American Science & Surplus is fighting for its life. Here’s why you should care.

Part science outlet, part Radio Shack, part curio cabinet—American Science & Surplus is unique.

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[BigVince]

We took field trips to this place in grade school. It was the coolest field trip and one we always looked forward to. Sad to see what's happening now but hopefully they can work it out. I loved picking up a surplus switch, some copper wire, a light bulb socket, battery compartment and a few electric motors and see what i could put together.

 

[Bippy]

I have so much stuff from them. They always seem like good folks with their sens of humor in the right spot. A shame that it looks like they don't illustrate their catalog as much as they once did, (or maybe they do and they take actual product photos now?) but it's at least worth browsing just to read the product descriptions.

 

[Kommi]

Not often I'd be willing to support a fundraiser for a business, but AS&S is near and dear to my heart and provides an absolutely essential service. Threw a few bucks their way and wishing them the best of luck. Everything is too expensive these days, and I've seen it claim too many good businesses.

 

[OtherSystemGuy]

It was a sad day when the Twin Cities lost their equivalent , Ax Man.

 

[MichalH]

I loved visiting the old Jefferson Park store when I was an art student in Chicago. And still managed to drop by when revisiting the city in my later years. I wish them the best and promise to check out the website now that I'm retired and have time to putter around in the garage.

 

[arsllama]

Thanks for writing this story! I used to visit there when I was a kid and had no idea they were struggling. They are a business worth supporting even if I haven't visited in years.

 

[SixDegrees]

Never been to their physical store, but I love their catalog and the way it's written. I've ordered a lot of stuff from them over the years, often based just on the witty descriptions.

Dropped a donation on them through their GoFundMe page. Thanks for bringing their problems to my attention.

 

[SavedByTechnology]

Thank you for the donation link Eric, I happily donated. I wish them great success.

I live in MA so I’ll probably never get the chance to visit one of their stores, but the prospect of them closing their business reminds me of one that I spent many an hour (and dollar) at: You-do-it Electronics in Needham, MA. They closed last year after 75 years in business. Back in the day, I would drive three hours round trip because they had the component I needed. Great people too. I miss the old days.

https://www.boston.com/news/busines...tronics-center-announces-store-closure/?amp=1

 

[dzid]

Those stores were great as a kid, and they still were as an adult. I remember when I found out my girlfriend liked it as much as I did. Then I knew she was a keeper.

 

[raphaeladidas]

He looks exactly like the kind of guy who would own a place like this.

And I say that because he looks not dissimilar to me.

 

[rtrefz]

It was a sad day when the Twin Cities lost their equivalent , Ax Man.

I had to check when I saw this (Ax-man was a great spot to check out). It looks like they are still open.

https://www.ax-man.com/

 

[jbondo]

As a teenager, I built an incredible bong entirely out of items I found there—a big glass beaker, rubber stopper, plastic tubing, etc. I can’t imagine another place where I could’ve found all that stuff.

 

[phred14]

This is the first I've heard of the place.

Two years ago I was driving I95 around Boston and saw "You Do It Electronics", but was past too quickly. A year ago I made it a point of going in and bought a few things. This year it went out of business.

I went to college in Cleveland, OH. The place to go was Electronics Surplus Incorporated, aka "Western Garbage" or just "Garbage". I just looked and apparently they're still there and have a web presence. Thanks for jogging my memory.

 

[Ken Thomas]

I've been buying beakers, clamps, test tubes, funky tools, and other assorted weird shit from them since the days when I was doing my shopping on Netscape Navigator. Had no idea they were floundering, but I guess I'm not surprised. Thanks for posting the link to the GoFundMe.

 

[dagar9]

It was a sad day when the Twin Cities lost their equivalent , Ax Man.

Huh? Ax-Man still has their main store in St. Paul, and a couple in the burbs.

 

[black_box]

Haven't been there in a while... Thanks for mentioning. I'll try to get the fam out there to show some support.

 

[Lew Zealand]

It looks like a more serious version of Archie McPhee, including the hand-drawn item labels.

 

[jlredford]

I've never been, but I love places like this. So I just bought their Super Surprise Box! Have no idea what it'll be but love getting random stuff in the mail and it's for a good cause.

 

[Magickchicken]

Didn't have any idea they were struggling (more than the rest of us, anyway). Just ordered $250 of crap I don't yet need for work but one day will and at that hour I'll be glad I ordered it ahead of time (looking at you, o-ring assortment, watch screw assortment, and retrieving tools). Sadly the e-clip assortment was sold out.

 

[Schpyder]

My parents live a 10 minute drive from the Geneva location, and it's one of my favorite stops whenever I visit them. The place is pure mad scientist magic, and is one of the few places you can still get science toy kits in person. Happily donated to a place that has brought me and so many others so much joy, and am going to buy a cartload of stuff next time I drive down to Illinois.

 

[Frank OBrien]

I didn’t realize that science surplus stores still existed!

Here in the northeast, the only place to go was Edmund Scientific. It was a geek’s dream, especially if you were interested in optics and lighting, electronics and military surplus. Going there during its peak in the 1970’s was like visiting Mecca, something every nerdy kid had to do at least once in their life. Of course, even if you had no idea what to do with the bins of various lenses, at least you could look through the Japanese WW II periscope!

Edmunds was more directly science focused that AS&S, with telescopes and electronic kits. Sadly, it closed about 25 years ago, Damn, I really miss my wonder years…..

 

[hildey328]

The Former Mr. has a niece and nephew who live close to the Park Ridge store. I buy them gift certificates every year for Christmas. It's never a bad idea to buy anyone in that family something they can build, take apart, and put back together. Thank you for the fundraising link. I visited and sent on to the fam!

