Super Max

Do not buy water guns or anything from Supermax on Newport. My son saved up $ 7.99 to buy a two pack of water guns and neither of them worked at all. When we went to return them they wouldn’t accept the return, but worst of all the owner was extremely rude​. So I advise everyone to stay AWAY.

If you walk in and the cashier is youthful and friendly: green light. If not, turn around and leave. There’s a… more mature woman who works here who wears medical gloves for some reason and will make up whatever price strikes her fancy at the moment. Further, your receipt will not provide you with a single clue as to why you just paid $ 30 for a loaf of stale bread and some discontinued flavor of Pringles. And, for God’s sake, don’t buy anything here that you plan on using more than once. You deserve a cheese-​grater that stands the test of time (two or three uses).
They do have chanclas and cigs, and the aforementioned young ladies who man the registers most of the time are really, really nice. I’m don’t enjoy leaving negative reviews, but I’m trying to provide a public service and rack up a couple of «useful» votes.
They do sell… limes and off-​brand energy drinks. You know, for those times when that’s really all that you need.
Now I feel bad. But I want to know where my money goes… don’t you?

One of the worst 99cent stores in town. Try v outlet in pb or clairemont.

Perfect place to pick up random items on the cheap. This joint carries everything from cleaning supplies to nail polish remover (100% acetone, ladies!) to snacks to misc. beach items and the chick that is usually behind the counter is terribly friendly and cute.

While attending the OB Farmer’s Market on Wednesday (11-​13-​2013) I stopped inside of the Super Max store located on the corner of Newport Ave & Bacon Street. I have shopped here before but entered this location on this day to see if anything has changed, it has not!!!
With all of the other stores in the area that are similar to Super Max there is truly no reason whatsoever to shop here. I have not been inside of this store for several years and since my last visit it does not look like much has changed.
If you are wondering what this place sells? Well imagine a $ 0.99 cent store (actually used to be a 99 cent store) that sells alcohol and useless plastic toys for folks to take to the beach and leave in the sand for surfers to pick-​up. You will also find clothing, backpacks, candy & lighter fluid (if you are having a beach bonfire) sold here.
This place is not a store that I expect to be around 5 years from now especially with the competition within a stone’s throw of this location. In my opinion the only thing keeping this place in business is the OB Int’l Hostel which is located a few doors down.
If you are in the area simply walk across the street to Newport Farms Market or up the street to Newport Quik Stop.

Cheap, easy, and nearby

They have some really random stuff here. It looks dingy and weird, but I really can’t talk shit because I have actually found some cool stuff here. It’s enough to keep me coming back. I bought a fuzzy panda hat (yeah I know I am lame) for like $ 5. I also come here to buy hairbands I use when I play soccer or go to the gym (they keep the hair out of my eyes). They are $ 1.50 for a pack of 8 here, which must be less than half the price of everywhere else. Definitely awesome.
Regardless of whether you buy anything it’s fun to stop buy. I have seen some odd food/​candy items here that makes me curious.

Super Max has really improved under its new ownership. Every time I stop in, they have exactly what I need (from a tea pot to peanut butter or eggs) for a reasonable price. They copy keys and even sell hookahs. The staff is super friendly, and always willing to help me find something. Gotta love this place.

I love Supermax bc its cheap, its close to my house and it has lots of great everyday items. If only they had alcohol. mmmmmmmmmmm…

There’s a sort of love-​hate relationship with me and the Super Max in OB. It has all the flare and charm of a $.99 cent store. And by this I mean yes, you get drunkards and stoners looking to get their cheap munchie fix. And yes you get the stinky homeless guys trying to «Max”-imize their panhandling donations by purchasing some sardines, crackers, a two liter of Shasta, and some rolling tobacco… All for under $ 10. So I don’t try to let it dampen my mood as I wander in to pick up a four-​pack of TP for under a buck.
The aisles are cramped and the shelves stocked with an array of things that I wouldn’t buy until I desperately needed it. But that’s how things are done at these types of stores. The counter people and store employees, though are very friendly and helpful in assisting you look for anything specific. This came in handy when looking for a watch battery one day. They had a three-​pack (I only needed one, though) for less than the price that the Rite-​Aid down the block was selling one for.
Where this is the love for the place. My hate relationship is that Super Max really isn’t a $.99 cent store. In fact, most things are priced higher than you can get at other like stores. This is where my conflict lies as it’s the only store of its kind for a few miles. The closest being Big Lots where you can get better quality at similar prices. But Super Max is walking distance to my place so when in need, this place wins out every time.
My assessment on Super Max is that it’s a good place to go in a fix or you just need one specific item. But I wouldn’t do a major $.99 Store run there.
Three Stars based on:
Accessibility
Selection
Service
Minus One Star for:
For overpricing a majority of the things I shop a $.99 store for.

Instead of using google to look for a dollar store near us I used my Unilocal app and Super Max popped up. It was the ONLY dollar store near us so we made the drive from our hotel to Ocean Beach.
The store is a bit cramped and isles are kind of small but it serves it’s purpose with cheap house hold items. They have drinks, snacks and misc items you wouldn’t think of buying unless browsing. Lucky for me I had my husband there to remind me to get what we need and go cause lunch was waiting for us across the street at Hodad’s.

I give this place 5 stars on the fact they have the cheapest Red Bull in OB. $ 3.05 for the 12 oz (the medium one) including tax and CRV. This about 50 cents less then other stores OB. When you drink as much Red Bull as I do this is really important.

