Imagine an institution that inspires the imagination and provides the tools that make ideas come to life. American Science & Surplus is that place. According to their manifesto on their website, they are fascinated by discovery and invention and dedicated to having fun along the way. They must be doing something right because this year marks the 70th year that American Science & Surplus has been in business.
Mr. Al Luebbers and his wife Buddy founded American Lens & Photo on 1937, cleaning rejected lenses and selling them at a profit.
After the Second World War, a store opened on Chicago’s Northwest Side. It was called American Science center and carried, among other things, war surplus and educational science items. The Luebbers’ son, Jerry, joined the business in the 1970s, adding a catalog business and then, in 1981, a second store in Milwaukee.
In 1988, Scott McCausland came in as a partner, eventually buying it out after Jerry Luebbers’s death a few years later. The whole business was brought together under the name American Science & Surplus and a website was launched in 1995. In 2000, McCausland retired and sold it to the current owner, Philip Cable.
American Science & Surplus carries a variety of interesting items. On their website, they claim to cater to the hobbiest, tinkerer, artist, experimenter, home educator, do-it-yourselfer, and bargain hunter. Their vast array of merchandise has been used for many purposes including science projects, decorations, and even costumes. They are dedicated to value and service on every one of their items, all sold well below retail. Their items are great to give as gifts or just to cheer someone up. American Science & Surplus has three locations. In Chicago, 5316 N. Milwaukee Ave. and their phone number is (773) 763-0313. In Geneva, Route 38, east of Kirk Road and their number is (630) 232-2882. In Milwaukee, 6901 W. Oklahoma and their number is (414) 541-7777. American Science & Surplus’s web address is www.sciplus.com.