American Science & Surplus

This is simultaneously one of the coolest and weirdest stores I’ve ever been to. It’s kind of tucked out of sight on Roosevelt, and it doesn’t look like it’d be a large shop based on the outside, but there’s a ton of stuff packed in here. Gadgets of all kinds, random electronics, glassware, office supplies, backpacks, shirts, kits, you name it. Bonus points for the excellent selection of laser pointers!

If you are a neat freak without imagination– don’t come here.
If you wanna visit your grandpa’s garage and find something totally unique to build your robot Halloween costume out of, this is the place! If your grandpa was a mad scientist. And a hoarder.
Seriously though– better than a hardware store for unique gadgets like mini air compressors for models or tiny bottles to seal your blood in for a necklace for your husband or art supplies!
Everything is reasonably priced.
Clerks are generally happy to be working there so everything is good all around.
Check it out!

Coolest place ever!!! The kind of place that you can’t go there looking for a specific item, but you will find all kinds of cool odds and ends. Unbelievable if you are a tinkerer like me. As a bonus, plenty of great toys for kids. Not Dori the exposure or Dr. McMuffin but real toys that will actually stimulate your little Einstein’s mind and mold real future explorers, scientists, astronomers… ah, you get the point. Give yourself a few hours and check this place out. A MUST STOP AT for me any time I am out that way.

This place is crazy cool! I work at a science lab nearby, and go here all the time to find anything from things to help me out at work to things to help me avoid a nuclear holocaust! Attention: This is not a store strictly fun for geeks, nerds, scientists etc. This place is fun for kids and adults who like electronics, costumes, reading, toys, lamps, fungus, chemistry, and polka. Ok, maybe not polka so much. It’s a cluttered mess of entertainment and education. I usually go with nothing in particular in mind, and leave 2 hours later, sometimes with something, sometimes with every thing. It’s like free amusement to browse. Just check it out… c’mon… I know you can do it!

You would be hard pressed to find a store like this, even in a major city like Chicago. We’ve been going here for years and always seem to walk out with something completely different. From art supplies, to off-​cuff toys, to last night’s purchase. a rock hammer of all things. The best thing about American S&S is that their stock rotates, so you’ll likely find new stuff with each visit. For those in the know. they do have a catalog as well. It’s nice to peruse but it doesn’t compare with being at the store.
If you’re looking for something unusual, items for a school project, gag gifts, general supplies and containers, Scouts, geocaching, electronic parts and components, etc, give this place a look!

What a find! There are so many doo-​Hickies in this store, it boggles the mind. I have found so many things tonight that I don’t need, and even more that I might need someday. I keep coming back too. There really is no adequate description for this store, so you should come in.
Bring a sense of humor!

This store has everything I never knew I needed under one roof.
This is the best place for off the wall DIY projects.
The staff is very helpful. They have been able to help me come up with some creative ways to do things.

How I have not reviewed this place I do not know! I used to get the catalog when I lived in another state, and was delighted to find an in-​person location here!
It’s hard to explain this store. There are goofy kitschy doodads in one aisle and a surfeit of beakers in the next, then dozens of types of tiny electrical bits on the other side of the room, with all sorts of crazy stuff in between. There’s really something for everyone: I made my parents stop when we were on the way home from Geneva once and they were like «Ehhh…» when we were walking up, but were soon sucked in by the swirl of weirdness that awaits within.
I got a gift certificate for the favorite techie-​oddball in my life and was very sure that it was the perfect (and not predicted) choice. It’s just such a delightful place to have someone give you money and say: «Here; be free!!» The possibilities are endless :)
Anyway, be sure to check it out if you’re way out west. Sciplus is a must!

I absolutely LOVE this place! They have anything and everything you can imagine! If you’re looking for something obscure and have no idea where to begin, chances are American Science & Surplus will have what you need. It’s now my first stop when I’m starting any new project. And seriously, the best place around for stocking stuffers, party favors and the like.
I also ordered a quantity of glass bottles in several styles from their website. The delivery was very fast so if you’re looking for a larger quantity than what’s in the store, the website is a great alternative… but then you don’t get to look at all the cool and bodacious stuff! And chat with the super friendly and knowledgeable staff, so what fun is that?

This store is super cool and to be honest, I never heard of it until recently.
My bf used to come here all the time as a kid so we decided to stop by last weekend.
I would say that the store is divided into 2 section, 1 being quirky ready to purchase items and the other being parts and gadgets for you to make a quirky item. I enjoyed the «ready to purchase» item section much more than the other. There were books, metal detectors, tons of science stuff (I even spied a dead frog shrink wrapped ready for dissection), tons of gifts for kids/pre-teens…just a lot of randomness.
The «parts and gadgets» part of the store had boxes upon boxes of odds and ends. I think you could totally build a robot with all of this stuff!
I think we spent about an hour and a half looking around at everything. I ended up purchasing birthday gifts which were a hit.
If you plan on stopping by, check out their website first. There was a coupon that I failed to print out but will definitely do so before I go again.

I love this place. I came here as a kid and I keep coming back.
This is a weird store for weird people who like weird things.
It is currently the holiday season and there are a few people on my shopping list who are impossible to shop for. American Science & Surplus is the perfect solution. There are so many unique and/​or hard to find items that will satisfy anyone from strange to straightforward.
The employees are very well informed. I can’t believe that they know so much about even the smallest and most obscure items in this expansive store. They are very helpful and friendly.
This place is an adventure and fit for the whole family.

Attention nerds: This place rocks!!! Every kind of science DIY kit imaginable. Kids (and me) will have all sorts of fun with all this place has to offer. Toys, yes, but they learn a lot through all of them. Be on the lookout as you drive down Roosevelt, though, as I’ve passed it accidently a few times.