Remember your teenage drinking days? You’d steal several kinds of booze from your parents, uncles, or grandparent’s fridge so they wouldn’t really notice what you took. The result was a variety pack of 2 Busch Lights, a Mickey’s malt liquor 40oz, a few Zima’s, and maybe a wine cooler or two. Remember that random variety pack? Super Max is that in the form of a store.
It’s not quite a grocery store, its not quite a drug store, it’s not quite a hardware store… it’s just Super Max. I’ve been in here several times looking for a specific item which they ended up not carrying, but left with other random sh*t that would have otherwise not crossed my mind to purchase.
I do quite a bit of creative marketing for Unilocal,and this place is awesome to walk into when I’m in need of some out of the box inspiration. I’ve picked up mini b-​ball hoops, footballs, giant water containers, and other random supplies that I’ve slapped some Unilocal stickers on and thrown together a pretty fun marketing challenge at events. Best of all, everything is cheap as sh*t!
The pricing does however reflect the quality of products you’re going to be buying here so I’d recommend saving prophylactic purchases for elsewhere. It’s usually about ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ whether or not what you bought will work.
If you’re strolling Newport Ave wasting time this is definitely worth popping in to check out. Even if you don’t find what your looking for chances are something in here will at least make you send a picture message to a friend with the caption WTF.

I need to offer a disclaimer: my friend Kelly works there. This Max’s was once a .99 Cent Store Only but has since worked it’s way to most stuff being $ 1.29+. Still it is a true O.B. institution and grocery central for all the homeless who beg for change in the near vicinity. To be an authentic O.B.-cean, it is necessary for a person to shop here and not feel ashamed!
Where do you go when you need some rolling papers quick? And after a big smoke-​out-​those munchies can be quenched with all the out-​of-​date food they sell and junk food galore! How about some redness-​relief eye drops when THE MAN pulls your smoky auto over and looks into your now hemp-​i-​fied eyes? Don’t forget the tic-​tacs and gum to cover up the cheap alcohol on your breath! If your beach babe is wondering if you knocked her up-​send that ho into buy a cheap pregnancy test kit-​OR next time REMEMBER to buy some condoms FIRST at Max’s and you won’t NEED to buy a pregnancy kit!
Some pals putting together a drum circle at Dog Beach? Supplies are available at Max’s! Having a bonfire down by Saratoga Park-don’t forget the cheapie charcoal lighter! Thinking about protesting some new issue of major concern here in O. B?-come get your sign-​making stuff right here! Did the cops toss all the stuff that you were rolling around in your shopping cart and now you need new raggedy-​looking threads? Max’s is the place for you! Just got out of jail for the latest marijuana dispensary raid and need some toiletries that you left behind in your cell-​come to Max’s! As you can see-Max’s is INDISPENSABLE if you aspire to live the TRUE O.B. lifestyle!
I LOVE their incense-​they sell that cool kind that doesn’t smell all phony for 10 sticks/​$ 1.00. Also available-​boxed Nag Champa-​for that Indian mystic temple smell (also good at covering up bud smells & crack pipe odors!) Cheap laundry soap and fabric softener for washing clothes. Inexpensive shampoos and conditioners here-​some of it very random. I just LOVED my Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen coconut conditioner! Pet food also to be found and a great selection of candles for keeping that O.B. aura going (and if SDG & E cuts your electricity off!)
As you can see from the above-​I Thank God everyday for this wonderful store full of really cheap stuff that is also so very useful in daily life! Now if you REALLY wanna live the O.B. lifestyle, get yourself an empty Starbucks coffee cup, plop yourself down in front of Max’s and bum for change-​THEN you are the REAL O.B. deal! Happy Hustling!

Although the woman at the counter was friendly this store is illegally charging credit card surcharge fees of $ 0.39 which is illegal to do in California.

I really, REALLY like this place.
I can’t recommend that anyone actually buy anything here, but browsing through the aisles of this store is absolutely unbeatable entertainment, especially after a few cocktails at one of the local establishments. You simply never know what you might find at this place, and most of it is highly entertaining.
A few points: If you buy anything edible, please check the expiration date. I bought a piece of beef jerky here once that was absolutely inedible. I thought, by definition, beef jerky doesn’t go bad. SuperMax proved me wrong.
I bought Christmas wrapping paper and gift bags here for an absolute STEAL of a price. (That’s the only kind of stuff I’ll buy at this place — stuff that CAN’T go bad — after my beef jerky experience).

This place really only gets one star, but the dark-​haired boy who stacks the boxes is really hot, so his rippling muscles and lock of hair falling over on eye gets an extra star. This store mostly sells crap, but I did find some .50 cent necklaces with cute painted flowers that I bought for my sister’s bachelorette party. I also found 3 different kinds of self-​tanner for .99 cents each that I like better than my $ 30 dollar Estee Lauder stuff. On lazy days in OB, while trying to catch a glimpse of box-​stacker eye candy, I like to wander around and take a look at what Max has in store for me that day.

Stores with «99 cent» items have never been this cool until Super Max :)
Every time I am in Ocean Beach and with my friend Max, he INSISTS on going inside and buying random products, just so he can get a bag with his name on it! Ha! However, if a place with the name «Amy» gave away bags, I would do the same. (if you know of any places that have «Amy» in them please send me items with that printed on them)

This store is effin hilarious. I got a mini fake christmas tree and decorations for around $ 3 total. It’s like an entire swap meet crammed into one store.

What to say about super max?
1) I think this is meth central OB, this is not necessarily a bad thing (ok actually it is) it just means that your shopping experience there will be full of life and unique
2) It has everything you could every want for cheap… I have no idea how they stock so much in a small store, if you go in there for some random thing they will probably have it, from food to power tools…
3) The prices are stragely low, i mean not just «wow sweet deal,» but more like «Why is Kelllog’s spelled with 3 l’s?,» or «I didnt know they still made crystal clear Pepsi and sold it at a discount!»
Anyways it certainly is a convenience store… especially as it is only a block away…