Abilene businessman brings back military surplus store

ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – After nearly five years of going without, an Abilene businessman is bringing back the camo and historical gear.

Abilene’s Edwin Bumpass opened up a new military surplus store on Highway 277S past Dub Wright Boulevard.

Even though Bumpass didn’t serve in the military, he’s always been drawn to the Army green and brown.

“As an adult you go to places and smells will take you back to your childhood. Two of those smells for me are an old-fashioned feed store and an army surplus store,” said Bumpass.

Bumpass and his father used to go to Taylor’s Army Surplus on North 1st when he was a kid.

“Part of the fun of it is getting to dig, you know, there’s bins full of stuff and boxes that you dig through, and you always find something different,” said Bumpass.

Taylor’s burned in a fire in 2016.

“There was just a really big hole left,” said Bumpass.

It’s a hole that Bumpass is trying to fill 5 years later.

“I said, ‘What do you think about me opening up a surplus store?’ and he was like, ‘You know, I really thought about calling you to see if you would pursue it,” said Bumpass.

Even though Bumpass’s store has a new look and is full of different items, Bumpass says the feeling of looking through history hasn’t changed.

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