Lbs-n-ozs.com is a candy and bulk foods retailer based in Reading, Pennsylvania, operating from 2934 N 5th Street Hwy in the Muhlenberg Township section of the city. The name is a direct reference to how the business sells: by the pound and by the ounce, with customers buying the quantity they want rather than a fixed package size. The company maintains both a physical retail presence and an online storefront at lbs-n-ozs.com, which allows shoppers outside Berks County to order many of the same items carried in the store.
The business is independently owned and identifies itself as a small business. Its product range centers on confectionery, nuts, dried fruit, and snack items, the categories most associated with traditional bulk food counters found in Pennsylvania farmers markets. The phone number for the location is +1 610-939-2310.
Location and Setting
The 2934 N 5th Street Hwy address corresponds to the Fairgrounds Farmers Market complex, a long standing indoor market on Reading's north side. The market takes its name from the former Reading Fairgrounds that once occupied the site, and it houses a collection of independent vendors selling produce, meats, baked goods, prepared food, and specialty groceries under one roof. Lbs-n-ozs.com occupies a stand within that environment, which shapes how the business operates: customers typically walk the market, stop at the counter, make a selection, and continue on.
North 5th Street Highway is a main commercial corridor connecting Reading to Muhlenberg Township and points north toward Temple and Blandon. The location is a short drive from Route 222 and Route 61, making it reachable from Wyomissing, Laureldale, Shillington, Kutztown, Mohnton, Sinking Spring, and the surrounding Berks County communities. On market days the complex draws regular shoppers from across the county, and the bulk food counter functions as one stop among several for many of them.
Products and Specialties
The core of the inventory falls into a few recognizable categories that define a traditional bulk candy and snack operation:
- Bulk candy, including hard candies, gummies, chocolate covered items, licorice, sour varieties, and nostalgic or retro confections that are difficult to find in standard grocery aisles
- Nuts in raw, roasted, salted, and unsalted forms, commonly including almonds, cashews, pecans, peanuts, pistachios, and walnuts
- Dried fruit such as apricots, mango, pineapple, cranberries, raisins, banana chips, and mixed varieties
- Trail mixes and snack blends combining nuts, dried fruit, seeds, and chocolate or yogurt coated pieces
- Seeds, pretzels, chips, and other salty snacks sold by weight
- Seasonal confectionery tied to holidays, when candy selections commonly rotate
Because items are sold by weight, the format suits several different kinds of purchases. A shopper can buy a few ounces of a single candy to sample it, or several pounds of nuts for baking, entertaining, or office snack bowls. The same structure makes the counter practical for assembling party favors, gift bags, candy tables for weddings and showers, and classroom or team treats without buying multiple prepackaged bags.
Online Ordering
The website, lbs-n-ozs.com, extends the business beyond the market floor. The online catalog is organized in a way that mirrors the in-person experience, with categories for candy, nuts, dried fruit, and snacks, and quantities generally selected by weight. This gives former Berks County residents, out of state relatives, and customers who cannot reach Reading during market hours a way to order familiar items. It also allows for gift purchases shipped directly to a recipient. Shoppers planning a large or unusual order are generally best served by calling the store first to confirm availability, since bulk inventory can turn over quickly and seasonal items come and go.
Payment, Accessibility, and Practical Details
The business accepts a broad range of payment methods, which is worth noting in a farmers market setting where some vendors remain cash only. Credit cards, debit cards, and NFC mobile payments such as tap to pay phone and watch wallets are all accepted. The store also participates in SNAP/EBT, meaning eligible food items can be purchased with benefits. That acceptance matters for staple purchases like nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, which are often priced more favorably by weight than in packaged form at conventional supermarkets.
The site has a wheelchair accessible entrance and a wheelchair accessible parking lot, consistent with the larger market building it occupies. Parking is surface lot parking shared with other market vendors and nearby businesses along the highway corridor.
Google lists the location as suited to a quick visit, which reflects the counter service format. Most transactions involve selecting items, having them weighed, and paying, rather than lingering. Delivery is not offered from the physical location, so in-person shopping or website ordering are the two available paths.
What to Know Before You Go
- Hours follow the market schedule rather than standard retail hours. Farmers markets in the region commonly operate a limited number of days each week, so calling ahead or checking the market schedule before driving out is advisable.
- Bring reusable bags or containers if you prefer, though items are typically bagged and labeled at the counter.
- Buying small quantities is a low risk way to test unfamiliar candies or nut varieties before committing to a larger amount.
- Holiday periods, particularly around Halloween, Christmas, Easter, and Valentine's Day, tend to bring both expanded selection and heavier traffic at market candy counters.
- Staff can usually advise on freshness, roasting dates, and which blends are moving quickly, information that is harder to come by in a packaged goods aisle.
Role in the Local Market Scene
Pennsylvania has a deep tradition of indoor farmers markets, and bulk candy and nut counters have long been a fixture within them. Lbs-n-ozs.com continues that model while adding an e-commerce component, a combination that has helped a number of regional market vendors reach customers beyond their immediate trade area. For Reading area shoppers, the practical appeal is straightforward: a wide assortment of confectionery and snack foods, purchased in whatever amount is actually needed, from an independent operator at a familiar local market.