From Combat Boots to Camping Gear: Miller’s Surplus Closing After 7 Decades in Tucson

World War II veteran and iconic store founder Don Sloane’s retirement is set to mark the end of an era for longtime customers.

Customers line up to purchase items during a close-out sale at Miller's Surplus in Tucson, Ariz., on April 4, 2026. Allan Stein/The Epoch Times

TUCSON—Andrew Thompson had only been working at Miller’s Surplus for a few weeks, yet on the day before Easter Sunday, every item he placed on the shelf seemed to carry a small farewell.

A Marine veteran and infantryman, Thompson had known the store long before he walked its aisles as an employee.