There are no shortage of authentic military surplus shops around the country—it’s why we’ve been traveling across America with Alpha Industries, one of the most respected and former suppliers of the US military, to uncover the remaining go-to spots in some of our favorite cities.
Our own Jeff Carvalho, Highsnobiety’s managing director and all-around vintage expert, takes us to the City of Angels to a California surplus chain founded more than 70 years ago. With only four shops left today, we visit the Burbank location of Supply Sergeant where Carvalho discovers why it’s such a treasure trove of military gear.
It’s a place where you’ll be able to unearth gems like German Flecktarn camo pieces that would be right at home in your wardrobe today as it would’ve been in a soldier’s uniform 25 years ago.
More traditional pieces like standard issue M-65 field jackets from Alpha Industries can still be found while trendy (and authentic) German police jackets that you’ve surely seen some fashion elite rocking are among just some of the fresh finds here.
“The thing I like about Supply Sergeant is you find a fair amount of surplus as you can see. But they also have vintage here,” explains Carvalho. “They have a pretty impressive run of 1970s bell bottoms. Just really cool to see these things out in the wild because it’s not something you typically see in a shop like this.”
Another reason why Supply Sergeant is such a unique operation is its one-stop-shop appeal, because more than likely you’ll be able to find something for everyone. Shop worker Jonn Mccrary leads us to an area containing an impressive wall of service patches, issue pins, and wings. It’s simultaneously an archival museum of sorts with the rich history that come with these military relics.
“My favorite right now is the ‘Star Wars Baby’ patch, it’s a unit from the Star Wars program back in the Reagan administration,” says Mccrary. “A few people know about it, but very few people know how many people were actually attached to the unit.”
It’s these fun little stories you learn about coupled with the extensive range of deadstock garbs from brands like Alpha Industries that make Supply Sergeant a truly unique shopping experience for military enthusiasts and streetwear heads alike.
Catch the full video above to peep all the classic gear they found and listen to Carvalho and Mccrary enter full nerd mode as they geek out on all things vintage. Check out our previous surplus finds in Portland and Boston, and learn more about Alpha Industries via the link below.
