Purcell’s

Closed. Out of business. Kaput. Gone. Never more. Closed. Out of business. Kaput. Gone. Never more. Closed. Out of business. Kaput. Gone. Never more. Closed. Out of business. Kaput. Gone. Never more. Closed. Out of business. Kaput. Gone. Never more. Closed. Out of business. Kaput. Gone. Never more. Closed. Out of business. Kaput. Gone. Never more. Closed. Out of business. Kaput. Gone. Never more. Closed. Out of business. Kaput. Gone. Never more. Closed. Out of business. Kaput. Gone. Never more. Closed. Out of business. Kaput. Gone. Never more. Closed. Out of business. Kaput. Gone. Never more. Closed. Out of business. Kaput. Gone. Never more. Closed. Out of business. Kaput. Gone. Never more. Closed. Out of business. Kaput. Gone. Never more.

When I walked in I immediately noticed Fox News on the TV, Mike Savage on the radio, and numerous pictures of Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. It’s a military surplus store, what do you expect? Upon seeing this, I immediately knew that talk of politics should probably be avoided and I should just browse around, possibly make a purchase and leave.
Being that my car needed a rest after an exhausting day in the desert, I figured I’d browse for a few minutes and then grab a beer. The shop, crowded with various military clothing, accessories, tools, boots, about seven kittens wandering around and some sort of living room arrangement with two arm chairs and a TV had a very homey feel. While I looked around the owner of the shop asked what exactly I was looking for and was able to lead me to a variety of used desert and woodland camo pants and jackets. Friendly, but not pushy, we ended up getting into a conversation about where I’m from, cross country road trips and where we’ve both been. When asked if I had any Native American blood in me (it’s my high cheekbones apparently), I responded with a no. The owner (or maybe not the owner) is part Lakota, which then lead to an interesting conversation about Native American history, the past and current treatment endured by the U.S. government, various massacres and our feelings toward the Black Hills of South Dakota. Then we talked about guns, construction, and dogs to top it all off.
After trying on a pair of used Belleville combat boots with Gore-​Tex lining which normally cost over $ 120, I decided to get a few pairs of camo pants (to be made into cutoffs), a jacket, and the pair of used boots. Total purchase: $ 63. Not bad.
In the end, it really seems one of those places where you don’t need to make a purchase every time you enter. Just talking and having a smoke with the owner will be worth stopping by for.