American Science & Surplus is fighting for its life. Here’s why you should care.

Summary

It was shortly after moving into Chicago's Jefferson Park neighborhood that I saw the sign for the first time: American Science & Surplus. My curiosity piqued, I pulled into the strip mall and walked into a store filled with an unimaginable variety of lab equipment, military surplus, tools, electronics, toys, and so much more. Now, nearly 90 years after its launch selling "reject lenses" as American Lens & Photo, American Science & Surplus is facing an existential threat. The COVID-19 pandemic and increased costs hit the business hard, so the store has launched a GoFundMe campaign looking to raise $200,000 from customers and fans alike. What's happening in suburban Chicago is a microcosm of the challenges facing local retail, with big-box retailers and online behemoths overwhelming beloved local institutions. It's a story that has played out countless times in the last two-plus decades, and owner Pat Meyer is hoping this tale has a different ending. American Science & Surplus owner Pat Meyer holds the two most popular items in the store: $4 solenoid switches that are used to repair a well-known brand of single-cup coffee makers. Credit: Eric Bangeman American Science & Surplus owner Pat Meyer holds the two most popular items in the store: $4 solenoid switches that are used to repair a well-known brand of single-cup coffee makers. Credit: Eric Bangeman Launching a fundraiser was a tough choice for Meyer. "I don't like asking people for money," he said. With his voice catching, he continued: "It's hard for me to talk about sometimes, because the more I'm in the store, the more I see how much people care about it and don't want it to go away." And the current environment is tough for small business owners. "Banks… are real hesitant [about lending] money," Meyer told Ars. "Interest rates are high, too. So we decided that we were going to try and reach out to the community that we built over the last 88 years." Walk into any of the three American Science & Surplus' store...