Business Attention: Best Deals, Inc. in Burlington

Burlington community members can get the most bang for their buck at Best Bargains, Inc. The local business now has two locations where customers can save.

Best Bargains recently expanded, adding an additional location at 210 S. Pine St. in Burlington. Their original location is at 6515 352nd Ave., in New Munster.

The storefronts are owned by Doug Helnore, a longtime employee who started working for the company in 1992.

“I switched to buying and selling; human resources; and marketing. During that time, I realized that the potential Best Bargains offered customers quality food at discounted prices,” says Helnore.

He later became a 10 percent owner in the early 2000s, then bought out the other owners in 2019 to take over as CEO and sole owner.

Helnore enjoys being a place in the community where people can save and get quality goods.

Best Bargains, Inc. opens to fight the lack of food

The expansion to Burlington comes with the goal of being a resource for community members. With a lack of variety of grocery stores nearby, Helnore’s connections allow him to supply customers with quality food at discounted prices.

“The reason I opened it is because there are food deserts in that part of Burlington and other places,” says the owner.

As a community member who also raised a family in the area, he sympathizes with his neighbors.

“I really feel for people who are trying to feed three, four children, because everything is so expensive,” says the owner.

“When I go to the grocery store, I see the grocery bill and I know how much these things cost and it just horrifies me.

“I’m thinking… ‘what do you have to put up with just to pay the food bill, right? Was it a college for children or something else?’ It seems that food should not be the most important thing. That’s why I like to, as I call it, ‘run into food deserts – where they have very little choice’.”

This is why the store strives to offer a solution for people in need. Helnore wants to see his community thrive and be a part of why it flourishes.

Reduction of waste and excessive consumption

In addition to being a source, Helnore aims to change the way consumers think about food. He acknowledges the waste and overconsumption that occurs in our society; especially in the food industry.

“The grocery industry, the American public, has not been educated about ‘best by’, ‘use by’ and different dates,” notes the owner. “It’s a waste…how much food we throw away or don’t use because we’ve been taught that codes—these artificial cosmetic codes—are harmful.”

But Helnore is changing the mindset by educating customers. Learn more on their website to become an educated customer.

Multipurpose store

Not only does Best Bargains, Inc. works with customers face-to-face locally, but the company also buys and sells with various companies across the country.

“We’re lucky, we have routes to a lot of different supply chains,” says the owner.

The company offers a range of services to meet a wide variety of needs. They are a wholesale service and a major distributor of wholesale goods.

Part of their business is focused on repacking and purchasing fresh frozen goods while operating as a grocery store. This store is also where local restaurants buy items for their business.

“A lot of what we have is frozen, but it’s significantly cheaper,” Helnore says.

Not only is it cheaper, but it’s also a higher quality food item because of the partnerships Helnore and other staff have established with other local restaurants and businesses.

The store has unique desserts, a wide selection of seafood, specialties and delicacies with multiple options. The business also offers restaurant and catering supplies.

At this location, customers can purchase quality goods at a fraction of the cost through their unique business models.

“I’d like to see everyone benefit because people are working too hard to make ends meet.”

Doug Helnore, Owner and CEO, Best Bargains, Inc.

Learn more about the company by visiting its website. Contact the store by calling the number: