This place was really cool & had a lot of selection, whether you're looking for everyday civilian clothing or military attire. Upstairs features the latest fashion wear & downstairs features the military & security wear, plus other miscellaneous items. My boyfriend bought a black dressy shirt for playing classy venues (he's a drummer in a band). I bought a hoodie since I forgot to bring a jacket on our trip. Very good service in this shop & great value on the items. read more

I have three great nephews and I took them here maybe three years ago because one of them was so interested in World War II. This past visit was because Bubba who just turned seven wanted the same 50 caliber bullet box that both of his brothers got in the prior visit he was only four years old at the time. They just love this place. We were there for probably two hours looking at everything. The guys that work in there are so accommodating and helpful. We actually drove from Naperville after I rented a car because I was visiting to bring him to the store. It was such an enjoyable afternoon to spend time with my great nephews. Thank you guys so much not to mention they have everything you could ever want in military good at a reasonable prices . read more

I impulse bought a jacket and a hoodie there and the three ladies (wish I had got their names) there were super sympathetic to my situation. I was hoping to get store credit but they were nice enough to offer me a full refund on the item. Had tons of anxiety about it and they helped relieve that. I'll return eventually and actually buy something that I'm positive I like very soon. read more

Loved this unique store. They have really cool clothes on the main floor and in the basement they have super cool military stuff including clothes and shoes. Definitely recommend checking this place out! read more

I bought a pair of shoes here not too long ago, and after wearing hem to and from work (i would change shoes at work), the shoes started to fall apart. So i took them back in, without my receipt, and asked if they would take them back, or give me a store credit. The shoes cost $60, so they weren't that expensive, but they were really coming apart and looked horrible. The store's response was that said i had worn them for a couple weeks that they couldn't/wouldn't do anything. They suggested i contact the shoe company directly. This was sorely disappointing. OIt shouldn't be my job to contact the company. They were the ones selling the shoes, so they should have stood behind them. It wasn't like had them for several months. In any case, i will never buy anything from them again. If they won't stand behind the stuff they sell, then i won't be a customer. I did end up contacting the company, and after a few emails, and some pictures that i sent them, they sent me a free pair of shoes. I will buy from that company again. I just won't be going through Belmont Army Surplus. read more

Belmont Army is a hip grungey oasis for those first moving to the City! I mean, who doesn't remember being fascinated by the Army chic of the original Belmont Army? I was actually surprised to see this location on Milwaukee on a recent walk. This location of the Army is not that exciting. You have your green fatigues, P-Coats, shabby chic- maybe it's just not that exciting anymore because even Kohl's is rocking the same fashions now, or maybe I've just grown out of wanting to dress like Pete Wentz (sans eyeliner). What I did like about Belmont Army is the cheap accesories, and bric a brac like wind up robots, which make great stocking stuffers. I can't dis on the Army (see that, I just used 90's slang, from when the Army was super cool), because I still like it when kids get excited to rock the Docs and flannel; but this oasis is just a mirage to me now. read more

I didn't dress emo enough for any one of the three sales people to talk to me in a store where I was the only customer. :( Same thing went for my husband - he said, "hi" to one of them and was completely and utterly ignored. Or more acurately, he rolled his eyes at him and then turned on the vacuum. Ahahaha!!!! That still makes me laugh. read more

Confused. That's how I felt in this store. Before this visit, the last time that I was in an army surplus store was many moons before when I was a teenager. I expected things like mess kits and giant camouflage duffle bags and things of the sort. We walked in, circled around (in our confused state) and wandered out. Vans shoes? Some random clothes that certainly weren't screaming Army to me and a bunch of other random things. I'm sure it's a fine store if you are looking for what they're selling, but my expectations were one thing and they delivered another. read more

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The Wicker Park branch of Belmont Army is smaller than its sister in Lakeview, yet it is still sizable. It is made up of two floors with two different styles of clothing. The first sells men's and women's modern shoes and streetwear (think Obey). The basement sells army surplus clothing, like jackets, boots, rucksacks, etc. The concept of mixing two totally different stores is a bit confusing, but their separation between floors makes it easy to manage. Perhaps you'll come in specifically for one floor, and find something cool and unexpected on the other! My gripe is that the staff here is neither super friendly nor super helpful, but not enough that it would drive me away. read more

