# American Science and Surplus is dead. Suggestions?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-science-and-surplus-is-dead-suggestions/1023854
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [October 10, 2025, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-science-and-surplus-is-dead-suggestions/1023854 "2025-10-10T19:26:24Z")
**Posts on this page:** 15
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2025, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-science-and-surplus-is-dead-suggestions/1023854/1 "2025-10-10T19:26:24Z")
The much-beloved American Science And Surpus has closed it’s door, at least online, & maybe altogether.
Can you Dopers suggest another, similar alternative?
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### Author:  [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2025, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-science-and-surplus-is-dead-suggestions/1023854/2 "2025-10-10T19:28:43Z")
Well, dang.
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2025, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-science-and-surplus-is-dead-suggestions/1023854/3 "2025-10-10T19:28:54Z")
This might explain why my last order came so poorly packed. I wrote them off as a place to order from and I had used them a lot in the past.
I haven’t used them yet, but heard that [https://www.ax-man.com/](https://www.ax-man.com/) is very similar. I was just looking through their selection, it seems like a lot less variety.
ETA: I had to fix your title, hopefully that was an accident, if it was on purpose, please don’t do that again.
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### Author:  [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2025, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-science-and-surplus-is-dead-suggestions/1023854/4 "2025-10-10T19:59:35Z")
I live in the area and was formerly a fan. They made some decisions that seemed really dumb at the time and makes me wonder if this closure wasn’t the plan all along. I miss the old stores but they really sucked lately.
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### Author:  [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2025, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-science-and-surplus-is-dead-suggestions/1023854/5 "2025-10-10T20:21:06Z")
Went there a lot as a kid when they used to be on Layton Ave.
Since moving out of the area I only got to their new location about once a year but it seemed they just always had the same stuff but never anything new.
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### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2025, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-science-and-surplus-is-dead-suggestions/1023854/6 "2025-10-10T21:01:06Z")
Accidental.
🙇♂️
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### Author:  [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2025, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-science-and-surplus-is-dead-suggestions/1023854/7 "2025-10-10T21:03:37Z")
From the website:
> [**Great News! The** **Retail Stores in Milwaukee, WI and Geneva, IL will remain open as Employee Owned and Operated. Great Job Kim and Miko. Click here for more info!**](https://sciplus.com/our-stores/)
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### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2025, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-science-and-surplus-is-dead-suggestions/1023854/8 "2025-10-10T21:14:50Z")
I live in TN.
No websites. ☹
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### Author:  [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2025, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-science-and-surplus-is-dead-suggestions/1023854/9 "2025-10-10T21:18:57Z")
Aww. Man.
I’ve ordered lots of stuff from that silly catalog.
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2025, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-science-and-surplus-is-dead-suggestions/1023854/10 "2025-10-10T21:37:58Z")
We celebrate both Xmas and Chanukah and they were great for 6 of 8 little presents for the kids.
Geodes were an annual gift for years, and lots of little things.
I also bought containers and all kinds of other things.
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### Author:  [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2025, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-science-and-surplus-is-dead-suggestions/1023854/11 "2025-10-10T21:49:13Z")
> [@bump](#):
>
> From the website:
That makes more sense. I remember reading an article about them closing quite a while back but forgot about it, probably because the one in my area didn’t close. I’m glad it’s still around, it’s the closest thing to a (brick and mortar) Radio Shack you’re going to find.
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### Author:  [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2025, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-science-and-surplus-is-dead-suggestions/1023854/12 "2025-10-10T23:30:56Z")
I always enjoyed the product descriptions in the catalogs or emails. Very clever wordplay. I can’t easily give an example, since I didn’t save any of the catalogs. Now I wish I had.
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### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2025, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-science-and-surplus-is-dead-suggestions/1023854/13 "2025-10-10T23:37:43Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#):
>
> The much-beloved American Science And Surpus has closed it’s door,
Too bad. Lots of great stuff and junk. Fun catalog
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### Author:  [@DaveUnknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveUnknown)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2025, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-science-and-surplus-is-dead-suggestions/1023854/14 "2025-10-10T23:39:47Z")
They had creative catalogs, fine for gift-browsing. But the only thing of the few things I’ve bought from them that I continually use is a little manual postal scale/balance. Sometimes I have a letter with stuff in it, and it’s come in handy to figure the weight. I keep it on my table in a little box.
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### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2025, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-science-and-surplus-is-dead-suggestions/1023854/15 "2025-10-10T23:42:55Z")
I picked up large lots of cheap multi-tools, for office Xmas presents. With discounts, it came to $5-$6 each.