Ax-Man Surplus Stores is a chain of surplus stores in the Twin Cities metro area in

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

, known locally for its eclectic atmosphere and unique selection of merchandise. They specialize in industrial and scientific surplus, as well as manufacturing surplus and failed consumer products. The chain has locations in

Saint Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

Fridley Fridley is a city in Anoka County, Minnesota, United States. Its population was 29,590 at the 2020 census. Fridley was incorporated in 1949 as a village, and became a city in 1957. It is part of the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area as ...

, and St. Louis Park, as well as an online store.

History

Ax-Man was founded by Jess Liberman, a native of Saint Paul whose father was a tailor. In the early 1960s, Liberman acquired a large lot of shoes, which he proceeded to sell at his father's business. In the mid-1960s he opened a store in downtown Saint Paul, which he called "The Man With The Ax". In the late 1960s,

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public land-grant research university in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. ...

art school graduate David Gray began working at the store, and in the 1970s he became a partner in the business, with the two developing the store that was to become the modern Ax-Man Surplus. The Fridley location was opened in the mid-1980s. After Liberman's death in the 1990s, Gray bought the business from his estate, becoming the second owner. In 2001, businessman Jim Segal purchased the business. A location in

Crystal A crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituents (such as atoms, molecules, or ions) are arranged in a highly ordered microscopic structure, forming a crystal lattice that extends in all directions. In addition, macro ...

was opened in 2009, and closed on Halloween in 2015. Beginning in 2010, Ax-Man Surplus was one of many businesses on

University Avenue A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, th ...

in downtown Saint Paul to voice concern regarding the effects of the construction of the Green Line on their business. At a 2011

Metropolitan Council The Metropolitan Council, commonly abbreviated Met Council or Metro Council, is the regional governmental agency and metropolitan planning organization in Minnesota serving the Twin Cities seven-county metropolitan area, accounting for over 55 pe ...

hearing, Segal criticized the Council, accusing them of downplaying the projected effects on businesses in the area. Construction on the Green Line was finished in 2014; the Snelling Avenue station now sits across the street from the Saint Paul store. The stores were closed for around seven weeks in early 2020 due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

. During the unrest that followed the

murder of George Floyd On , George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was murdered in the U.S. city of Minneapolis by Derek Chauvin, a 44-year-old white police officer. Floyd had been arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 bill. Chauvin knelt on Floyd's ...

in May 2020, the flagship location in Saint Paul was broken into and vandalized. Segal was inside the store at the time, and had to barricade himself inside of his office as the store was occupied by rioters. Following this, the store was closed for repairs until mid-July.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Ax-man Surplus website
Surplus stores Arts organizations based in Saint Paul, Minnesota Tourist attractions in Saint Paul, Minnesota Culture of Saint Paul, Minnesota