Smith & Edwards
Posted by: 
7ofclubs
N 41° 20.068 W 112° 02.190
12T E 413270 N 4576405
They have anything you want, if they can find it.
Waymark Code: WMB981
Location: Utah, United States
Date Posted: 04/21/2011
Views: 17
Smith and Edwards is huge. The store has a very large back lot that holds some of the larger surplus. Unfortunately they wouldn't let me photograph the lot but there are old trucks, trailers, fuel tanks, and I even saw a broken rock launcher!
Here is an excert from their website on the company's history:
In 1947 Bert Smith and Lawrence Edwards began selling U.S. military surplus out of Bert's backyard in West Ogden.
As shipmates serving together in the Marines during the Second World War, Bert Smith and Lawrence Edwards became good friends. Toward the end of the war, Bert and Lawrence were instructed to toss millions of dollars worth of "surplus equipment" overboard into the ocean. Witnessing this event helped set the stage for their soon to be business partnership. Upon returning home to Ogden, Bert and Lawrence formed Smith and Edwards and began buying and selling the same surplus inventory they had just a few months earlier been commanded to dispose of. Their Initial West Ogden offerings were a very diverse and humble assortment of goods. Nevertheless, hard work, long hours, honest salesmanship, and a touch of luck began paying off. It was during these years Bert developed his unique talent for discovering and inventing practical uses for otherwise useless scrap.
As business increased, so did the need for space and product. In the mid '50s Bert purchased a 60 acre piece of land North of Ogden where he moved the company to its current location. Bert rapidly filled this new site with spectacular surplus buys. One purchase, in particular, had a tremendous effect on the future of Smith and Edwards. In 1962 Bert purchased a large lot of Navy mooring buoys. Each buoy measured 58 inches in diameter, weighed 680 pounds, and held 442 gallons of liquid. Combined and stacked the 13,418 buoys covered over 40 acres of land. Bert saw tremendous opportunity in these rugged steel spheres; Lawrence on the other hand believed Bert's eyes were in need of immediate medical attention. The two divided assets and parted, as friends, leaving Bert to tackle the task solo.
While retail trends have seen the abundance of market dominating big box chain stores, Smith and Edwards continues to grow and evolve. The combination of originality, sincerity, independence, and local ownership has certainly added to the companies continued success.
Today, Smith and Edwards is three generations strong. Several of Bert Smiths sons and grand-children are working for the business and making their contributions to its continued growth. Smith and Edwards employs over 100 associates and has matured into one of the Utah’s unique destination retail experiences. Departments within the 171,000 square foot store include western tack sales and manufacturing, western jewelry, clothing, coats, footwear, hunting, fishing, marine, water sports, toys, housewares, hardware, automotive, paint, U.S. and international military surplus, camping, backpacking, climbing, caving, search and rescue, emergency preparedness, and an extraordinary selection of dutch oven cookware. This is all in addition to the sixty acre yard which is filled with a huge assortment of military surplus, the “scrap” that started it all.
Hours of Operation:
Mon-Sat 9:00am-6:00pm. Closed Sunday
Physical Address:
3936 North Highway 126
Ogden, Utah USA
84404
Website: [Web Link]
Stock Focus: Three Ammo Cans
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Visit Instructions:
A photograph is preferred but not required. Especially if it's one that shows a different view or has you in it.
A description of your visit would be appreciated. Did you go in? Did you buy anything? Get a good price, or was it a hard to find item? Tell!