I've been wearing military surplus stuff for a long time. It fits me well (I don't know what that says about me), it wears like iron, and it's usually cheap as far as clothes go. Apparently, I have defied trends so much they've come back to smack me in the face; surplus stuff and combat boots were 'cool' when I was in high school (go 90s!), fell out of flavor, and from the looks of the kids round 6 corners and logan square, it's becoming the rage, again. This place? Depends on what you're looking for. If you're after a 'look' that is a one part military functionality, and four parts hipster weinerboat captain, this is the place for you. If you're looking for actual military surplus, this place is a srs MEH. The upstairs is your typical Wicker Park boutique sorta place, clothes, shoes, accessories, etc. Downstairs they have some military surplus, yeah, but it's the most surface level items (pea coat, bdu pants, a few backpacks, some boonie hats), and it's pretty overpriced. They don't have much in the way of current issue stuff, it seems they're trying pretty hard for the 'vintage military' angle. It's also painfully obvious the place isn't run by ex-military/surplus people. ...Maybe I'm alone in this, but if I'm in a military surplus store, I shouldn't hear The Smiths (I like The Smiths, for the record). Nor should I see skinny jeans wearing kids eating vegan burritos (I don't like vegan burritos, however). I want to hear discussion of the second amendment, god dammit, and talk about how the government just won't leave people alone. They do have some cool clothes upstairs, they do. But, if you're looking for a pair of Propper BDU pants to go with your new combat boots that will never see combat or even a dusty trail, this place will sort you. If you actually want some military surplus stuff, go elsewhere. read more

Poor, poor staff. It must be hard to be chained up to the register. They can barely muster a hello when you walk in and the chains just aren't long enough for them to go onto the sales floor or by the shoes to see if you want to try them on. Sometimes there are 2 and 3 of them chained behind the counter at one time and still not even 1 can get free! It's really sad. Other people must have picked up on the sadness because I am always the only customer in the store. I guess I will just have to keep looking at theses shoes, picking up a pair, staring at an employee and continue to be thoroughly ignored. They must be plotting on how to escape otherwise they would surely show the tiniest bit of interest in doing their job. Right? read more

Fantastic finds here! You can find so many stylish walking shoes here. The whole downstairs is like sales bargain bonanza! I love it! You can find great deals here and brands like Ben Sherman and B for Burton amongst others. You can find coats, bags and other accessories as well as the army fatigue items. The sales staff was very friendly and helpful. I make sure I am on a time crunch so I don't spend too much time here shopping! It's a wonder why I never stopped in the other Belmont Army off of Belmont! read more

I used to enjoy the occasional trip to the Belmont Army Surplus on Belmont so I was pleased to see that they FINALLY opened up a new shop and better yet, in a neighborhood I visit much more than Lakeview. Part of the pleasure in visiting the original Belmont Army Surplus store was that they carried such a great range of designers and something was always on sale since they had so much inventory but the new shop is quite different. The Wicker Park Belmont Army Surplus store has a kind of drab aesthetic compared to the more broken in old location and the clothing selection is much worse. They no longer carry most of the brands that I liked and they don't even have women's shoes anymore! What's the point? They have a lot of colorful sneakers for dudes and a lower level vintage/army surplus section but I still wish they could have just picked up the old building and transplanted it into the new location, inventory and all. read more

I tend to shy away from the whole Milwaukee Avenue "cool" shops. I mean, it's become this weird uber-trendy (and pretty expensive) strip of stores that sell like 3 pairs of shoes and 4 shirts. These neighborhood places would have appealed to me in Wicker Park circa 1996, like how Ragstock used to be: cheap and "cool". Now I feel like I'm in West Hollywood what with all the nouveau-pastels and the Kate Moss lookalike blasting obscure Justice b-sides . But I digress. I liked the old store on Belmont, for the variety and the layout. Finally, a place for guys to buy sneakers. Seriously, every store in town caters almost exclusively to girls for footwear. What happens when you're a fashion-conscious dude that doesn't want to pay $200 for shoes or be forced to choose from too-white basketball shoes at Foot Locker? I actually think this place is better now. It used to be all watches, tons of girls clothes, and interesting but hideous military garb. Sure, the selection of cool Commie hats and helmets is lesser, but in their place is a really good selection of track jackets. (I'm sounding like a hipster now.) Bottom line, if you're a guy and you're tired of bullshit small boutique places that have maybe one overpriced thing you might wear, check this place out. They have a good selection of cool clothes for decent prices, not too many frills added. They're almost like a non-chain Urban Outfitters, which I tend to prefer over the small places because I like one-stop shopping. Somewhat expensive, but the staff can be pretty cool. read more

