Long live American Science and Surplus

Nostalgia and Personal Impact

• Many commenters describe AS&S as a formative childhood influence: browsing the catalog, visiting stores in Milwaukee/Chicago/Geneva, and using parts for science fair projects that later led to technical careers.
• Staff are remembered as unusually patient and encouraging with kids, helping size motors, explain safety, and refine project ideas.
• The in-store experience (bins of parts, weird surplus, jokey hand‑written labels, sodium/potassium on display) is portrayed as a “candy store for tinkerers” and a key gateway to DIY and hacker culture.

Similar Stores and a Shrinking Ecosystem

• Numerous analogs are cited: Ax-Man (MN), Skycraft (FL), Scrap Exchange (NC), Reuseum (ID), Electronic Parts Outlet (TX), Jameco (CA), various surplus and electronics shops in Toronto, Utah, SoCal, etc.
• Many have already disappeared (Weird Stuff, Halted, HSC, Edmund Scientific, Active Surplus’s original location, Fair Radio, AllElectronics), reinforcing a sense of loss.

Why Surplus and Electronics Stores Are Dying

• Online marketplaces and overseas manufacturing make parts dramatically cheaper; local stores can’t compete on price or breadth of SKUs.
• Inventory often becomes obsolete (e.g., thumbwheels, tube sockets, BASIC Stamps), tying up capital.
• Real‑estate pressures, suburbanization, and the offshoring of manufacturing reduce both surplus supply and viable locations.
• Changes in tax rules and surplus channels (moving from specialty dealers to Amazon/eBay) further cut off their traditional sources.

Debate Over AS&S’s Value and GoFundMe

• Many happily donate or plan “post‑fire purchases,” arguing the store sustains curiosity, STEM interest, and a unique weird/whimsical culture.
• Some dislike GoFundMe for a for‑profit business, suggesting share sales or community ownership instead.
• A minority sees current inventory as mostly novelty “store‑to‑landfill junk” not worth “saving”; others counter that even oddball items and decor have educational and cultural value.

Changing Nature of Surplus and Access

• Several note AS&S feels less like hardcore surplus and more like kitschy toys plus a shrinking electronics section, likely due to reduced industrial surplus supply and market shifts.
• International fans lament lack of visible overseas shipping; one suggests contacting the store directly, citing typical small‑business constraints on integrating shipping APIs.