A friend turned me into this place! A little of everything packed into this cozy well located space. Loads of dry goods in terms of food including nuts, lentils, beans, cereals, flour (all kinds), teas, spices, candy but also some liquids - honey, vanilla extract, etc. love that I can choose my own amount 1/4 lb 1/2 lb etc. but now super conscious when I'm using too much plastic bags. Price are decent - you pay a little more for convenience of options. Employees are friendly and helpful. This is my new go to for Brazilian nuts, split peas, dark chocolate covered cherries, and more ! Conveniently located off Stadium & South Industrial. Highly recommend read more

Visited this store for the first time today... incredible! Amazing selection of bulk teas, (niche) herbs, grains, flours, etc with lots of organic options. The prices are fair. Will MOST DEFINITELY be back, only wish is that we had discovered it sooner :( read more

fabulous store, great selection of herbs and spices at very good prices. You can get a tablespoon of a spice if that's all you need!!

My happy place, for years. Best tea selection I've ever seen, and best prices--and I'm serious about tea (as is the owner). Great selection of FRESH spices, nuts, grains, beans, dried fruits, chocolate, oils, syrup, etc. Fab storage containers and kitchen tools, and all the little things (milk, butter, eggs, kombucha), so you can avoid a trip to another store. Buy just what you need, reduce packaging, save money. Nice people and beautifully curated music. read more

My partner attended the University of Michigan for undergrad all the way through her PhD (roughly 10 years). When I met her in 2018, she introduced me to the wonderful place that is By The Pound (we affectionately refer to it as BTP), and it was always a treat to visit. We always stocked up on their candy (which, by the way, is of the highest quality and with EXTREMELY fair prices), coffee, almost any flour you can think of, and any odd spice that you may need. If you only need a tablespoon of something for a recipe that isn't in your cupboard, you don't have to go to Meijer and buy a whole bottle of something you'll rarely ever use! The employees are all very friendly as well. Whenever you need assistance, they go above and beyond to help. Since, we moved to Athens, GA, and BTP is at the top of the list (right next to Sparrow Meat Market) of stores we miss. We often talk about tossing our graduate degrees and just opening up a bulk foods shop here in town. We miss having this resource at our fingertips. The past 2 years, we return to the Michigan area during the winter holidays and always make sure to stop at BTP. Their treats make great stocking stuffers, and I ALWAYS have to stock up on those dark chocolate coconut clusters (I just finished the last one -- hence writing this review -- and I'm sad I can't find anything like them on the internet or here in town). Anyways, highly, HIGHLY recommend By The Pound. read more

love! love! love! Tare your containers, get the amount you want. Remember maple syrup!

They have supplies/items not available elsewhere in the area. It's also nice that they sell small (a few oz) & large amounts (e.g., 50# oatmeal) and a wide variety of items. read more

I was really excited to see the number of ethnic ingredients and herbal foods offered here that are hard to find at a typical grocery store. Foods like mung beans and goji berries are usually unavailable or sold at expensive prices in small batches as specialty items at grocery stores. While there are two Asian grocery stores I know of in the area I've been able to get these at, the prices here are such a steal that it makes up for the extra grocery trip I have to take. By the Pound is able to keep their prices low as they sell their foods in bulk. It's also nice knowing there is an additional place I can check if something I'm looking for runs out at the other places I frequent. Furthermore, they have an impressive array of candies, dried fruit, coffee/tea, baking items, and sauces/syrups. They have a variety of chocolate blocks for baking (like milk and white chocolate), cake flour, caster sugar (so helpful when you don't have a functioning blender to make your own), sprinkles, etc. There's also the added advantage of buying only the amount you need when you purchase in bulk, so you don't have to commit to large bags of rice or containers of soy sauce and vanilla extract you know you'll have trouble finishing. They do have a sheet of paper by the register for customers to suggest food ingredients they'd like to see at the store in case you don't find what you need. To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect on my first visit, and was so overwhelmed by all the choices (in a good way) that I ended up going home with only a bag of strawberry licorice lol. Now that I know what they have, I can make a list of the things I need to purchase on my next visit. Their blueberry tea is on my to try list for the next time I stop by. Do keep in mind, however, that they have a $5 minimum on using credit cards. They will charge you a quarter if your total purchase is less than $5 and you don't have any cash on you. Luckily I had just enough cash to pay for my candy this visit. All in all, I was really impressed by the variety By the Pound carries and appreciate the lower bulk prices and ability to only buy what you need. This store is certainly worth a visit! read more

