This place is amazing. Super cool stuff. Some really crazy stuff. Service was great Selection is endless on everything you can think of... I was mind blown on the stuff in this store. Value is excellent Highly recommend read more

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You can tell the staff really has fun putting the label on stuff here. Are you looking for DIY electronic components, a Buffalo Wild Wings beer coozy, and a honey nut Cheerio flavored lip balm? Well, have I got a place for you...... read more

Ax-Man Surplus Stores - Hobby Shops Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

In terms of surplus stores Ax-Man is about as good as they come. Everytime we are in the Twin Cities we make a point to stop here just to take it all in and see what kind of oddities and treasures we may find to take home with us. Some key takeaways: 1. Street parking only, but that's never been an issue for us 2. The staff here is very kind and helpful 3. No public restrooms so if you're travelling with a child plan accordingly 4. Plan a good 30 minutes minimum to take it all in. If you know what you want this might go faster, but if you come here to just enjoy it and see what surprises you may find, you'll want a little chunk of time to explore. Overall it's hard to describe - I think of it like Archie Mcfee in the PNW mixed with a local hardware store. It's a gem of a find and I hope it never changes. read more

Ax-Man Surplus Stores - Hobby Shops Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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You can find everything you want but don't need! There's a ton of interesting stuff. Gadgets galore!

Lots of junk. Staff is standoffish and wouldn't help find specific items. Only perk is some stuff is very cheap, but most is overpriced and/or broken read more

Fun to browse if you have extra time. Has plenty of things you didn't know you needed. A unique, low expectations shopping experience and a great mainstay in the midway. Recommended read more

Always amazing abundance of things you never knew you needed for cheap!! Always an entertaining shopping experience.

This is not your typical thrift store. This is definitely a store you want to come into if you have some time. I'm not exactly sure who "the axman" is, but he is referenced a lot in little signs throughout the store. There is some really quirky and bizarre things that you want to come to this store with an open mind. Axman has been a staple on University for the past 60 years. I love the cities mainly for the quirky and fun stores. This is a must see. They also have really good prices on most things! They have something for everyone here, that's for sure. read more

Wish i lived in MN so i could wander these aisles regularly! So much to see, so fun to look at it all!

Worth checking out once for a couple of chuckles. Merch is mostly junk. Driven by Ax-Man on University for years and years. Finally stopped in for the first time last evening. I had no idea what to expect. While it was somewhat amusing browsing the aisles and reading the signs on the bins pitching their wares, I did not make any purchases. Can definitely see this place being cool as shit for many - the vast majority of what they are selling is just not for my tastes. Borrowing from the language on the Ax-Man website: it is full of thing-a-ma-jigs, whatz-its, and doo-dads. Most of it is dirt cheap because it is worthless garbage. Buy 12 pieces of one type of crap, and you get the 13th one for free. I could easily see a hoarder going bankrupt shopping at Ax-Man. The only items that interested me were some of the statues that they had on display, but I did not see any price tags on them. Guessing they would be negotiable if you were seriously interested. I could see putting hip-hop Jeezy in my place of abode as a gag. I'll give you $20 bucks for him - what do you say, Ax-Man? read more

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I've been going to Ax-man for decades. What a great place to wander around and discover stuff ya just gotta have...even if you don't know what you'll use it for yet. From oddball electronic components to miscellaneous parts from God knows what products. Last time I was there I picked up a variety of threaded knobs, a few plastic thing-a-ma-jigs for some kind of whatchamacallit, a lighted magnifying glass, and a pair of goofy Groucho Marx style glasses with nose and mustache. I was tempted to get a WW2 gas mask but opted for a few bare gears that I might use sometime to make something some day. I LOVE THIS ECLECTIC PLACE! read more

Yeah, this is basically my new favorite store. It reminds me of American Science and Surplus in Milwaukee but with more fun novelty stuff. My hands quickly became full with all of the awesome stuff I wanted, no, NEEDED. Just then a friendly worker offered to bring me a basket! Staff were friendly and fair when I asked for a discount on the chipped gold bar I was buying for my nephew. He's really happy with it. And rich. I walked away a happy camper with some weird fake tattoos, a Miss Cleo tarot deck, a Survival Handbook, glow-in-the-dark star stickers for my ceiling, and a zipper pouch in the shape of a ghetto blaster. NEEDED. Dan also found lots of good containers of various sizes for storing little things like game pieces. read more