 

[Fatesrider]

I've been a customer of theirs for more than 40 years. At least once a year, I can't find something I need for some project, I find there. Along with about a dozen other things I didn't know I needed.

I used to shop there more often than I do now, my budge constrained by a fixed income and my shopping options gravitating toward free shipping. But I'll go see what they have now and I'm sure I'll find something I can't live without. Seeing them go under will take away access to a place that has some very fond memories.

 

[Myself]

Yes, "Archie McPhee meets Edmund Scientific" is exactly the vibe. I grew up reading all three catalogs, and when my family was in the Chicago area on other business, 8-year-old me got to visit the Jerryco store (as they were known at the time) and my head nearly exploded.

I wanted the whole store. Or at least one of everything, pretty please?

Aww.

But it was truly a mad scientist's dream, and as I fancied myself something of a budding scientist (madness yet to be determined), I begged my folks for an advance on the next several years of my allowance. Somehow I was able to afford a couple different types of solar cells (fancy stuff in the 80s!), some really really well-built motors, a handful of switches, and some other electrical bits and bobs.

I just found a small rocker switch I purchased back then, actually. It's been with me through a number of projects and repairs, and it's always seemed to outlive whatever device I repaired with it, so I salvage the switch and its journey continues to intertwine with mine. Nearly four decades later. Weird.

I've been to a lot of museums in my years, but only one (turning the corner and coming nose-to-nose with a Blackbird at Udvar-Hazy) even comes close to the sense of awe I felt walking into that retail store back in the 80s. You can't put a price on waking up a kid's imagination like that.

Well, I suppose I just did, and it's sitting in their gofundme now.

 

[team:abunai]

Love this place, I live pretty close so time for another visit. Will donate as well

 

[grendel_x86]

I miss the Jefferson Park location. Was great for random projects over the years.

 

[Michael Schnieders]

Well, I guess it’s time to start buying more stuff for mad science projects.

I live on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, so shopping in person is out, but they are great for feeding my addictions. I just wish I could afford some of the higher ticket items.

 

[Paul_in_Maine_USA]

Here in the northeast, the only place to go was Edmund Scientific. ...its peak in the 1970’s was like visiting Mecca....

Yes, yes, yes! Edmund Scientific!!! Not far from where I grew up. Looking at AS&S' old catalogs I'm sure they and Edmund went to the same surplus auctions. (The US made FAR too many lenses, or chipped a LOT of lenses, and flooded the post-war market.)

I've bought from AS&S. The item which stands out in memory is some ceramic wire-nuts for HIGH-temperature joints. Never found the best use, but there's a suburban garage light which will never burn.

 

[atu30004]

Is this some sort of epidemic?
I just visited the Marlin P. Jones & Associates (MPJA) website, only to discover that they (it) had closed down on 9 May.
I suppose that the hundreds of dollars' worth of 'stuff' (no other descriptor fits) I purchased from them over the years (still in boxes and bags) just wasn't enough...

 

[LauraW]

I wish I'd known about these guys when I lived in Chicago in the late '80s / early 90's!

However, I just looked at their website. Although it looks archaic, it includes an online store that ships anywhere in the US. It would be worth mentioning this in the article. (If it was, I missed it; sorry.)

I think I'll support them by buying some stuff I need for an upcoming project*. And maybe donate a bit too.

* The project is to motorize the table on my drill press. Where I keep the thing it's a pain to get to the table's hand crank. It shouldn't be hard to replace the crank with a gear motor. And I'll need a strong spring plus a big-ass solenoid or air cylinder to replace the table / column lock. (I've been wanting to do this for a while, but I decided to wait until I have a metal lathe to make it easier, and that should happen soon.)

 

[ctthoqqua]

I used to get their catalogs, and would order from time to time. Those stopped ages ago and I thought they went with them. Glad to hear they are kicking, sad to hear they are struggling.

...And their fundraiser video uses a Matt Berry song. :wipes a tear from my eye:

Perfection.

 

[mr science]

I still have a 1980 catalog and some surplus eyepieces I bought then.

 

[edrowland]

:-( Toronto had one of those: Active Surplus, on Queen Street, sadly passed away in 2015. I misspent a significant portion of my youth rummaging through bins of surplus electronics fantasizing about all the cool things I could build. And actually built a lot of things in my early 20s using parts from Active Surplus. Everything from gorilla suits to to an amazingly complete collection of electron parts like LEDs, resistors, processors, and a surprisingly complete stock of 74LS chips. (I bought mostly 74LS parts for wire-wrap boards in my 20s, sadly no gorilla suits).

I mourn your loss.

 

[SubWoofer2]

Everyone needs a trilobite.

 

[mcswell]

When Doc Brown sent Marty back to the future, he never imagined it would be like this.

 

[MichaelLC]

They're great. If it was just some local shoe store, I'd feel bad but unfortunately part of the times.

They're something unique that should not be lost.

Don't @ me, Square Deal Shoe Store.

 

[yingste]

Years ago I remember going there as a kid and seeing a steam engine kit they had for sale. Still regret not finding the cash for it then. As noted by the article and others in the comments they have an amazing variety of product

 

[FishInABarrel]

St. Louis lost a similar store, Gateway Electorics, several years back. Being able to walk right in and buy a single transistor or resistor was great for hobby electronics. Now I need to spend five times the price of the component in shipping if I order from Digikey or Mouser, which means I wind up buying a whole bag of them instead to make it "worth it".

It's a little ironic that in these store are dying in the "maker" era.