By The Pound - a shelf full of jars of food - Grocery Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Look. I'll admit I'm spoiled. But in Albany our local natural foods co-op had an incredible bulk selection that exceeds what's available at By The Pound. Of course, I'm not in Albany anymore. Locally, By The Pound is indeed a hidden gem, and an important culinary discovery. What is misleading about a store that sells items in "bulk" is that it also sells items by the teaspoon. If you don't need a lot of Sichuan peppercorns, you can simply buy a small scoop of them. Don't be afraid of the price per pound, as they are deceptively light. And they are simply incredible. It should be noted that not everything at By The Pound is incredible. For example, I was intrigued by the cheesy popcorn sprinkle, but that's never coming home with me again. And some of the spices weren't quite as vibrant as I had hoped, but they were certainly in an acceptable range, especially for the price. Still, BTP has found its way into my regular shopping rotation. I'm now seasoned enough to know to write down the price per pound of each item I'm getting. Plus, I'm finally up to speed on taring the weight of jars brought from home, which will expedite the refreshing of long neglected spices in the kitchen rack. Conveniently, it's also located in a shopping plaza that sells other potent herbs by the gram, which I bet makes the parking lot busier on weekends. But if you're trying to live a greener life, making fewer drives is a big step to reducing your carbon footprint. Enjoy this idiosyncratic slice of Ann Arbor. I have a feeling the place will grow on me, and hope my like for BTP will blossom into love. read more

BTP has moved since I last wrote this review but they still have all the great things you've come to love about them--bulk spices, tea, coffee, flours, granola, nuts, rice and other grains, dried fruit, candy and more. They also have a ton of great baking decorations including sanding sugar in a rainbow of colors and metallics and sprinkles. A while back I made a funfetti cake and needed almost a pound of sprinkles for the inside and the sprinkle coated outside and it was easy and way more affordable to get that here, vs tallying up small bottles to get the weight I needed from a big box store. Bring your own containers to cut back on waste. A case of ball jars can get you far for with the aforementioned items and you can also bring bottles to fill oils and extracts like vanilla. Help the planet AND save money on delicious food! read more

A serious hidden gem in Ann Arbor. BTP is a VERY reasonable, low/no waste, bulk bin shop that has everything from nuts, flour, pasta, oils, seasonings and more. The system is a little confusing at first, but by your second round shopping here you will have it down (take pictures on your phone to ring up prices correctly)! I love that they have a running list of recommendations and that they are happy to improve the inventory that they offer. read more

Wonderful place serving a vital "never-knew-we-needed-it" niche: bulk foods with range well beyond the supermarkets. Teas from Japan, China, India, Korea; coffees; grains; flours; herbs & spices; sugars; flours .... & candy store candies. Must-visit in AA! read more

Service is excellent!!! Staff here are friendly, helpful, and low key. No judgement for people who want to bring used Tupperware containers. They have sharpees, pens, and sticky notes at the front register where the scale is so you can write down how heavy your containers are before you start filling up! Busy on sundays. Never had to wait in line yet though. Great fair trade options for coffee!!! Tons of options for rice, quinoa, lentils, beans, oatmeal, and granola. As in, there is more than one option for each of those! And everything so far I've bought feels like a steal! I haven't tried any of their bulk snacks or candy yet. I'll certainly be coming back though. Spacious, clean, and has a great vibe. read more

Barry Callebaut dark chocolate "chips" best we have ever had!!! Thank you so much for carrying so many and such high end products!

What an awesome find! Great service and specialty items. From candies to coffee to baking supplies and spices, this place has it all. The smells are incredible and prices more than reasonable. A fun place to stock up with snacks before you travel on those long car rides or just getting ready to stay in and watch a movie/game. read more

By The Pound is the BEST store to get bulk groceries. I'm trying to do the whole "zero"-waste (more like lower impact) thing. BTP has almost everything I would normally buy packaged in bulk. I bring in my glass containers, tare them, fill them up, and they subtract the weight of my jar so I'm not creating plastic bag waste. Where other bulk sections have very few things, BTP has pasta, lentils, nuts, spices, flour, dried fruit, coffee, tea, oils, vinegar, candy, cereal, etc. I can get all of my shopping done here except for my produce and toiletries. Shopping in bulk has also cut my grocery shopping costs in half: It is so much cheaper to shop here! The owner is also very nice. I love this store with a passion, and I hope it never ever goes away. read more