Ax-Man is one of the things I most miss about Saint Paul. I haven't found anything like it here in the Northeast. Sigh. It's junk bonanza. Surplus of every conceivable category, from twizzle sticks to LEDs to gas masks to motors to relays to theatre seats to spoons. Feeling uncreative on a long Minnesota winter's night? Head over to the Ax-Man and you'll come out with an armful of stuff for $5 and you'll be creating your own Rube Goldbergesque creations the very next day. Oh, I love you Ax-Man. Please, please open a New York City branch. Sigh. read more

This place is a teacher's dream store, especially if you bribe your students with cheap crap for a job well done. There are bouncy balls, race cars, pens, office supplies, shiny rocks, weird toys from the 90's and a giant bin of those fake babies that they use in high schools to demonstrate how hard it is to rear a child. There is also a lot of science related stuff: beakers, empty chemical vials with Polish labels and tubes. The best part? IT'S CHEAP. As I waited in line with a brush for my cat, a magnifying glass and an ice-cream scoop, I listened to the totals of all of the transactions in front of me. They were as follows: 89 cents and $1.25. This place is fun, has a lot of really weird stuff (including an iron-lung, at least 10 oscilloscopes, gas masks, post-apocalyptic art) and is cheap. Check it out! read more

Ax-Man Surplus Stores - Hobby Shops Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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I'm coming at this from a mom's point of view. Ya know that 100 days of school project where your kids have to bring in 100 "something's"? This Is the place to stock up my friends. Marbles, bolts, wires, doll arms you name it. Ya know the last minute project your 2nd grader announces Sat. Night? Head on over for inspiration and supplies. I also like the music they play. read more

I used to resort to waiting in the car while my husband went in and sifted through crap, but it got too long, hot and dangerous waiting in a blazing car for him to come out so I finally went in. The 4 star rating is more for my husband.. Holy Shizzle there is a lot of obscure amusing stuff to sift through. I'll admit, sometimes it's a little scary rummaging through some of the bins, god only knows what's at the bottom. Even more to my amazement, we took our nieces there and they loved it. Each of them found a basket full of kitsch. I had to confiscate the little syringes that they wanted- god only knows what their parents would have thought after seeing them come home with that. My husband frequents this place all the time and is on a first name basis. I however stay home the majority of the time, so not to ruin his good time. read more

Love this place. Inexpensive place to find bits and baubles that you might need for a project. The signs are fun and the selection of stuff is just bizarre, which makes the experience entertaining. read more

Oh. My. Free entertainment, anyone? This place is worth at least 1 visit to check out all the random variety across their aisles. Plus, you never know what little thing-a-ma-jig you might need. Chances are you will find it, here. read more

I worked with Jason in the warehouse. He was able to find the products i was looking for and suggest a few related items. I asked for shipping and gave him the wrong address. He was willing to ship it again very quickly. I have been shopping here since the 80's when i was a kid. It's a great place with friendly staff. Highly recommended. read more

Who can build a steampunk automaton in their mother's basement until dawn? Ax-Man can. Who can execute ennui on a Midwestern rainy day The Ax-Man can. The Ax-Man is a masked man Who will kill all of your paycheck With one swipe of his enchanted axe He has smitten you with dreck. If you want to ask the Ax-Man Where does this junk come from All the wires, bed pans and motors My friend you will be struck dumb If by will or legerdemain You cannot stop your crazy train If you must keep buying crap Like an outdated army map The Ax-Man understands! Ax-Man takes you by the hand And you hear a lovely band The mystic music in your head Cacophonous and grand. He takes off your broken glasses Fixed with glue and cheap molasses The real spectacle is you and the junk that sticks to you Whether an antiquarian or hoarder Or a wealthy group home boarder Whether a mechanical engineer A soothsayer or a seer, A lass with ADD or a locksmith without keys A lengthy white-robed pope or a long-haired lad who takes the dope... There's something here for all In this imaginarium, this hall To correct every ill At this junkopolous on the hill. Whether you've a vision or a plan That no one understands Be you a woman or a man Or a convict on the lam If you listen to your voices and you ride here in Rolls Royces If you cry alone at night For lost flotsam and its plight If you succumb to siren's song Though you've been told it's wrong If every disembodied artifact Seems like something that you lack When you've smoking crack and you need some bric-a-brac Or you're delirious with flu and your heart demands a knick knacky-poo If your solemn solitary pursuits Do so place you in cahoots With a strange and sad compulsion That in others inspires revulsion If you you sometimes lose composure When faced with surplus junk ambrosia If from these feelings you should have ran The Ax-Man caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan! read more

