The Friday Store

If you don’t mind digging around and hunting for a good bargain then the Friday store is for you! I’ll probably make it a once a month trip. Don’t get discouraged at getting lost a little bit, it’s worth hunting for the store. Check the expiration dates on things like dairy products. I got expired coffee but let’s face it, coffee doesn’t really go bad does it? The owners are nice (although not crazy about kids, but that’s ok) and they have a good satisfaction policy in place. Found some horizon organic crackers and even some pb2 powdered peanut butter! Even if you don’t NEED to bargain shop who doesn’t like saving some money? 68 $ spent and I walked out with about 8 grocery bags full of various food and cleaning items, some of which I know are expensive. Give it a try and you won’t be disappointed.

This is absolutely one of the best places that I have been while shopping on a budget. I was amazed at all of the name brand items that they had for sale. You do have to pay attention to the expiration date. The owners are super nice and helpful. Will definitely go back.

Great for coffee purchases. I bought a ton of Nespresso pods for $ 5/​sleeve and cases of K-​cups for $ 10. Great for snacks for my road trip. Don’t be confused when your phone’s GPS sends you into a random parking lot — it’s not steering you wrong.

The reviewers are all correct: an eclectic mix of bargains. BTW expiration dates on non-​perishable food are often arbitrary and the food is still good. Best deals are frozen meat and cheese, but you never know what you’ll find.

LOVED IT!
If you are into backpacking and want cheap food to take this is the place. I would recommend going in with no specific food agenda and see the food selection. For instance, crystal light packets were super cheap, but they may not have them in stock the next week.
I wouldn’t expect a great selection of fruits and vegetables but definitely worth stopping in. Plus, the owners are incredibly nice!

Oh man. It’s all true. Go here.

It’s the BEST. I found fresh asparagus and peaches today. Peaches were 3 for a dollar and asparagus were a bundle for a dollar. The grocery store is charging 4.99 a pound for asparagus right now. What a deal. LOVE it.

We shopped here occasionally when we lived in South Denver and most of our trips were worthwhile despite the miles traveled to get there. For example, several times we were able to buy excellent-​quality gourmet cheeses at $ 3 per lb (including cheeses that king soopers sold for $ 20 per lb.)
But it’s a small store and some things there aren’t a great deal or are truly seconds — bags of melted candies, for example. And it was hit or miss as to whether there would be other good deals like the cheeses for sale.
To the reviewer who was upset about past-​dated products — hey, that’s kind-​of what surplus stores are all about. Why do you think this kind of store can sell things so cheap? And yes, take that into consideration — check for expiry dates, presence of mold, etc. before purchasing.
Would give 5 stars except for the store being so small and the selection sometimes not being great. But sometimes we really scored.

Is anyone else lurking at the back of Safeway, digging through mark-​down bin of dented cans and deciding whether the mutt might like the half off, Didn’t-Sell-Well dog treats? Hey, the economy hit me hard, and I was a single mom dealing with a deadbeat ex for so long, that it’s just habit now to be thrifty.
Turns out, there’s a whole STORE of grocery store misfits, and it is The Friday Store. I had never heard the term ‘grocery salvage’ until I saw a feature on CNN a while back, and Googled whether such a store existed in Colorado. Sure enough, here it is – a little Mom-​and-​Pop operation in that murky part of Arvada that is part commercial, part residential and part… weird custom car traffic… The Friday Store hosts an ever-​changing array of interesting odds and ends every Friday and Saturday (only). They carry dry goods, frozen goods, some refrigerated items, pet foods and occasionally a little homegrown produce and free range eggs.
The Friday Store fits nicely in the larger «green» movement, as so many people like me are looking to be a better consumer, put less in land fills, and make our grocery dollar go farther. There are DEALS here like no mark-​down bin I know! But like all true thrift stores, you have to either know what you’re looking for, or be prepared to get creative. But trust me when I tell you that without a lot of effort, you can save 50% or better on your grocery shopping by visiting here with an open mind. By going no-​frills on the store, they save you a TON with the products.
You’ll find everything from products that just didn’t sell well (like the enchilada-​flavored instant oatmeal) to restaurant supply overstocks (like the frozen curly fries packaged for use by a well known fast food place) to dented cans, high end condiments and commercial cleaning products. Occasionally I have found the most incredible top end frozen gourmet ingredients that I remember well from my restaurant days. I about fainted when they had cases of frozen blackberry purée and came home to make sorbet and pies and wine until everyone’s tongues were purple. Another time, it was French milk chocolate pistelles. Right now, frozen organic all-​butter pound cakes that are amazing. And frozen caramelized shallot and black peppercorn butter to turn the last of the summer grilled steaks into something utterly sublime. Trust me. Get some. There is just no telling what will be here from week to week, so if you find a deal, grab it quick.
There are some products that are nearing or past their «best by» or «sell by» date, which everyone has their own feelings about. The thing I saw on CNN also talked about how a lot of expiration dates are sort of a scam by food manufacturers to get you to buy more food. I have to say I’ve never brought anything home from here that turned out to be spoiled.
Even with the warehouse feel, having the ability to bring home gorgeous mussels and truffle oil for some homemade pomme frites tonight means it doesn’t FEEL like I’m bring a miser. Woo hoo! Not working and having no income sucks a little less!

This salvage goods store tucked away in Arvada is a great place for canned fruits and canned pumpkin. They have a lot of offerings and I was intrigued by their fresh cheese selection. The prices are pretty good. Just be sure to check the expiration dates on food items. I came across a few things that were well past the expiration date.
Parking is right in front of the store which is nice. They supply grocery wagons for your shopping convenience. The location is a bit far for me to make it a regular stop, but I can see myself popping in every once in awhile to check things out.

You know that rack at the back of the supermarket, usually near the warehouse doors, where they offer the nearly-​out-​of-​date baked goods and dented cans at a discount?
Now imagine enough of that to fill a small grocery store. Throw in a few freezer chests full meat but also sometimes frozen veg/​fruits/​baked items, and also half an aisle or so of I-​think-​the-​store-​owners-​use-​this-​as-​garage-​sale-​space (I once bought some vinyl LPs there) and you have The Friday Store.
It’s an eclectic mix of stuff, to be sure. You’ll rarely find the exact same item twice, but on my last trip I bought a case of organic boxed shells and cheese, a wheel of shallot-​infused butter, a bottle of cherry-​balsamic vinaigrette, a can of Coco Lopez, cans of diced tomatoes, packs of ladyfinger cookies, and some frozen ground buffalo meat. Don’t plan on shopping from a list, but you’re sure to find some staples there as well. There is always SOME sort of pasta and rice, as well as beans, soup, coffee, tea, and bread.
The store, located towards the back of a warehouse enclave with limited signage, is only open on Fridays and Saturdays. They take cash, credit, debit, and Quest cards.