[Milsurplus] Surplus stores, then and now

[Wammes Witkop]

A sight for sore eyes,

This thread is getting to be more numerous then the always present
e-mails from amateur whrs, to use their own spelling. I, for one, am
glad.
Time to give some input from another continent, then...

Amsterdam - as in the real thing, in the Netherlands - did have it's
number of surplus traders in the past. Actuallay, the last one
stocking Green Radios - every now and again over the last ten, twenty
years - only went out of bussiness some four years ago. Nowadays, it
is a children's daycare centre called - in a literal translation - the
Magic Teddybear... Without solliciting any comments here, how low can
you go.
But I do also remember the early days out here. Anyone familiar with
Amsterdam will know of the Waterlooplein, the local fleamarket.
Nowadays mostly a overregulated market aimed at the tourist crowd,
though I do still very occasionally find the odd radio-part. But if I
go back forty years in memory...
I picked up several remote controls for the WS-19 back then, as well
as other stuff. Sadly, I thought they would get better if I rebuilt
them. The carcasses are still somewhere in the attic. I also got a
WS-19 - without the power supply, and it's still not working - back
then at what now is a very reasonable price.
Next to the local Synogoge - this was the Jewish Quarter before WWII -
there was a surplus store that seems to have followed the universal
pattern. High stacks on both walls as well as one in the middle. But
alas, I was only ten, twelve, and my parents were not understanding
about this strange hobby at all.

That's all gone. Nowadays, the Netherlands knows only two professional
traders. There is Baco in IJmuiden, who reinvented themselves as a
modern surplus with lots of new cheap camping gear but still have the
technical section with sometimes great finds! They even run a website
- in Dutch only.
And then there is Quakkelstein, in Vlaardingen. That *IS* the old
style still. Walk carefully, in fear to bump into a pile and get
burried. New stuff, as well as ancient parts. And if you ever get so
lucky as to be invited into his warehouse, five minutes away. you will
find not only a centuries old well preserved building - but also a
trip back in time when it comes to electronics.

Untill some years ago there was also Ypma, in the north of the
country. But he passed away and his widow sold the merchandise it
seems. I was asked to look it over and help out, but then was told she
had it sorted another way.

But! If anyone from Germany is on the list, please sing the praise for
Helmut! Helmut Singer! Great man to deal with, good stuff and great
stock - and they do speak English. Also, in Germany, other shops
spring to mind. But quite often German wil be the only language the
will communicate in. No problem for me, he grinned...

Once more, a most enjoyable topic. Keep it up, please! And do make
that website! Only, let's try to make it international - beyond
Canada!

Cheers, Wammes