This place was a huge letdown. I walked into the store and was the only person there with three sales people. I had to stare one down and say "Hello" in the cheeriest way possible to even illicit a halfhearted acknowledgment of my presence. After shopping through the racks of overpriced clothing, I found a few things to try on, just for kicks. Only then did anyone offer me assistance. One of the sales guys asked if I'd like a dressing room. Yeah, gee, that'd be good. I looked through some more stuff, picked up a few more things, and went to find the sales guy. He was behind the counter messing with the computer, but he had left the dressing room door open for me. How sweet. The dressing room carpet was disgusting. It clearly hadn't been vacuumed in MONTHS. Totally gross. So in between keeping my shoes on, trying on clothes, and listening to the sales guy skip songs that he didn't like that were playing through the whole store, I found one piece I really liked. I decided that if he was nice when I went to buy it, I'd get it; if he was a jerk, I'd tell him to forget it and leave. The dude was nice. So what I don't understand is - what's he getting paid to do? Customize his Pandora station and open dressing room doors? They must not make commission on sales - cause no one in that place wanted me to buy a thing. I did anyway, cause I'm a sucker and I really liked that top - even if it was $40 too expensive. read more

Hello, I realize you are no longer affiliated with the other Army Surplus on Belmont, but I used to shop at that sister store when i was 14 and had NO MONEY! Flash forward, I am 37 now and have a few bucks to spend. I bring my kids ( 2nd Gen Army Fans!!) and hubby to the stores up on Milwaukee to spend a few hard earned dollares every so often!(: I wanted to point out how WONDERFUL Patrick was when we came in to shop as a family yesterday 6/22/2014! He was a nice kid, and willing to help my son out with a jacket he had been saving up to purchase a nice black jacket ( Straight to HELL leather) he had his eyes on for weeks. I live in Valpo Indiana now ( born and raised in Pilsen) and drive up every so often to shop with the kids and hubby. Someone like Patrick, and his excellent customer service makes it worthwhile to drive all the way up from Indy to Wicker Park to shop!!! He is a WONDERFUL asset to your store, and is excellent at taking care of people!!!!! He made us feel warm, and welcomed and went out of his way to show us options etc etc. He knows how to take care of a customer! Please make sure you take care of this young man! He is a wonderful worker, and makes me want to spend $ in your awesome store both as a fairly hip older lady ( LOL) and as a mom shopping for her family! Good day to you! Your faithful customer.... read more

One of my "have-to-always-hit-up" spots on my Wicker Park Tour De Kicks, BA has a great selection of rims and tires for your feet. Even the ladies will be able to find a nice piece of foot candy that will look so good you'll feel like an urban Cinderella. From Nike SBs, high top/low top dunks, and 6.0's, to off the beaten path converse, vans, and new balances, there's sure to be something there for everyone. Just recently my buddy (I was too slow) picked up a pair of high top converse completely constructed out of fat laces. Like the rest of the selection, they were Uber-taste. The staff over at the shoe section was more than accommodating when I request 3 or 4 shoes in 2 sizes at a time. They were patient and helpful even with a loud mouth new yorker like me. BA also has a solid selection of clothes that will please most people. They carry everything from SB apparel to go with your new dunks to trendy clothes to wear out on the town. Yes, you may be able to find this stuff in other places (read: Ben Sherman, etc), but they do assemble a nice collection of apparel to sift through. Although i really can only speak for the guys side, i did go shopping there with a girl friend who was overall positive about what she saw. But don't worry ladies, the kicks should be pleasing enough. And before you leave don't forget to stop downstairs to get a chance to dress up in the most ridiculous outfits that your grandfather probably wore for a good laugh. The downstairs section could also serve well for anyone who needs to put together a cheap salvation-army like costume. read more

Wow. I'm actually amazed I picked up some really nice New Balances here. Not the usual colorway. Kind of pricey... but I think my new kicks will be snappin' some necks. Sure.. they might look like clown shoes... but it's a Japanese thing many wouldn't understand. 4 stars for the New Balance pick ups!! read more

Awesome selection of jackets and harder to find items from the likes of Ben Sherman and Spiewak (2 of my faves). My wife found an awesome vintage leather jacket in the basement. The space is kind of out of the way from the main wicker park shopping area but no big deal. Will def be back. read more

Really cool shop with a great selection of unique coats and jackets, definitely a place to shop if you want something a little out of the ordinary. I passed by for weeks and thought it was just a vintage shop based on what was in the window, but decided to pop in today and found a fab new long winter coat to replace the boring one I wear to work. Hooray! read more

Belmont Army Surplus - The sweet coat I got at Belmont Army Surplus - Military Surplus Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cool place to shop. I especially like the shoes selection - they had a good sale on shoes (30% off) when I went and the staff are all friendly and helpful. One of my favorite places to shop in Wicker. read more

