and is thawed before going into the case, and they have eaten plenty of it happily. Another shopper raved about the eggs, saying the yolks were bright yellow and tasted fresh.
A visitor passing through said they wished they could have grabbed frozen items but had a long drive ahead.
Cold food is where caution pays off, though. A few customers have reported dairy items that were far past date or had spoiled.
The owner has responded by offering refunds and asking people to bring items back with a receipt. So sniff, squeeze, and read labels before you buy.
With that habit, the chilled aisles can stretch your budget in ways the pantry shelves alone cannot.
Surprises Beyond the Grocery Aisle
Purses. Dog beds.
Thick velour blankets. Sheet sets.
None of those sound like grocery items, yet shoppers have spotted all of them on Bargain Mart shelves.
That unpredictability is a big part of the fun. One fan said they love walking every aisle just to see what new bargains arrived.
Others mention discounted cookware, kitchen utensils, and paper goods mixed in with the food.
Health-minded shoppers may be pleased, too. One regular said they find lots of organic packaged items, and another noted the store carries unusual products not found in other grocery stores in town.
Because the stock depends on what the store can buy each week, nothing is guaranteed to be there twice. That makes every trip feel a little like a treasure hunt.
If something catches your eye, grab it, because it might be gone the next time you stop by.
Friendly Faces at the Register
A shopper visiting from out of town was caught off guard in the best way. The workers ran her card for her, carried her groceries out, and kept her laughing the whole time, all without being asked.
Stories like that pop up again and again. Friendly people are among the most praised parts of the store, and words like nice, polite, courteous, and helpful show up often.
Even a delivery driver said the crew unloaded pallets quickly despite having no loading dock, and the owner said they care about not wasting drivers’ time.
Not every visit is perfect. A couple of customers have described unpleasant moments with staff, and management has said it would address those concerns.
Overall, though, the warm service is a big reason people make the drive. In a store where the shelves change constantly, a kind greeting is one thing regulars can count on.
An Old Building Kept Clean
Nobody would call it shiny or new. One regular admitted the building is old and has some work to do, and another said it is not the most sparkling place around.
Yet cleanliness gets mentioned more than you might expect. Several shoppers say the store is always clean, and one fan who drives in whenever possible praised both the tidy aisles and the staff in the same breath.
That mix gives the place a homey, no-frills charm. You are not paying for fancy lighting or big displays, which helps keep prices low.
The checkers, the simple layout, and the weekly surprises all add to an old-school feel. Some honest shoppers note small flaws, like stale bread on the back wall now and then.
If you can enjoy a store with a little character, the setting becomes part of the appeal rather than a drawback.
Who Gets the Most Out of a Visit
Budget-stretching families are the obvious fit. Anyone feeding a big household, living on a fixed income, or rebuilding a pantry will likely find real value here.
Generous souls love it, too. One family hauled extra food back for their local food pantry.
Another longtime shopper carried bags of groceries to church families in Juarez starting in 2014. Food donations come up as a recurring theme for good reason.
Bargain hunters and travelers who seek out discount grocers also tend to enjoy the experience. On the other hand, shoppers who want guaranteed freshness on every item may feel happier at a regular supermarket.
A few reviewers felt some non-sale items were priced too high for out-of-date goods. The happiest customers seem to be patient label readers who enjoy browsing.
If that sounds like you, Bargain Mart could become your new favorite errand.
Hours, Phone, and Smart Shopping Tips
Timing matters. Bargain Mart opens at 9 AM and closes at 6:30 PM Monday through Saturday, and it stays closed on Sundays.
One past customer arrived a few minutes before closing and found the doors already shut, so give yourself a comfortable cushion.
You can find the store at 403 Runnels St, Big Spring, TX 79720. For questions, call +1 432-264-9107.
A few tips will make your trip smoother:
Check dates on everything, especially dairy, boxed food, and anything marked way down. Keep your receipt, since management has offered refunds for items that turn out bad.
Ask staff for help if you are unsure about a product, because the owner has invited shoppers to do just that. Finally, bring a cooler if you are driving a long way, so you can grab frozen and chilled deals without worry.
Worth the Detour for Patient Shoppers
So, is it worth the drive? For plenty of people, the answer is a happy yes.
Shoppers come from Petersburg, out-of-town visitors stop in on a whim, and families make it a ritual whenever they come to see relatives.
The magic is in the mix. Low prices, ever-changing stock, friendly workers, and a dash of old-fashioned charm make Bargain Mart more than just a place to buy food.
It feels like a small adventure every time.
Go in with clear eyes, though. This is a salvage grocery, and dates vary widely.
Read labels, inspect cold items, and focus on the sale shelves for the best value. Do that, and you may drive home with a loaded trunk and a lighter grocery bill.
In a world of rising prices, that kind of win feels pretty sweet.
Share this story