Ax-Man is so great! This is my favorite location for several reasons. It's very, very close to my favorite bookstore, Midway Books, which is probably the biggest reason, but there is something extra magical about this location that I'm still trying to figure out. I think the ceilings may be higher and the creatively covered entrance is covered with all sorts of memorabilia. It feels like a majestic Mad Max cathedral. It was also the first Ax-Man I got to explore so it definitely had the highest impact, as I had nooooo idea what to expect. Last time I was there, my favorite things I came across were: Giant glass bell jars- You can use them to cover vegetables like kale when frosts start happening and it keeps them happy. You can also use them in the creation of beautiful dried flower installation lands. I hope them still have them when I go back!!! Bead/craft organizer boxes- I love collecting tiny things and it's great that they sell handy organizers of all sizes for only a couple bucks. Lowest prices I've ever seen. Glass medicine bottles with built-in droppers- My favorite winter potion is sesame oil plus a few drops of eucalyptus oil which you drop in your nose. If you have a cold, it gives you something nice that you can actually smell AND it keeps your nasal passage nice and moisturized so you can avoid nosebleeds. The bottles are PERFECT for storing and administering "potions". Lacing beads- Remember those colorful beads you got to lace on shoe laces to practice coordination when you where in kindergarten? THEY HAVE BARRELS FULL!!! I love using them in jewelry because they make me feel like I'm 4 again, but without the confusion that usually comes with being 4! That's a great feeling. Go to Axe-Man if you want to have FUN. read more

I'm a tinkerer. I love to fix computers and cars and electronic stuff. I've built working radios out of scrap wire, wood and an occasional diode. If you're that kind of tinkerer and want to build stuff on the super-cheap, you'll find everything you need here. Ax-Man has stuff that Radio Shack stopped selling a long time ago. I give Ax-Man credit for my soldering capabilities, since they sell scrap circuit boards and random parts for so cheap that $5.00 spent here, combined with a decent soldering iron, equals a self-taught soldering course. Want an analog oscilloscope so you can test your creations? They have them here. You'll need a strong back to carry 'em out. Ax-Man sells Erlenmeyer flasks and beakers for measuring stuff... they work as well as measuring cups. Do you need a crucible or a mortal and pestle? I don't, but Ax-Man sells them. They work well for herb-crushing cooks. I am not quite sure about the disembodied doll heads/bodies, random plastic animals, or c. 1980s key chains advertising insurance agencies in Nebraska, but whatever. "Make your own fun" seems to be the motto here. This store sells pretty much everything a tinkerer needs, and pretty much everything you have no idea what to do with even if you're a tinkerer. My artist friends love this place. To appreciate it, you just have to visit and give yourself at least an hour to browse the aisles; most everyone will find something they can use at Ax-Man even if you're not a tinkerer or artist. This is also a great place to visit if you're bored on a Saturday afternoon. I'm pretty sure you'll walk out with something cool. The stock changes all the time. read more

Getting a Christmas stocking full of curated Ax-Man wares is like a peek into the psyche of your boyfriend's family members. A slide whistle and waterproof IPhone case from your boyfriend's mom. Three porcelain balloon molds (?!) and two wooden, hand-carved "NOT!"s from your boyfriend's dad. The top of my bookshelf now says, "NOT! NOT!" like an agitated bird. A gas mask, vegetable magnets, and glow sticks from your boyfriend's sister. And from the boyfriend, two dozen gumball-sized white marbles. "WHAT ARE THESE THINGS FOR?!" you may ask. Wrong question. You have to accept that this is a store for wild imaginations, half-finished projects, grand inspirations, and breaking a guffaw out of your brother's girlfriend on Christmas. read more

