Miller’s Surplus was a Tucson institution for 75 years: a downtown Army-Navy surplus store on North Sixth Avenue where generations of Tucsonans found field gear, boots, packs and work clothes they could not find anywhere else.
What Miller’s was known for
- Genuine military surplus from decades of U.S. and foreign stock
- Combat boots, packs and field gear
- Camping and outdoor equipment for desert trips
- Work clothes built to last
- A staff that knew the stock and took time with every customer
Remembering Miller’s
Don Sloane opened Miller’s Surplus in 1951 after three years of service in Europe in World War II, and he named the store for his father-in-law. For the next 75 years it outfitted soldiers, hunters, campers, students and working people, and it became one of those stores families shared across generations.
Longtime customers will remember the east side location at Kolb and 22nd as well. Miller’s was a favorite stop on the Gun Show Loophole Tours, and the photos below are from a 2017 visit.
When the closing was announced on April 1, 2026, customers lined up for hours to shop one last time and say thank you. Gun Shop Guide.com keeps this page as a tribute to a store the network loved.
Timeline
- 1951 Don Sloane opens Miller’s Surplus in Tucson
- 2017 Gun Show Loophole Tour visit
- 2026 Closing announced April 1 after 75 years
Plan your visit
- Looking for surplus in southern Arizona today? See the Surplus Stores page and the Arizona guide for stores that are still open.
Folding these back up is not required. For more gun maps, see 2A Gun Law Maps
Nearby on the guide
More surplus: Surplus stores · Arizona guide