Penzey’s Spices

Wow, people are not stupid. To talk to someone like they are a child is completely uncalled for. I like buying the hard to get spices here, but it seems like there is a constant issue with the staff at this location being rude to their clientele.
So sad, because the product is really good quality.

ONLY SPICES I USE!!!
The spices are always fresh, full of flavor and the best you can get. NOTHING like the junk at a grocery store (which a lot of times is not what it says it is!)
Decent prices, especially if you buy the bag (I use ball jars at home to hold my spices). There are jars by every spice, so that you can smell the spice or spice blend before you buy!
Sign up for their mailing list and you will get their catalog with recipes, all the spice they offer (with great details about them) and MANY times coupons for free spices or other deals!
For those with kiddos in tow, there is a space for kids to draw/​color, etc while you shop!
Location is easy to access, lots of parking, very clean inside, set up is extremely organized, you will see recipe cards throughout the store that are free.
Staff is friendly & willing to help.
One thing I wish they would do… sell the refill bag for each spice in about half the amount (don’t get rid of the larger refill bag, just offer a smaller one too) :)

Penzey Penzey how I do love you. As you can see from my spice draw a lot. You enhance my chicken dinners, add the perfect Italian flavors to my meatballs, and give my curry dishes just the right heat. You have changed my life. The small jars stack up in a spice drawer to keep it neat. All the blends are very good also. A grilled strip steak with the Chicago steak seasoning was mighty fine. I used to have so many different brands and different sizes I couldn’t find anything and didn’t use them. Oh by the way the spices are fresh, and not ground as fine as brands in the grocery store.
I will agree it is so much better than Spice Merchant in the Downtown Market. Too bad Penzey’s isn’t there. They are out of the way from all the fun Grand Rapids stores and restaurants but so worth the trip.

Penzeys manages to do a very brisk business through word-​of-​mouth and repeat customers with no advertising outside of the production of their highly informative, entertaining, and useful catalogs. When you sign up on their mailing list (which one can do by phone, snail mail, or online, you often receive coupons for full-​size complimentary spices!
The Alpine Penzeys location is staffed by friendly, approachable women and a few men that really know the products and often have very astute recommendations as to what you should buy and how you might use it. The prices are much better than spices, herbs, and extracts in the grocery stores and definitely less expensive than the «fancy» spice store in the Downtown Market. This location is quite spacious, clean and neat as a pin, and there is even an adorable children’s art area that looks like a ship with a mast so that Junior can draw while Mommy loads up her basket with essentials… and kitchen inspiration.
Cooks love Penzeys and Penzeys loves cooks; it shows in the way the store is organized, with recipe cards and back issues of their catalog available for perusing, as well as large, open jars of each item so that you can smell and sample to your heart’s content!

LOVE the spices here. Especially the creative blends they do. So why the three stars? There’s a man here that monitors my mom and I every single time we come in (when he’s there) to the point that I decided to just pull the manager aside the next time I go. I never, ever see him give this attention to other patrons and coincidentally enough these patrons have also never shared my race. Really puts a damper on an otherwise great experience and it’s really just… odd…I mean, who goes to a higher end, specialty spice store to shoplift?

I still love Penzeys. The staff is always helpful and super nice. The place smells amazing. For every product they have a jar of it so you can open and smell it. If you care any bit about your cooking get your spices here. Spices go bad so quickly and you need to buy them from a place that has a high and fast turn over rate. Who knows how long the spices at the super market have been there. Pensys is always fresh.
Still 4 stars for the crummy location. That Alpine shopping center is a pain to get to. I’d go more often if it were easier to get to.

I love it! All those spices you see on T.V. that you can never find in the store, and even the ones you can find in a store were reasonably priced. I have paid up to 10 $ for a little jar of whole nutmeg that only had 2 – 3, I got a bag of 10 for 5 $. And if you are baking for something special, do try the double strength pure vanilla extract, it is worth the price.

Ok I love penzeys! They are a great place to get new cooking ideas and stock up on spices. Their kosher salt is amazing and you get a ridiculous amount for such a small price. The catalog is your friend, order it, and you will be giddy as a gum drop when you start getting coupons for free spices. An not piddly tiny samples either, full size spices, or even small gift sets.
Penzey’s really knows how to build a loyal client base.

I love that most items are available in small sizes. I hate when my spices get stale. Love the catalog with a free gift. (I CAN be bought!)

Super awesome spices. I am an Indian, take it from me, these spices are so awesome that you will never go to another regular store again to buy spices. And very friendly people at the counter. I hope you try it out.

Can’t believe I’ve not reviewed Penzey’s yet!
Whether you’re an amateur or experienced cook/​baker– this place is where you’ll want to go.
Wide variety of your staple spices along with new exciting ones you’ll want to try.
BBQ and other rubs for grilling, Italian/​French herbs and seasonings, salts, peppers, cinnamons, baking extracts– anything you could want.
I suggest trying the California Paprika– so awesome.
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Store clerks are always super friendly and knowledgeable!

Once you try Penzey’s Spices, you will NEVER buy grocery store spices again. Start with the cinnamon – it’s like no other you’ve ever had.
There are little jars of each spice or blend in the store so you can sniff what you are buying first. Very helpful staff. Sign up for their catalog – you’ll get discount coupons and good recipes in every issue. Nice gift boxes of various combinations of spices.
I LOVE Penzey’s.