I can remember when WW2 ended and my dad took me to an Army surplus store, it was amazing, I ended up buying a spring field training rifle, it had a dummy barrel but a real bolt action. I don't remember what happened to it, I also got a Navy P coat, everybody had one for winter, it was amazing. Yes I am old. You tube is amazing.

I love it when the interviewer actually knows what they’re talking about

We were still eating WW2 rations in cans during the Vietnam era. I ate them in 1968, and opened them with the same can opener shown in the video.

I love and respect how the interviewer had knowledge of the utility and history behind most of the pieces! Good job on this one!

I remember many years ago I bought an interesting shaped canvas bag to use as a bookbag from them. I went to a demonstration (late sixties) with the bag full and really got quite the reaction from several police officers who were also veterans because the bag was for a single use bazooka type weapon and the way I stacked my books made it look like it was still full of the weapon.

Wow, I can’t believe this store is still around after all these years. My father brought me here when I was a kid, and that was many moons ago. I’ve been there several times over the years by myself as well. Nice to see it again now that I don’t live in NYC any longer.

The very first time I went to Kaufman was in 1971. I remember, his farther or grandfather working at the store. I also remember Jim minding the store occasionally ,around in mid 70,s. Now he runs the store. Great to one of the NYC's oldest institutions still going strong!

Pretty cool that this shop has survived in Manhattan this long but also sad that 90% of what’s for sale is not actually real surplus anymore 😢

So nice to know how knowledgeable he is about his craft so the brand comes from an authentic place.

This place took a lot of my cash back in the late 70's when I went to school in NYC. I loved the smell when I walked in.

leave it to the sailors to wear a white laced dress

I was in the shop a year ago. It was bustling with people. The owner still gave time to come over and help with what I was after. Top man. Great store.

Wow!! He's still alive! I used to go there back in the 80's to get military gear with my freinds. I always thought The Trader on Canal street was the oldest.

In my country all American stock shops have disappeared. We used to go there for any gear. Jerry cans, batteries, camouflage jackets, searchlights ,knives, heavy keys, scoops, water bottles, tents and baches, trailers, and boots. My first GI boots (high laced and round tips) came from there. In short, these tools are not available anymore in Belgium. Thank you.

I grew up loving military surplus gear and then i joined the marines after high school and now i never want to see olive drab and camo ever again

The interviewer looked like a kid in a candy store. Great to see someone with a passion for army surplus. I'd be the same, my mastercard would be hit hard in that store! Thanks for posting.

I've been in a couple of gigantic surplus stores...those with jeeps in the interior (for sale) and half-tracks outside for sale...massive wardrobes, huge 'camping' gear allotments...could spend all day just browsing! Best 'hunting-camping' gear you'll ever find in most instances...stoves, lanterns, boots, parkas...if they have sane-prices, it's the best place to actually start to 'prep' from!

Cool. I just watched a 6 minute ad for Alpha Industries lol.

Went to this place once, absolutely excellent. I showed up five minutes before opening, and the owner felt bad that I had to wait and insisted on giving me a 20% discount. I tried to refuse, but he didn't give me the option.

I Like how respectful you are. How you ask questions. And don't act like you know it all. Thanks for these great videos. I've been enjoying them. BTW I am Surplus Store hound too. I don't get to go thru very many these days. But when I'm able to. And can find a new store to haunt I do so.

And now the price has escalated to $550 for a t-shirt.

‘Hi Jim’ ‘hey Jim’

I love the smell of old military stuff. Reminds me of the old Army Surplus store I used to go to as a kid.

Some years back we visted Kaufman's, and Jim was so wonderfully kind & welcoming. Made our day!

We used to have a wonderful Army/Navy surplus store here in Norwalk, California in the 1950's but sadly it's gone now. Then in the 1980's my youngest son found a great Military Surplus store in Orange County where he picked out a Swedish Army overcoat for his birthday present. Your video brought back many happy memories. Next time I'm in NYC I'll stop in for a little shopping.

The white jacket is winter camo for the m51 fishtail parka, its worn over the parka in snow environment.

So happy to see this! Jim is great! He really knows his stuff!

It's great to see Jim still in the store. it's also good to see a reporter who has an idea on the subject! :)

You can see the interviewer mouthing the old guys words at 1:02

Use to live on 43rd between 7th and 8th. Went there all the time. Had no idea this place had that much history to it. It’s a fun store to just look around and check stuff out. Definitly would recommend to check out. Directly across from the port authority so really easy to get to. Thanks great vid

Best clothing you can ever invest in, value for money, tough, durable, warm and cool. Must go there next time in NYC! 👏👏👏👏

Great video! This Canadians very first trip to Kaufmans was in 1985 - got to peruse and purchase some of the World's most awesome surplus as well as being able watch an incredible parade of Vietnam veterans. For your many years of service, THANK YOU Kaufmans!!

New York City is great like this... Tons of excellent stuff in a tiny place. My friend's family runs a surplus store, Sherper's in Milwaukee, but now it is more of a camping/expedition supply store. They used to have crazy stuff in there. The real military surplus shops seem to be dwindling.

Cold War jacket was fire. I love this series. Keep em comin.

Bought my first army jacket there in 1982 when taking the train to the city from Queens with my buds to hang out in the Village!