If ever you need scraps of lambs' wool backed in leather, at under a quarter per pound, Ax-Man has you covered. Perhaps you're entertaining, and don't mind some mismatched champagne flutes with mysteriously spelled names etched into them - Ax-Man can accommodate hundreds of your guests. Buckles? Zipper pulls? "Peanuts" posters? X-Men magnets? You know where to go. Stocking your bomb shelter? Ax-Man is the obvious one-stop shop. If I had any knowledge on electronics repair, I bet I could testify as to Ax-Man's eccentric but extensive selection of spare parts. But, without a doubt, the reason I can spend hours every time I go to Ax-Man and still pine for more as I walk out the door: the signs. If you need some free entertainment and also might be looking for a bulk package of graduated cylinders of a specific volume, there is nowhere else on Earth you should try first. read more

After reading reviews I just had to go...and drag the boyfriend with. We had so much fun walking the aisles together. We can't wait to bring his handy-man dad here the next time he is in town. If you find yourself on the 94 corridor between the cities and need to waste some time, this is the place to go. Now I am just trying to think of a use for little glass jars that don't even hold an ounce - I want some...so cute read more

Ax-Man has a whole bunch of crazy stuff. Random stuff. Things that you haven't seen since the 80s. There's a couple of Teddy Ruxpins flying around. It's basically a museum of cheap items. It's really hard to explain what they sell because....well, you really just have to see it for yourself. I loved looking at everything, but most of it I didn't want to take home with me. Depending on what you're looking for, Ax-Man just might have it. The one thing I did buy was a bungee cord! Yay. read more

Kid in your life? Take them here, say 'we're going to do a craft project' and let them go nuts. We bought some nice cigar boxes, cut out magazine pictures, and decoupaged them on. All for.. 1 dollar? I became a better mentor that day. I have questionable friends who make a habit of buying doll appendages from a bin. Not sure how I feel about that. Ax-man should have a limit on such things. read more

I can recall going to Ax-Man with my father as a kid. It's filled with the weird, the wonderful, the unexpected, the surplus. I found some fun toys here over the years. It's such an odd-ball place with its mixture of creative, semi-frightening displays, store dummies, and strange merchandise. You never know what sort of treasures you might find here. It's a great place to pick up odd gifts for friends or family, conversation-starters or white elephant gifts that are sure to get a laugh. I know of no other store quite like this. If you've never been here, make a trip. It's worth it simply for the experience. read more

I can't believe I haven't reviewed this before. Excellent, top of the pops, wunderbar, bueno! Ax-Man is a one-of-a-kind joint with all kinds of random throwaway/freebie/miscellaneous surplus stuff that you can't get anywhere else (and often for good reason!). I've found it's good for odd x-mas gifts but it's absolutely phenomenal for Secret Santa stuff. While thrift stores are also great at supplementing Secret Santa, I like to get downright bizarre with Secret Santa gifts and this is the place to do that. You never quite know what kind of crap/treasure you'll find but it's all pretty reasonably priced (50 cents-a few bucks mostly). I've found stuff here I bought for myself and others that they still have and enjoy years later. For example, I recently found a Bill Clinton corkscrew (they also have a Hillary nutcracker), which was a truly nice piece of kitchenware for only $5. I also got a large variety of X-Men magnets for only 45 cents a piece. Score!! If nothing else, wandering around in the store for a half-hour is guaranteed to bring more than a few chuckles, and perhaps some serious guffaws. read more

If I could bring one store with me to a desert island it would be this store. This store has everything you need and everything you didn't know you needed and everything that will provoke a need to make arts and crafts out of random awesome things. Seriously though if you need a piece to that thing you have always wanted to fix - I am pretty sure you will find it here. This store rocks! read more

