Long live American Science and Surplus
Nostalgia and concern are converging around American Science & Surplus, a longtime Midwestern surplus and science shop now in financial distress and seeking donations to survive. Commenters describe how its quirky catalogs and aisles of odd parts, lab gear, and surplus electronics inspired childhood tinkering and careers in engineering, and compare it to similar stores that have already disappeared. Many see its struggles as part of a broader decline in local surplus and electronics shops, driven by online retail, offshored manufacturing, rising rents, and changing hobbyist culture.
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.