Omaha’s Surplus over 50 Years in Business

Posted on Leave a comment

Omaha’s Surplus was founded in 1963 in Fort Worth, Texas by “the old man,” whose family had been in the government surplus business since 1945, selling various tools and military industrial surplus. After WW2 the boom of army navy stores began.

While the US government had been disposing of military surplus since and around the Civil War, it wasn’t until the end of World War 2 that the amount of their surplus was so great that it actually created an industry. There was so much Wart Surplus available that it seemed every type of store was in on the distribution of army navy goods. One could find army navy surplus at store like Sears, Montgomery Ward, and JC Penney.

The old man’s Parents(our grandparents) specialized in buying and selling  US government surplus tools and industrial equipment. Before the days of Home Depot, Lowes, and Northern Tool, inexpensive, quality tools were hard to find. Our grandparents would go to auctions at major defense contractors around the country to pick up great deals on big lots of surplus tools and supplies. Initially selling out of the back of a truck, they eventually expanded to a brick and mortar retail store called Williams Tools.

In 1963 our father set out to open his own version of the surplus store offering not only tools and supples but mixing in some military surplus clothing , ammo boxes, field equipment and camouflage uniforms that he would run into at various auctions he would attend.  He came up with the name Omahas Surplus to set himself apart from the other store. He said it just sounded good to him, something different.

By 1983, Omaha’s transformed itself in 1983 to a true Army Navy Surplus Store with an expansion into a new building, offering authentic products such as clothing, military outdoor field gear and adventure equipment with an incredible selection of hard to find genuine surplus items. In 1987 the old man’s sons jumped on board to help expand the business.

In 1999, the Omaha’s Surplus e-commerce retail store was born, with the ability to offer more original army navy surplus products to people all over the world. The store in Fort Worth flourished, providing quality military goods at affordable prices to military personnel from Carswell AFB and Fort Hood even. All types of customers began to look to Omahas for camping and hunting gear that you could not find in any of the big box stores. Military surplus quality camouflauge and out door equipment is super durable and inexpensive.

In 2013, to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Omaha’s Surplus, a new logo and website was created providing a fresh look to the historic branding our our long-time Fort Worth institution called Omaha’s Suplus. Still family owned and operated, further expansion and an internal relocation has been necessary due to the initiation of the TRWD’s  Trinity River Vision project. We now have a new “backdoor entrance” at 2412 Whitmore where the visiting public can experience the working warehouse as we transition the White Settlement store onto Whitmore.

For those who don’t know the Trinity River Vision Project is a $1 Billion dollar flood control and economic development coming from the heart of downtown to help control flooding and revitalize the near west side of downtown fort worth.

When visiting fort worth, it is a little tricky getting to our location now as White Settlement Road has been closed from Henderson until Mid 2018. Best to approach from the west off of Universtiy or 7th streets.

Omaha’s has accumulated a tremendous inventory of authentic military surplus. Military, Hunters, Campers, Reenactors, Theatre, Costumers, Veterans, First Responders, and more look to Omaha’s Surplus to fulfill their Army Navy surplus needs.   

vintage surplus 1950 williams tools
Williams Tools 1950’s
Omahas Store 1983 1999 1

Omaha’s 1983 & 1999

50th ann omahas
50th Anniversary Omaha’s
omahas crew tank photo
Omaha’s Team
68352692 2776502919027173 8698833208617205760 n
Omaha’s Team