So you need an old-fashioned, metal, Swedish bedpan... No, I'm serious. Actually, I needed TWO old-fashioned, metal, Swedish bedpans (it was for a work project...um, no wonder my parents can never figure out what I actually do). Where the heck does one go? Well...we found a whole stack of old-fashioned, metal, Swedish bedpans at Ax-Man. This is also the place to go for numerous corks, springs, beakers, pipettes, pieces of rubber, fuses, clocks, crayons, bolts, gloves, tongs, doll parts, leather scraps, wire...it's a science fair project mecca (as well as a corporate team building supplies mecca, as it turns out). Need a craft idea for the kids? Go to Ax-Man for inspiration. Need a craft project for yourself? Same story. Building a sentient Frankenstein-like being with Swedish bedpans for arms? Ax-Man! The signage reflects the irreverence and randomness of the inventory. Sometimes you won't be able to find your Specific Thing, but you'll be able to find SOMEthing. read more

Shopping list: Googly eyes fake fur grommets frames glass negatives iron lung Where do I go for these items? Ax-Man!!!! There is a plethora of items that one could use around the house; for crafts, auto, military, plumbing, bad lungs...my parents took me to the place when I was a child, and ever since it has been my fave place to wonder for a few hours. I never spend under 40 bones on random junk. I have made several whatnot's from this place, and I recommend a Saturday afternoon to explore. read more

I love Ax-Man. It's bizarre, entertaining, and full of completely random shit. If you're any sort of assemblage artist or into collecting off-the-wall items... this place is certainly for you. The prices are cheap as hell and you never know what you're going to find or walk out with. They have huge bins of leather scraps and sides, old military helmets, chemistry beakers, gas masks and urine sample jars. Is there really anything else you need...? read more

Every once in a while I go into this store and browse through each and every aisle just to see what they've got in stock at that moment. I find the activity rather fun and inspiring. This last time, I left with my purchase of a new roll of clear packing tape and a small metal spring. I'm always tempted by the wide variety of jars and bottles. read more

YA grl, check it. This surplus store is one of the best I've been to. They have aisles and aisles of stuff you didn't know you needed, like tiny blue mugs and dirty coasters and plastic boxes with ten thousand compartments. They also have leather scraps, 3D maps and ELECTRONIC PARTS. I bought this ceramic electric resistor that's now my favorite necklace. If you want to spend two hours looking at things, this is the place to go. Ax-man is an eye maze. (!!!) read more

I toured MN and went to three of the four Ax-Man locations. This one is the best. The selection is the largest, and it had the most items, including military surplus, electronics, and more 'one-off' stuff than all of the other stores. Parking is hard here, I ended up parking illegally behind the store. read more

When I was a kid, my dad took me here to roam the aisles and look at the collected oddness. Yesterday, I took my kids for the first time. My daughter loved looking at the funny signs, and my son found his very own bowling pin to take home and call his own. The stock changes constantly, but you can almost always find things like quality speaker wire, A/V interconnects ($6 HDMI cables!), fuses, and the like. A visit to the Ax-Man will change your life. But don't take my word for it...go see for yourself! read more

Pretty much everything in this place is junk and it hits you in the face the moment you walk in. If you're a total wuss you'll be all overwhelmed and walk right out. If you rule you will instantly start thinking off all of the awesomeness you could create with it all. If you are like me you'll recognize the possibilities but know that you pretty much fail at all things technical. Still, like me, you could probably make something decent out of bird feathers, a circuit board and a wine glass. You can find basic stuff (like glasses, duct tape, stickers, etc) for really cheap and it's all better quality than what you'll find at a dollar store. Also, the price signs are all little informational pieces of art. Whoever makes them obviously rules. read more

Xmas shopping mini-review #2: If you're like me, you consider Ax-Man a good first stop in any sort of gift shopping situation. That means you're a little odd, and if it weren't for places like Ax-Man, you might not think you belonged in this world. The worst thing about gift shopping here is I always leave with as much if not more for myself. Gift shopping foul! read more

It's a great place for finding random project stuff. They have all kinds of things... it's kind of like your eccentric uncle's friends cousins hoarder mother who gave birth to batboy's sort of junk from the attic. On the other hand, if you need say a specific resistor or capacitor for a project (in my case I was rebuilding a power supply) and a specific gauge or wire, you might be out of luck. It's all random stuff and in random quanties. Another aside, I've noticed that some of the older heavy duty yet quality "junk" is starting to give way to cheapy chinese dollar store stuff like mini-fans and poor quality tools. I hope this trend doesn't continue! read more