ADHD is in full effect!
I don’t even know what I bought but there was sure a sh*t ton of it. and for cheap! My friend and I journeyed on out to AS&S to obtain some gardening stuff. We needed to stake out our ginormous new garden plots and since we’re cheap, we opted to head here before one of the big box stores. FIRST of all, wooden slats for staking, five cents! We bought thirty but seriously, how could you not? I considered buying out the stock and attempting to forge a cabin a la my hero, one Mr. Henry David Thoreau. However, my musings of a life of a transcendentalism were quickly interrupted by shiny objects! Holographic paper? I don’t know what I’m going to use it for, but as a former girl scout, I like to be prepared. Big 3D butterfly magnets, an organizer for sprinkles and other baking shizz, 68 yards of pink rope for our garden, joot, and tiny ziploc bags were also tossed into the cart. I enjoyed donning the crazy goggles and other fashions available here, but a twinge of practicality kept me from purchasing any of the unwearable items. I would have bought the AS&S tie dye shirt that some crazy skeleton fairy hanging from the ceiling was wearing BUT it was for display purposes only and they wouldn’t/couldn’t take it off. Overall, this place rocks. Not sure why, but probably because there’s just no other place like it.

Yup. I’m a fan.
After stumbling upon this store through the Unilocal community, I made it my mission to check the place out.
Step 1: Find out where the hell it is. Okay, Roosevelt. It’s on my way to the P’s house.
Step 2: Find this place on my way from work in the dark. Okay, this took longer than I thought. Like several drive bys over the course of a few weeks.
Step 3: Find the time to stop in. Done and done. Though it resulted in a worried call from Mom when I was about 45 minutes later than expected. Oops! There’s a lot to check out!
Step 4: Return as soon as possible. This place rocks. That is all.

Do you want a fun place to buy really neat and often useless stuff? This is the place. I am a teacher and I buy art supplies, Christmas gifts for the students, and assorted junque at this store. I have also purchased assorted parts, motors, and Plexiglas for a mobile sculpture for an art class. The prices are usually low. Don’t get me wrong, they also have some very high quality scientific equipment there also, but I can’t afford it. If I did need a telescope, however, American Science is the place I would go. It is a great place for gag gifts also. There are some really bizarre items. The people that run the store have a really great sense of humor.

Total randomonium!
This is the stuff I picked up today:
Coolest windup toy ever– an inchworm that «inches»
Kiddie scissors with 2 pr. interchangeable pinking shear blades ($.30)
Tiger blow-​up toy
Geology hammer-​pick thing
Magnifying glass w/​mini screwdrivers hidden in the handle
Mini music box that plays «Twinkle Twinkle Little Star»
This is the first time I visited this location. It was a Groupon that brought me here (which, might I add, they accepted straight from the iPhone app, kudos). I remember going to the downtown location as a teen and this location seems like a mini-​version. Nevertheless, this place is full of stuff you never knew you needed. Not really the type of place I would go looking for something very specific, but definitely the place to go if you are buying a gift for someone who has everything, if you are working on a science project or if you a nerd or a geek or a hoarder.
The product descriptions on the shelves are clever. And the people watching is primo.

I absolutely love American Science and Surplus! AS&S is one part mad-​scientist toy store and one part educational fun/​hobby store. A great place for adults and kids alike… and you don’t have to break the bank to get a bag full of fun, interesting, and/​or educational goodies.
If you are babysitting or have children, bring them here– it’s worth the drive if you don’t live in the area. My husband and I spend at least an hour if not more in this store each time we go, and we don’t have children.
It’s also great place to gather supplies for Halloween costumes– this year my husband purchased many items for his, go figure, «mad scientist» costume here. We also scored some crazy goggles — one pair is for welding and another is supposed to be Chinese Snow Goggles. Say what? Yup, Chinese Snow Goggles… this place has everything! Rubber insects? Check. Beakers and test tubes? Check. Disco Ball? Check. British Postal Worker Vest? Youbetcha! They have more wires and thingamabobs than you can shake a stick at. And it probably goes without saying, but if there is a science project to do this store is a must.
Their staff is quirky but very friendly and helpful. They also have a fun and informative website for your home browsing pleasure,
. So come on over and get your sci on!

Great place to shop if you’re in need of things for an art project, weird party favors, or whatever! The best part is that everything is priced relatively cheap.
This is one place where you can take your boyfriend or husband and he’ll have plenty of things to look at too.
If you like this store you’d probably also like Uncle Fun in Chicago and Ax Man Surplus in Minneapolis!

A great place for boys to shop! Yes, you read correctly, my boys LIKE to shop here.
They have beakers, copper wiring, stuff to make crystals, solar powered cars (the toy sized ones) and much more creative, somewhat scientific stuff.
This place IS out in the sticks, so it is easy to find. It’s right next to a billiard company in a strip mall. There’s no abundance of strip malls clouding up your vision out there!
I got great help from a teenager working there. We had our book, THE DANGEROUS BOOK FOR BOYS, which had instructions on how to make a battery and the employee helped us get the right stuff.
All in all, a great way to spend an afternoon.

I love this place! I always buy a few Christmas gifts here & stop in at least quarterly to buy something that I didn’t realize I couldn’t live without.
Staff is fun, know inventory, helpful, & willing to listen to weird requests.
If you need anything from robot parts — to military surplus — to office supplies… This is the place to go. Prices are low, inventory is good, & new stuff comes in all the time. There are also fun things like «mystery boxes» that are sealed boxes stuffed with great items & sold for a flat fee. Another added bonus is the people you get to rub elbows with at this place… Everyone from school teachers — to survivalist types — to steam punks.
One of my favorite stores!