Zero Wasters! SHOP HERE! The last year I've been trying to make the switch into a mostly zero waste lifestyle -and one of the main switches you can make is switching a majority of your shopping to a bulk store. I've been to a lot of places that sell bulk in Southeast Michigan now - this place is my favorite. Every couple of months I will go out of my way to make a trip out to Ann Arbor to shop at By the Pound. They have the best prices, the best selection, and the most convenient shopping. First of all - bring in your own containers!! They do offer plastic bags for you but come on - isn't that the point of bulk shopping - to not have to have all that extra packaging?? You can have your containers weighed at the counter before you start so you don't have to pay extra for the weight of your containers - and then you're off! They have the best selections of spices and grains out of any bulk store. I love the Israeli style couscous and pastas they offer - things you don't usually find in bulk! They have oils, vinegars, and honey available as well to put in your own bottles. You can get multiple kinds of flour, sugars, chocolates, dried fruits, coffee, granola, oats, nuts, the list goes on. I'm not kidding. They carry like six different kinds of lentils. Four different kinds of oats. It's awesome. I mean of course there's candy like other bulk stores - but there's so much more to bulk than just candy! I would highly suggest you grab some old jam and pickle jars and stop at By the Pound before running off to the local Meijer - you'd be impressed with how much you can get! read more

First (and probably least important) I LOVE how this place smells. The second you walk in, it's like a mingling of herbs, spices, candy, honey, coffee and tea all gently swirled together in the air. It smells. so. good. They have everything. And I love that they not only let but encourage you to bring your own containers, which you can weigh to tare out. I get so annoyed at places like Whole Foods that say it's a health hazard and won't let you put food in your own jars and containers, and make you buy "bulk" things in disposable plastic. It's like, what's the point? But here, you can bring those old, cleaned out jars and bags and cream cheese containers and put whatever you want in them without a sideways glance. I love that this place isn't pretentious. It's not trying to be hip or aesthetically pleasing, it just does what it does and does it well. I love that they have measuring cups you can use, so if you're making a recipe that calls for 1/2 cup of almond meal, you can use their measuring cups to weigh out exactly what you need, take it home, and dump it in your recipe. No guesswork, no waste. No more having to eyeball what you think is a cup of golden raisins just to get home and find you're short by a little. Their prices are very reasonable. I always try to pay in cash so I don't create a fee for them because I don't know how they make money off of all the $1 purchases customers make. I bought a little bag of (more than enough) candy corn yesterday for 71 cents. They have a good mix of organic and non-gmo stuff but they also aren't afraid to sell that neon orange cheese dust if you happen to want to make your own cheetos. They're not biased. Do you have a huge pile of grocery bags stacked/wadded up at home that you keep meaning to recycle/toss? Just bring them to By The Pound. They'll use them. They're not afraid to put your groceries in a used Kroger bag and I love that and wish more places were as quick to reuse. Try to make this place part of your grocery shopping habit. You'll save money and you'll be making a sustainable environmental choice. I'm getting ready to move away from Ann Arbor and this place is near the very top of the list of "places I will miss most". read more

Impressive selection of spices and grains. Plenty of ingredients you often just need a little of for cooking. Definitely happy. I found some dried mushrooms at good prices (both porcinis and a mix of exotics), belgian chocolate and excellent dried fruit. Sea salt, peppercorns, wasabi peas, red lentils and a bean mix perfect for soup all at happy prices. They also had a good supply of very fresh teas and even a tea press. I was intrigued by the ears of dried corn with instructions on how to make microwave popcorn with them. I love that you can wander without being bugged but that there was someone ready as soon as I had any questions. I will be back to buy plenty now that I know. read more

If you love the bulk sections at Arbor Farms and Whole Foods, you have to check out By the Pound. This place blasts the Meijer bulk section out of the water! Candy Herbs & Spices Tea & Coffee Flours Dried Fruit Dry Beans & Grains More spices than Whole Foods. I got myself some annatto seeds - aka achiote. Score! The Jordan Almonds were some of the best I've ever had. The candy shell is not so thick that you'd crack a tooth, and they're very flavorful. Dark chocolate covered almonds made hubby very happy when I got home. Each section has shelves above for items that accompany each type of bulk item. For example, in the flour section, you will find baking soda, yeast, etc. I found rye flour here, which has not been in the bulk section over at Whole Foods for a while. Fancy tea. The kind that blooms in hot water. Fantastic. And lots of yummy loose leaf teas. Tea infusers, tea bags, coffee filters, etc. There is a small section of kitchen tools. I am so glad I read about this place on Yelp. I had been to By the Pound once or twice during high school - a million years ago - and had forgotten about it over the years. I'll be back regularly now! read more

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Have been a loyal customer and supporter of BTP for over 20 years, since their smaller location on S. Main was open. A great place to buy just the right amount of any spice, pasta, baking ingredient, or international food. No waste because you only buy exactly what you need. Also the best selection of loose tea in the area, with a large array of Japanese green teas including gyokuro. One of the customers also leaves copies of Bon Appetit magazine from the 1980s for others to pick up...this has recently become a bit of an obsession. read more

