NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) - Citing declining sales, an Army-Navy surplus store that’s been around for more than 80 years is closing its doors.
The Army Navy Surplus store in Newport has experienced a steady decrease in business for years, the Newport Daily News reported.
The store first opened in 1937 by Allie Horwitz in a building across the street from its current location. Since then the store has changed owners twice and has only closed once, in 2008.
Owner Jay Patel says that for the past four years business has gone down by 15%-20% each year.
Patel thinks the growth of online shopping led to the decline.
Doug Tucker, who has worked at the store since 1981, says business first began to suffer around 2000.
“In those days, when guys got out of the Army or Navy, they would go to the store and sell their used military clothing,” Tucker said.
He said he thinks there was a regulatory change to prevent soldiers from selling clothing, which led the store to start selling replicas.
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