On those days when you’re shopping for a flight jacket, Dickies work pants, a 50-inch belt, a samurai sword and an ammo vest to hold your bullets and grenades, there is no better shopping alternative than the Army Navy Surplus Market just north of downtown Tampa. The store is a hodgepodge of stuffed-to-the-rafters wooden shelves holding all sorts of stuff, including plenty that’s not military-related — like, for instance, a basic pair of dress pants or a little-girl coat with a Strawberry Shortcake print.
The shop’s been owned for 35 years by Nick Potomatis (left), who can usually be found sitting in a chair at the front counter exchanging barbed banter with customers. Want to negotiate a price? Go ahead and try, but it’ll be a tussle. With its cheap prices and shelves filled with surprises, Army Navy Surplus draws plenty of traffic. It’s not only a place to buy some unusual things, it’s fun just to wander among the musty-smelling shelves.
Gift this: Blackhawk ammunition vest made of tough canvas and mesh and covered with pockets and slots for bullets, grenades and clips, $129.99.
1312 N Tampa St., Tampa, 813-229-2172.
This is the first stop in CL's Indie Holiday Shopping Spree. Read more here.
This article appears in Nov 26 – Dec 2, 2008.