Behold! The greatest place to buy do-hickeys in the entire world. You betcha. This post contains a patented MINI TOUR® of Ax-Man Surplus Store in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It’s cool, it’s punk, it’s just basically pretty awesome. Take note of the setup, really basic, but especially take note of the signs: all hand-made, all amazing. Find this particular store at 639 University Ave W, St Paul, MN – (651) 646-8653‎. Drive there, I dare you!

Feast your eyes! The official mission statement of Ax-Man Surplus stores! Every store should have a manifesto like this one, typed up and stapled to the wall by the door.

There’s No Place Like This on Earth!

Just what is Ax-Man Surplus, do you ask? We simply defy a simple description. For over thirty years we have been serving the creative and practical needs of the Twin Cities community. Simple to say, there aren’t any stores around simply like this!

Imagine going to one store and finding yards and yards of different materials, all kinds of wierd hardware parts, porcelain and plastic body parts, bizarre millitary odds ‘n’ ends like gas masks and dummy rounds, capacitors and power supplies, art materials, office products, and coffee pots- All in the same place!

Usually when people hear the word “surplus”, the words “used” and “defective” also come to mind. THIS IS A MYTH!When we say surplus, we mean merchandise that is new and in fine working order, but someone just had more on hand than needed, or items whose intended application just didn’t do it justice…

…Which is where you come in. Our business thrives on our customers’ imagination. We have scores of merchandise waiting for creative people to find new uses for them. Using a fly trap as a minnow catcher, for instance. Or using weight resistance bands as boat mooring lines. Or building a computer or amplifier with our bins and bins of electromechanical stuff. The possibilities are endless!

We don’t believe in UPC codes- the apocalyptic “mark of the beast” for the Nineties. We believe customers like to touch merchandise that’s not wrapped in bubble packs and laminated cardstock. When you come into our stores, we encourage you to browse around, read our signs, dig through our leather scraps bin, hunt for a vacuum tube for that old radio, and just have a good time! So if you’re in for a shopping experience, or just in the Twin Cities, pay us a visit!

This post is straight out of the World Famous Design Junkies rummage sale category. This isn’t a rummage sale in the same way a garage sale is a rummage sale, or the same way a flea market is a rummage sale, nay, this is a store. Generally the only place you find rummage at a store-like location is at a “secondhand” store like Good Will or Unique. This is not those, I say to you, nay again! This is Ax-Man Surplus.

This is the truly one-of-a-kind.