Finally a store that sells the brands i adore. So, I'm hellbent on new york fashion and perhaps I've burned out my bank account but I look damn good doing it. I've walked by Belmont Army on numerous occasions, ya know shy glances- but it wasn't till I found out they carry Hyden Yoo that I finally graced it's walls. What cemented four stars was not only the fact they carry all my favorite brands but the 40% off sale that's going on. And if you're looking for a good winter coat I'd take a gander Belmont Army way, cause you'll surely find a steal. I wouldn't expect customer service but then again I'd rather not be bothered, I said hello as common courtesy but there was no response and really it didn't bother me. Although I did get a laugh and smile out of the cashier when she told me you can only make returns up to 2 weeks after the purchase and I told her "not to worry,I'm not returning this jacket, it looks damn good on me" a good note to leave on- read more

Amazing customer service and great environment! They have wide selections of inventory too.

This store is pretty decent. Not as much selection as the new big one on Belmont, but some quality stuff. Some of the girls stuff can be a little pricey but they also usually have a good selection of sale items. downstairs is vintage and accessories and cool army surplus style gear. But, im writing this review for one reason: I was in LOVE with this one Obey dress i saw in there randomly, and decided to try and go back and get it a few days, even though it was totally out of my price range (a girl needs a fabulous birthday dress though, so i justified it). When i went back to try it on, the only one in my size was tearing on the strap, and i asked the girl working there if they had anymore. She said they might have another in the back, but they were having a problem with the little embellishments falling off. I asked her if all the dresses seemed to have that problem and she said yes. So i didnt get the dress. She didnt get the sale, but i really appreciate her honesty. Saved me a hundred bucks AND ill be back now, instead of being poor and thinking their clothes are crappy. read more

Interesting to find that I am not the only one who was amused/appalled by the quality of customer service (or should i say lack of) here. It's like the employees don't exist, are not interested in what you're looking for, and are more concerned with personal phone calls then with helping customers. But they do have an AMAZING selection of clothes i LOVE... i.e. Obey, RVCA, Volcom, in plenty of sizes. And amazing deals too. They are lucky the clothes sell themselves because otherwise they'd be done for. spent 366 dollars without a single suggestion from the staff (5 working at the time), no upselling, no help with sizes. Also, they failed to tell us basically EVERYTHING upstairs was 50% off. Like i said before, they are totally lucky the clothes sell themselves. anyway, its a great store with a lot of great brands, just be ready to help yourself cause the employees sure dont make any effort. read more

An army store for the hip population! The upper floor is stocked with Fred Perry, Ben Sherman and Obey attire. There are shoulder bags, trendy shoes and various sundries to sort though. The downstairs section is all surplus, but of a certain type. It's mostly geared toward looking cool. It's a neat store to check out and you might find something to tickle your fancy. Or you may wish you were at the other location on Belmont which is much bigger. read more

Nice selection of shoes. Good selection of men's clothing. Prices are pretty steep. I wish they had a better selection of marked down items, but I guess there is a reason they are getting marked down to begin with. I didn't receive any attitude from anyone, but I also didn't get the warm welcome treatment. read more

Do NOT shop here. I bought a skirt here, wore it twice and the entire slit ripped. The skirt was poorly made and it cost $55. I took it back to get a refund or at LEAST get another skirt. They still carried the skirt and refused to give me a refund or an exchange. The store manager insisted that the store "policy" was returns only within two weeks...apparently this "policy" applies whether or not the clothing stay together. If you don't follow my advice and shop here, beware that your clothes could fall apart shortly after they are purchased and you will NOT receive a refund. Prices are high and quality is not guaranteed. I expect this from Forever 21 but not from a local Chicago boutique. It is simply a poor way of doing business. read more

I just bought the prettiest dress from here a couple of weeks ago. It was marked down & final sale (not sure if all sale items are final sale) I was surprised from the name of the store that they'd have things other than army clothes, but they do on the top level. Downstairs is where all of the army centered things are. The staff was nice, but not very outgoing/welcoming. They were busy stocking things though, so maybe that's why they didn't pay much attention to us. That's almost better to me though - rather have that than the workers following you around asking every 15 seconds if you need help with anything ha. Will definitely go back. read more

Hi Guys! Great store with fun apparel for a good price. Wonderful owner and a gracious staff. Support them as they support artists in the city. Check out the vintage section too!!! Also they sell TOMS shoes there which is an awesome company. read more

