Long-time Kelowna army surplus store closing down

Albert Siemons describes his shop as a social institute.

And it’s the people who came through the door each day that drove him out of bed for 33 years to flick on the lights at Kelowna’s Army Surplus Warehouse.

The outlet on the corner of Dayton Street and Dolphin Avenue has become a staple in the city.

However, Siemons will lock the doors for one last time on May 13. (This has now been extended to May 20)

Having just turned 76, he says it’s time to call it quits.

“I’m hoping to retire,” he told Kelowna10.

Siemons’ love for army surplus extends well beyond his time managing the brick-and-mortar location.

For years, his leading hobby involved collecting and restoring army vehicles. That passion saw him stumble upon a job wholesaling army clothing in the late 1980s.

“There were no vehicles around and no one was importing on the west coast,” he explained.

Shortly thereafter, he relocated to the Okanagan from the coast and set up shop.

Sales have ebbed and flowed over the past three decades, with everything from die-hard return buyers to others driven by pop culture trends or curious costume hunters ahead of Halloween.

“Some singer wears army boots, and all of a sudden all the girls want that kind of boot,” he said with a laugh. “Or certain pieces are worn by celebrities.”

He carries a love-hate relationship with the film industry, saying too often, prop crews put something too futuristic or unoriginal on screen, inspiring false hope for fans.

“People, for Halloween or something, want to replicate it and the problem is you’ll never be able to replicate those items because they are not standard issues,” he said with a smile.

But it will be those and other shoppers that Siemons will miss most about the job. He relishes seeing second and third-generation buyers roll through.

A consequence of his deep passion for history has also connected him with keen clientele and military buffs from across the country.

“It is way more than selling item, a, to person, b. It goes deeper than that. You see the people evolve and that is really what I will miss,” he said.

While shuttering his store, he said interest in army surplus items remains strong, despite a diminishing quantity of products.

Many nations, he said, no longer offload surplus military gear. Some, such as Germany, he explained, are simply destroying the product to cut back on labour costs, to much dismay.

“Many people have decried that decision,” he said.

The number of historical items passing through surplus outlets, he said, has also declined. Collectors now rule that segment of the market.

So, what’s next?

Siemons had hoped to sell off the entire kit and caboodle. And while that hasn’t happened yet, he did manage to move about half his remaining inventory. The high-quality law enforcement tactical gear has found a home at Blair Tactical.

The rest, he said, will be slowly packed up. He has a selection of army vehicles to repair and restore. He also has to contend with the warehouses of supplies he still has packed away.

“The store is the tip of the iceberg,” he said. “I’ll be busy for at least two years, I think.”

And once that is done, expect to see Siemons volunteering, possibly at local museums, to pass along his knowledge and keep the interest going.