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I'm glad to see someone else has found a few special surprises at a dollar store! I live in a city that has an abundance of small mom & pop ethnic grocery stores-Asian, Latin and European. I'm always finding interesting new things to experiment with. Sometimes I even find stuff I've found I can't live without, things like really good soy sauce and citrus juices from Japan & the Philippines (yuzu and calamansi).

The most surprising places to find interesting food items are the chain drugstores like CVS and Walgreens. There is a large Hawaiian community in Las Vegas and for some reason I haven't figured out yet, these chains often have an entire aisle devoted to interesting Hawaiian specialty food items (maybe another reader can explain that to me?).

When I'm in the neighborhood and a little bored, I check out the food sections at Tuesday Morning and Marshalls. Sometimes the deals are really good, but sometimes I can find the same brands at lower prices elsewhere, so it good to know what the going rate is before you buy. And sometimes they'll have oddball stuff that the local stores don't carry, like truffle salt.

Also, my local mom and pop grocery will often have brands that the big chains don't carry, so just because they're small doesn't mean they won't have interesting stuff. Ethnic markets are good too. There are a couple of small ones nearby, but the big ones are a bit of a drive.

I sometimes get this sort of stuff at a drug store we have in Seattle called Bartells believe it or not. But yes I also get this stuff at dollar stores and there is this one independent owned Ukrainian store that has tons and tons of discounted things, it is a steal what you can get there.

@pjracz10--bartell's, huh? I can't say i've ever really looked for food at bartell's... but this one night...

My restaurant was hosting a wine dinner, prix fixe, big deal, blah blah blah...I had worked the day shift and had stayed late to help prep for the dinner. As I was just about to head for the lockers and go home my chef realized he needed way more coconut milk than we had on hand for a curry dish. He handed me $20..."Dave! Go get coconut milk! As much as this will buy! Hurry the fuck up!" Ok, fine. I head to Delaurentis in the market--closed. I try that new grocery store on 3rd and Pike, look around forever, can't find it. I track down a manager guy...no help. I finally find the empty space where the coconut milk is supposed to be...they're out. Shit! At this point my chef expected me back about 15 minutes ago...So I hit the street, stressed to hell, thinking "call a cab? call the chef to disappoint him? WTF do I do?" Then I see the Bartell's down the street, where I usually buy my bus passes. I know they have a small grocery section, but...coconut milk? I run down the street anyway, fingers crossed. I look around for maybe 45 seconds and there it is. Not just some coconut milk but three different fucking brands, in regular and lite. I fill my basket, scamper up to the register where the cashier looks at me a little funny, and book it back to the kitchen...When my chef sees me he starts in "Where the fuck have you..." and then he sees that I'm carrying bartell's bags full of cans..."Sorry it took so long, chef. Here you go, $20 worth of coconut milk. I'm going home now."

TJ Maxx is great for extracts and oddball oils and vinegars. The Big Lots around the corner from my house actually has a decent selection of organic foods. As long as it's a nonperishable in a sealed package not expired, I have no problem with it regardless of what store it came from.

The World Market and if you live in the Houston area, our local Mega Liquor - Wine Store 'Specs' has a phenomenal food store - all kinds of hidden treasures in there. With the biggest treat being their 'deli' which is all the way in the back.

In Ontario, we have a chain called Giant Tiger (affectionately known as GT Boutique - they actually adopted that as their website address, I believe). They carry all sorts of groceries now - and the prices on canned stuff, like tomatoes, soups, the like, are often MUCH better than any other place. They also carry a particular brand of perogie that I just love, and often have good prices on frozen fish pieces. Some people I know look down on folks who shop at GT, thinking it is a cheap bargain store suited to those who make less money. I see plenty of SMART people, wealthy or not, shopping there and getting good nutritious food for their money.

i found it in the woods.

I love the Dollar Tree for candy. :) Also, a pretty good place to get canned tomatoes.

@Maureen - couldn't agree more - hurrah for Giant Tiger!! I was just there yesterday to buy Easter stuff for the grandchildren and bought a big bag of naval, seedless oranges for $2.97 - those green bags for storing vegetables - I spent $4 for 20 for both of my DIL, because I had just bought some for myself (after hearing about them on SE) at Home Outfitters for over $12 - ya gotta love it!