Adventures of a 70’s Kid in an Army And Navy Store

Metallicman ^ | 25DEC18 | Editorial staff

[vannrox]

When I was a youth, in the 1960’s and 1970’s, one of the biggest treats that my father would give us would be a trip to one of the nearby “Army and Navy” stores.

We would hop in the car, and then ride for a spell (depending on the direction) from a half an hour to an hour and a half drive. We would stop along the way to get a soft-serve cone at Dairy Queen, and then spend an hour or so in the store.

They all looked pretty much the same no matter where you went. The nearest ones to us, at that time, were in other towns. We would actually have to cross the country line to get to them. At that time, I frequented a store in Butler, Pa., and another one further up North in Erie, Pa.

I guess that they are a fading American cultural fixture today. They can still be found. However, they are mere shadows of what they used to be. Today, surplus stores can be found in strip malls in the rough part of town or as stand-alone warehouse-style buildings. In the later case, they might be a metal pole building with a huge “Army and Navy” sign in huge letters (often black on yellow) with corrugated metal roofing and very few windows.



For a boy growing up, the world of the Army and Navy store was the first stop and a doorway to adventure. When we entered the building we encountered the world that we dreamed about. here were places with maps, treasures and tools. We loved going through the boxes and

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Back in the late 60s, the local Shell gas station gave away coffee cups, dishes and even steak knives with a fill up.
I filled up the car I owned and put a new steak knife in the inside pocket of the pea coat before picking up my date for a concert at the Memorial Union.
Seating was “festival mode” meaning we sat on the floor. The place was packed for the event so I took off the pea coat for the two of us to sit on.
I gave the coat a shake, flipping the steak knife skittering across the hardwood.
Other kids nearby moved away from us, making room to sit down...

[Fresh Wind]

Yes, a surplus shop has a smell all its own.

I once bought an old piece of electronic equipment from a dealer. I took a deep whiff of the interior, and remarked that it smelled just like a surplus shop.

The guy knew exactly what I meant!

[niteowl77]

They had a good one in downtown Des Moines, full of stuff both practical and pointless; it got torn down just prior to the building of the new civic center. I was able to buy some neat unissued British battle jackets (that looked a bit like a lightweight "Ike" jackets) there... I didn't have a beer gut back in those days and the jackets fit me well.

The local "surplus stores" stopped being fun around the same time half the items in them came with a Rothco label.

[Comment Not Approved]

I bought a pair I still have in an old-time Army store in Billings, Montana for $10 in the 80s...now a facsimile pair in any sporting goods store will run you over $100.

I've bought my hunting cloths at Walmart for over 25 years now. I find the game don't care what pattern or brand of camo I wear. And I'm too old now to hunt in weather where the synthetic stuff is required to stay out all day. If I can't slap my rain gear over it and be comfortable I'll head back to the cabin.

I'll be plowing snow today in coveralls over thermals and my fox pelt mountain man hat. And having elk for lunch. Life in Montana is great!

Have a Happy and Prosperous New Year, FRiend.

[moovova]

OMG! Look at this high-capacity drum magazine! It's PERFECT for spraying a crowd with deadly fire! You could kill millions of innocent civilians with this!

[moovova]

“AHH....the aroma of damp canvass!”

Yes!

[null and void]

I had a civil defense one that needed a 22-1/2 volt battery...

[DoodleBob]

My Scout Troop's store of choice was I. Goldberg in Center City, Philadelphia. Several of us would make subway trips from suburbia - we'd spend hours browsing and buy a few things.

[Will88]

When I was around ten, my siblings and I (and parents), along with an older cousin who frequented Army/Navy surplus stores, went for a few days vacation at Panama City, Fl beach. The older cousin brought along one of those dye packs carried by military pilots for use in case of emergency bailouts in the ocean.

Yes, he released that dye pack just off the beach in the gulf and created an enormous orange area in the water, causing widespread excitement and some panic. Things calmed down as we spread the word about what
caused the orange water and no one got in trouble. A lot of interesting items could be found at those old Army/Navy surplus stores.

[cyclotic]

Ark Surplus?

[Big Red Badger]

Bought a 1942 backpack 3 days ago,
That light brown canvas with no
issues other than some stains.
20 bucks and I am thrilled!
I’ll Throw on some suspenders with
an older pistol belt and like
Magic, I’m transported into WWII.

Do I need Professional help?

[Big Red Badger]

Loaded With Strippers!?!

Wait,
WHAT?

[centurion316]

In the fifties, my father was reassigned from Norfolk, VA to Hawaii. He decided that the family would camp out from Norfolk to California. To fit out this expedition, he and I went to a warehouse on the Naval Base full of WWII stuff intended for the invasion of Japan. It was stuffed with brand new equipment. Kid in a candy store doesn’t begin to describe the wonder of that day. Tarps, life jackets, lanterns, canteens, and more were in never ending stacks of boxes.

I’m sure that this warehouse outfitted Army and Navy Stores for 20 years with occasional auctions at pennies on the dollar. Those warehouses were found on bases across the country.

[Doogle]

Eyep..that’s them

[Old Yeller]

Any one else been to the Army Surplus Warehouse in Idaho Falls, Idaho?Big place, loaded with great stuff.

[FroedrickVonFreepenstein]

Mickey’s Surplus in Kansas City Kansas is still in business and worth the drive if you have the opportunity
Mickey’s is a great place. Been going there for years and now take the grandkids with me.

[Cold Heart]

Try Sportsman’s Guide. Not the same as going into a store but they have everything and they are a good outfit.

I love that plane. It would make a great RV

[BlueLancer]

I live near Fort Hood, Texas, and have done so since being assigned here in 1975. I know of five Army/Navy surplus stores off-hand that are of the old style of store. Smells of diesel fumes, oiled ammo cans, and old starch ...

... every time I go into one of them, the smells take me right back to every TA-50 warehouse issue I ever went through ...

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Rough and Ready Island at Stockton, California was the prep base for the invasion of Japan.

[ebshumidors]

I bought my kids rucksacks and sleeping bags on armygear.net. The local store couldn’t come close to the prices.