Went in with an issue regarding a purchase of shoes, and was greeted immediately by an associate. I identified my problem and he said he would grab the owner and I spoke with the other associate about the problem I had with my shoes while I waited. The owner came up, was super friendly I told him about my problem and said he did'nt want me to 'not be taken care of' exchanged out my shoes for a new pair. The owner and associates were super cool and helpful, so will definitely be going back. read more

Yawwwwn. Milktoast. Booring. This new store is definitely just as hip as the old one on Belmont but the flair is DEFINITELY gone...Just the same trendy crap that all the other stores up and down Milwaukee have. What is with the entire wall of sneakers and none of the oddly cool heels and flats that they had at the old store. I was completely disappointed. If I want to shop at Forever 21 then I will and pay their prices as well. I found the exact same Kangol hat they had for $86.00 for $7.99 at Value City on 47th street. This was the same day. Guess which hat I bought. If you guessed the one that cost $7.99 then you are correct. Skip this place..... read more

belmont army surplus. yep - it's where i got my most prized pair of gym shoes (i refuse, under any circumstance, to call them "kicks") of all time. i remember shopping at the belmont location when i was a young'un, getting my official combat boots during the days of nirvana. when i saw that they had opened a location on milwaukee? i thought it was fabulous! there are two floors and, i will state very clearly...if you're looking for the cheap, vintage, official issue, or any other adjective i can use to describe what most people would expect their clothes would look like, you won't find it on the first floor. the first floor carries full label, very pricey clothing for both men and women. if you've got the money, they've got some great stuff. but the best part of the entire first floor? walk all of the way to the back of the first floor, to the back wall. what will you see? the most colorful, obnoxiously designed gym shoes perfectly displayed...adidas...reebok...nike..converse...just to name a few brands. they have the more obscure designs, which is really nice, and you know that the pretty penny you're paying for your new shoes is just a testament to how quickly the area is gentrifying. i, personally, prefer the top floor to the bottom floor. sure, you can get some fabulous vintage adidas track jackets...and patches...helmets...bags...and things along those lines, but nothing can beat the gym shoes on the first floor. nothing. if you're one of the hipsters who's out there trying to find the most rad hipster wardrobe for the lowest cost, you're not going to have anything positive to say about BAS's new location. but if you appreciate really fun labels and fantastic shoes, you'll love it. just depends on whether or not you'll actually admit that you're snotty, and that the label-whore section of an army/navy surplus store is better than the vintage. i admit it. i'll spend $100 on a limited edition pair of chucks before i'll buy a $10 used helmet. just makes sense to me. read more

this is the new WEST SIIIDE location of belmont army. the upstairs is super minimalist. i was a little confused. but they have the same brands that they had over on belmont...the selection seems more limited to me. in the basement is where the have some nice choice vintage and the actual "army surplus." i really liked the belmont store, and hopefully this one will evolve into a comparable replacement...at least on the WEST SIIIDE. read more

Fairly expensive and the skate shop staff are either confused or not well informed on their selection. Don't go for the skate shop.

I really had high hopes for this place. When I worked in Philly at U.O. headquarters the buyers all told me this was the place they would always scout out when coming to the city. The clothing on the first floor had some good brands mixed in and I did find a shirt from RVCA worth buying since it was on sale. I just wish the selection was larger and a little less stale, felt like it was a season or two old. The shoe selection was lackluster and had trouble finding a sales associate to even try on a pair. Not to say that the place wasn't a descent shop and I do like it better than most wicker shops, it just was not at all up to my high expectations. read more

I searched every floor for something that sang to me..i didnt really find much but i think it had a lot of potential. Like any great thrift..gotta go often and be ready to dig through the rubbish. read more

One of several Milwaukee Avenue clothing establishments with solid men's selection.

If you're in that whole hippidy shoppidy area down by Belmont an Clark you ought to drop in. I've found a bunch of really cute shirts here which is the main reason I'd recommend this place. Depending on your style you'll want to shop the whole store to see if something strikes your eye because like me. You may only be impressed by one or two little trinkets in an entire store. Also, this is a good place to find some reasonably priced shoes... read more

dunkies dunkies dunkies! they got dunks, SB dunks, new balances, converse, and many more cool sneaks. there aren't many avail in small sizes for the ladies, but you never know what treasure you will find, and it's a great place to get some dunkies for your boyf or male friend. for the women - cute coats, chill-laid back attire and the for the men - pretty cool stuff, some nike SB clothing too. they have a smelly basement with army supplies and retro/used/vintage clothing, enter at your own risk or bring a sars mask and some rubber gloves. **they informed me that the SB dunks will be exclusively available at the lakeview location after the current ones sell out b/c there are too many SB dealers on milwaukee (leaders & uprise). read more