Not that obscure but Gilette’s brand of gel anti-perspirant (spel?) is the only one I’ve used that works as it claims to.
That’s little-known? They have a nice display in my granola market, which… aw hell.
I use their deodorant, which is awesome. I don’t think I’ve tried their toothpaste, too busy with my Arm&Hammer toothpaste.
Where can I find one?
Shibb, in Tampa (if that helps)
Yeo’s Sweet Chillie Sauce. I gotta have some everyday and I use it in everything I make almost.
Boh Tea. I’ve never seen it here but I always bring back a couple of boxes when in Asia
Mentholated Ju Jubes, don’t know the brand, but they come in a red tin, also from Asia. I’d love to find a source for this product.
If it is little-known now, it won’t be soon enough. They just sold out to Colgate-Palmolive.
Red Devil Lye. AKA sodium hydroxide. Great drain opener, its main reason for being available. good for etching aluminum prior to anodizing, or removing aluminum plating from exhaust tubing prior to welding. Getting hard to find…I think maybe they use it to cook meth.
Forney welding products. Smoothest burning 7018 AC rod I’ve ever used. Mostly available at farm supply and independant hardware stores…not big box or welding supply houses.
King-of-shaves shaving gel in the squeeze tube. Works better than anything in a can I’ve ever tried, and travels great. Barbasol in a tube is good too.
Squirt grapefuit flavored soda pop. Vernor’s is good stuff too. Oh yeah, Henry Weinhards orange cream soda, or Stewarts…who make an awsome key lime soda.
BMW motorcycles. I think they have about 2% of the US market.
Pretty much any brand of natural style peanut butter, but Laura Scudder’s when I can find it. Much tastier than the hydroginated crap which outsells it by probably 500:1.
I’m a big fan of Green River soda, the green-colored soda that tastes like a less-carbonated lime soda. The problem is it’s almost only available in 12 ounce bottles and even those are hard to find. The minute I found a store selling 20 ounce bottle or --shock of shocks–six packs, they’d be gone the next week. Is there anywhere in the US they’re plentiful?
Well, I’ve only ever bought the 12 oz bottles, but they are plentiful here in Seattle at many local QFC grocery stores. I often pick one up on my lunch break.
According to this site, the company making it, Clover Club Bottling Company, does do mail order business. (Though, I imagine that will be a bit of a premium, once you include shipping costs.)
The only online retailer I found was only offering the 12 oz bottles, though.
Smith Brothers Wild Cherry cough drops. Dang near impossible to find today, but whenever I can score some, I eat them like candy.
…uh, I mean, to me, they are candy. Always have been.
This probably doesn’t qualify, since the brand is well known, but Canadian Heinz ketchup. Sheer nectar of the gods. US Heinz ketchup can kiss my ass.
This stuff is extremely popular here in Utah, for whatever reason. It’s everywhere.
As an expat? Around here, try freakin’ Folger’s Coffee or any brand of spray starch.
Maybe out there in your fancy California Tony Chacere’s is fancy and foreign, but around here, you just have to say “pass me the Tony’s” and people know what you mean. Tony’s is delicious.
And whoever mentioned cavender’s, the no salt verion is far superior and tastes delicious on thin crust pizza.
I work with a non-profit environmental group that does community projects (cleanup days, recycling, etc). Every time we do anything, we get a ton of Cliff bars donated for all the volunteers. They’re a fantastic company.
New Belgium Brewing is even better about donating stuff… plus I like beer more than energy bars. It’s certainly not the only thing I drink, but it’s close to the top of the list.
Chicago. More specifically, the suburbs of Chicago (I can’t speak for downtown as I don’t live there.)
I second this – love me some Clif Bars!! Are really good for sustaining energy for workouts. They even helped me through my pregnancy when I’d be starving every few hours - more than any other bar would’ve in a pinch.
I’ve quit regularly drinking soda, but I keep some cans of Blue Sky Soda in my fridge for occasional treats. (Soda! With real sugar!)
Most of mine are geographical - where I grew up in the Philadelphia region they’re all well-known, but now living in New Mexico, they’re almost unheard of. TastyKake, WaWa, Utz, Turkey Hill.
I don’t know if this counts, but there’s also a family-owned pizza joint just down the street from my parent’s house. People’s Pizza in Cherry Hill, NJ. You have no idea what joy is until you’ve indulged in one of their perfectly-thin-crust, appropriately greasy, cooked-by-greasy-Italian-brothers pizza that literally went directly from the oven to your plate.
Oh man, now I’m feeling homesick…
Three words for ya: Goldenbergs. Peanut. Chews. 
I understand that they were bought up by a national candy company and the operation was moved, but there used to be, back in the day, a whole side of Philly that smelled like roasting peanuts and chocolate. Mmmmmm.
You can try this link…it’s a Japanese store near my home:
Mitsuwa!
They have a mail-order section as well.
-Cem
Great thread!
My little-known brands:
[ol]
[li]Bear Naked Granola. The flavors are great, it’s nice and crunchy, they have several no-nuts versions (I have an allergy), and they have PB&J![/li][li]Kirk’s Castille bar soap. I grew up with it, I like it, and I use it. I have delicate skin, and it doens’t rash me out.[/li][li]Yonex tennis racquets. They use high-quality graphite, and don’t bend over time. They’re heavy enough to quiet my “happy hands” at net, and look kinda nice, too![/li][li]Glen Rock sodas. I think these are Chicago-local (maybe not much outside of Waukegan!), but they were little 8-oz sodas in neat flavors. A kind of olden-day Jones analog.[/li][/ol]
-Cem