Love this place! It's one of the few places I will actually go out of my way to pay with cash because I honestly want it to thrive. (It's usually hard for me to spend even $20 here, since the prices are so cheap. Unless I'm buying, say, their Fair Trade Rwanda coffee, which is really good!) It's so unbelievably cheap to stock up my spice rack. The dark chocolate covered cherries are ZOMG! so good! The raspberry 'n' cream granola is my most recent obsession. And the owner is the nicest guy ever! Lately, there's been this older lady working the cashier (at least on Saturdays), and she's kind of grumpy. But not grumpy enough for me to lower my rating. read more

A little eeked out by the notion that the general public has their hands on scoops that get thrown into the bulk containers, but this really is the cheapest and best place to replenish your spice cabinet. They also have a great selection of loose leaf teas, whole been coffee and brewing accessories. Bulk oil, vinegar, and honey. Unique selection of ethnic foods. Candies and food grade gift bags. It's a small place with a lot to offer. read more

I will be going here for all my baking, cooking and spices moving forward. Multiple choices and so affordable! They have reusable containers for you, or you can bring your own. There are multiple choices and various variety of items. read more

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Love the bulk spices, grains, flours, candy, nuts. A good place to pick up Indian food, high quality dairy, beeswax candles, coffees, etc. love it! read more

This place is small but nifty. It's part of the collection of shops called the South Main Market, and the Market itself is definitely worth at least one visit since it's a very cool collection of locally-owned shops and restaurants. I had By the Pound recommended as a good place to get coffee, but they also have spices and chocolate and other dry goods in bulk. It smells great, and that's always a bonus. I'm not sure I'd shop here for bulk items on a regular basis, since I tend to purchase bulk goods when I'm already getting other items at the grocery store. But if I were shopping in the South Main Market anyway, this store would definitely be on the list for picking up spices or coffee or other items on my list. read more

By The Pound - a man walking out of a restaurant - Grocery Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Great source for healthy, low-cost bulk foods, baking ingredients, nuts, coffees, teas, spices, olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, vanilla extract, local honey, molasses, candy, etc. Either bring your own containers, or use their bags (baaad for planet) or buy their containers to re-use. Personnel are always very polite, friendly, willing to answer any questions. My rating would be 5 STARS if they also carried shampoo & conditioner, laundry and dish detergent. read more

A little Ann Arbor treasure with a friendly English owner. We used to visit often in the older location. Look forward to going to the new location. Everything here is reasonably priced when compared to chain supermarkets. They have a good variety of Indian spices which is very convenient for me! read more

Love this place! Everything is bagged up and safe to grab out of the bins. Wonderful shop to get what you need and find some stuff you didn't know you needed :) read more

Unfortunately not everything is sustainable and plastic free I was hoping to bring my own bags and jars but was told I couldn't take the plastic off the nuts to put into my jar it was upsetting I was hoping for a fully sustainable store because we don't have many options for people trying to be eco friendly until crops start to grow. read more

if only there was a six star review! incredible value, really helpful staff, patient with my kids, dedication to keeping shopping local when possible and best sourced when not possible. read more

What can I say? I love snacks! In college, I had a friend who told me "I don't think I've ever seen you eat a real meal. I picture you just eating little snacks throughout the day." That's kinda true. Since college, I've started cooking more and eating "real meals" but I also eat little meals, so snacks are much appreciated! And By the Pound has great deals on snacks (3 types of sesame sticks!), candy (malted milk balls), plus raw grains, beans and other things I can use in my real-meal grown-up cooking. Everything's at an affordable price, and the store feels nicely laid-back. One thing I hadn't noticed is how many staples they now carry as well. They have jars of tomatoes, cartons of broth, along with a whole shelving unit full of baking necessities like foil and mini-muffin cups. It's great to realize this, since this store is far closer for me than running out to Busch's, or even "bootleg Kroger" as we affectionately (?) have dubbed the closest Kroger. I really love having By the Pound just around the corner! read more

By the pound is amazing!!!! It's a great place to get a bit of this and that at very reasonable prices. As a college student, I didn't want to commit to a large package of any ingredient and have to deal with the surplus when I move elsewhere in the summer. I could get just a bit of cake flour, falafel mix, spices, teas and nuts to play around with recipes. The tea selection is great, and I always leave with a couple new varieties to try at home. I love that there is a good range of prices and qualities for the teas. It looks intimidating when teas are priced at ~$60/lb, but a couple bucks can get you a LOT of tea. If you aren't experienced with purchasing tea by the pound (like me), just get enough for a few servings to sample a few flavors. You'll be surprised how much you can get for your money. THEY HAVE A SPRINKLES SECTION! I made chocolates and biscottis for Christmas presents last year, and I came here for many of the ingredients and embellishments. read more

Although I've spent most of the last two decades in A2, it was only in the past year that I became a regular at By the Pound. And man, I'm glad I did! BTP offers up a fantastic variety of dry goods, spices, candies, and tea/coffee. Most of their items are at very reasonable prices. Other yelpers have pretty much covered the overall awesomeness of this store, so I'll just list a few specific things that I like: 1. the owner is very friendly and committed to the community. He regularly puts a coupon in the Groundcover newspaper, which I appreciate both for the coupon and for the fact that he supports Groundcover. And when you go to use the coupon, instead of acting annoyed (as some places do), they seem genuinely pleased. 2. they have a fantastic selection of lentils and dried legumes. 3. I like the fair-trade coffee selection. 4. They have a small but useful section of refrigerated groceries like butter, eggs, milk, cheese, so I don't always need to make a trip to another store. 5. Parking is never an issue. 6. Packaging options - you can use theirs, or you can minimize packaging by bringing your own and checking the tare weight before filling your containers. I hope that this business thrives for years to come, it's a real asset to the city. read more

This bulk store was rather sparse on options, I prefer a bulk food store where i can buy nuts, spices, falafel mix and licorice all in one stop. The employee on duty was a high school student who LOVES his job ( what high school student loves to work?), and was exceptionally helpful. read more

The goods by the pound: coffee + tea beans nuts grains rice pastas trail mix candy spices crackers snacks And all at way affordable prices. I got a huge bag o' trail mix to snack on at work at the whole thing cost me about $3. You can't get a small back of the same stuff at Target, even, for under $4 or $5. Everything else seemed to be priced incredibly well, too. Also: some cheeses, milk, + butter, specialty European things like Nutella and cool containers to put your bulk stuff in to make it all pretty and organized on your kitchen shelves. I'm a huge fan and will definitely be back the next time a recipe calls for some weird spice I don't want a whole jar full of. Very cool concept for a store! read more

Much love for By The Pound. You want the dutch pressed cocoa that the recipe is calling for, that you can't find elsewhere for under $12? Right here... as much or as little as you want. Want a mini-grater for lemon zest? Sugar sprinkles in whatever color assortment your ice-cream decorating heart desires? How about three different types of cinnamon? More chocolate-covered candies than your arteries can handle. Bottles and bins and cellos and cases. And lots of dried Michigan cherries. All. Right. Here. And. Cheap. Buuuuut, you're only going to get dry and canned goods here. There *is* a fridge with items like milk, eggs, maple syrup, and cheese... but you won't find anything like fresh herbs. The tea selection could also use a few more herbal flavors. And the canned goods could be a little cheaper. Just sayin'. read more

Love this place and the prices. They have every type of grain, spice, coffee bean, tea selection, dry fruit, baking chocolate, legume and trail mix possible. If they added a jerky section, my mind would officially be blown. Great store, wonderful prices and a wonderful place to shop. Support local, DIY businesses! read more

You can't feel like a true hippie until you start shopping at a by-the-pound store. This place is aaawesome, and also has the added benefit of being connected to a european foods store (that sells fresh perogi!) and a little gourmet deli. Back to the by-the-pound: you can get pretty much everything except produce or refrigerated things, though they have a small selection of over-priced dairy items. This place is super-cheap, as you aren't paying for brand or packaging, for that matter. The coffee selection is great (I recommend the Scandanavian blend), and they have the largest array of legumes I've ever seen. One of the best things is that you can buy as little of something as you want - this is especially handy when getting spices for a dish you've never made before. The staff is friendly, even when you drop a bag of steel-cut oats on the floor and it goes everywhere (which has to happen pretty often, right?) Watch out for the row of candy by the pound, I've found myself coming home with swedish fish and malted milk balls more than I'd like to admit... And you can bring in your own containers once you become a hard-core hippie, which they will weigh for you before you fill them. read more

By The Pound is a fantastic bulk food store. Their products are always fresh - which is important when you purchase things like spices (even my cooking class instructor goes here for spices because they are always fresh and tasty!) They have a huge selection of flours, spices, candies, chocolates, etc. Their prices are also very reasonable and with it being on the edge of town, parking is right out front and free. One quick hint is that you need to bring cash for purchases under $5 - at times it can be kind of difficult to spend the minimum to use a credit card. read more