Classic and timeless store I love going to these stores all over USA but never been to one in NYC will check out next time !

He said that prior to Vietnam rations we're in a can. Then picks up a mre, and says they changed. Research before you open your mouth. I was still eating c-rats when I joined in 1981.

Oh wow, I hadn’t even known about them, but considering New York’s centrality for trade and transport; it’s no wonder they have so much surplus and at high quality. If i’m ever in the area, I’d certainly like to check em out.

I went into this shop by accident and didn't even know how special it was until now. Very interesting. Cool place to check out in mid Town

I have been to his store so many occasions. Her is such a great gentleman.

I love my local army surplus store, Roy’s Army Surplus And collectables.

I got a bomber from here a few years ago. Still rock it till this day

Dude, when I took basic in 1983, we had olive drab, steel pot helmets and, yes wait for it, "C" rations. I still have a P-38 on my key ring. MRE's, Kevlar helmets, and woodland cammies were all being implemented, but they weren't for trainees.

I shopped there when I was a kid in the early 1970's. I remember the white test pilot helmet with the glass face cover behind the register. That was back when Canal Street had crazy shops full of military surplus equipment like cameras, radios, all kinds of machine parts, gears, electrical - everything we needed to build special effects equipment for movie making.

Have been to this store a few times and love their stuff.

Just came across the video and this made me miss NYC. I lived a few blocks away on 9th and 46th and I walked by this store probably thousand of times, specially because it was right across the street from Port Authority Bus Terminal. There was a Burger King on the same side of the street as Kauffmans. I'm living in Asia now but hope to get back there, and where I grew up. Weird to come across this after being gone for 4 years. Thanks for the vid (and memories) heh heh :)

Great store, I've never seen it that tidy before. I still wear clothes I bought from there 12 years ago. A must visit when going to NYC.

History. Awesome stuff. Thanks for making this video. I love the fact that Mr. Korn knows his history. I would love to spend a whole day to glean some of the knowledge he has of the past.

If you're ever in Albuquerque, check out Kaufman's West. It might not have as much authentic surplus stuff (it does have quite a bit), but it's bigger and very cool.

I'm honestly curious when the "home grown Tennessee" company became an "international clothing manufacturer" and started producing $400 color-change jackets in China, complete with Chinese zodiac signs and characters on them. What a crock.

Here in DFW Texas there was Army Navy Stores but they all recently shut down and now the only military store I know of it Omaha’s Military Surplus in Fort Worth, Texas. Great store!

Jim is laid back, knowledgable and friendly. If I'm in NYC I'm going here.

I love this series would love to see more

Had a great store in our neighborhood in the early 70's. My dad wouldn't let us buy anything. Said the used stuff was from dead soldier foot lockers. Not sure if that was true, but he passionately stood his ground with us.

I still have the first P38 I was given in the field in 1979 and it still works perfectly.

I remember a few short decades ago when you could buy WWII gear of every kind dirt cheap. I found a letter in a back pocket of some winter paratrooper insulated jump pants once.

I’ve been in this store he’s such a nice dude

this series is amazing

army surplus was where you went in the 70s and 80s to buy banged up mess kits/whatever. Really affordable camping goods, a parka that actually kept me warm for 12 winters. excellent quality.

Visited Kaufmans twice on 2 visits to NY from the UK. This was by far the coolest place I visited (close 2nd was the Intrepid) Nothing like this anymore in the UK. Cool place and the guy who owns it is a real gent, took his time to talk to me when I visited and amazingly remembered me on my 2nd visit. Worth a visit guys

If you don't have a P38 can opener on your key ring then you're not quite ready for the zombie apocalypse.

A couple things viewers should keep in mind, coming from a lifelong New Yorker. One, the place is smaller than it looks. Two, it's surprisingly not that well-stocked. Some of the items were clearly prepared for the video beforehand. Three, if you're just a regular customer looking for something specific, good luck. You're better off trying any of the other Surplus stores in Manhattan, first. For two reasons... Again, it's not that well stocked. And because, four, Jim is short-tempered and far from the friendly and humble guy you see in this video. Absolutely no help at all when I went there. I'm sure that if I were there to rent a major piece of gear for a production, or producing a KZfaq video to drum up a ton of free publicity for his business... I'm sure he'd be very friendly then.

I remember this place from 1989, immediately after getting stationed TAD in Staton Island. Lots of cool stuff...

This is my favorite series from high snob no doubt.

Nice ad at the end lmao

"Food was really important" Highbrow content right here.

When I was 4yrs old, the youngest of my older Brothers joined the British Army, 12 and a half years later I followed suit. But before then, my Brother brought home an American Army Jacket for my Father. My Brother had swapped, (traded) it with an American Soldier for a British jacket when they were serving out in Germany. I remember wearing the the American jacket as a child, it almost touched the floor and my arms were no where near the cuffs! My Father died when I was 11yrs old and the jacket was passed to my oldest Brother. I finally came to own it when I was 23yrs old and after 23yrs of serve and collecting a lot of cool stuff along the way, my Father’s olive drab M65 jacket remains my most treasured item. I’m 48yrs old now and I still cry whenever put that jacket on. On a happier note, I’d love to visit this shop one day but I bet the prices are through the roof.

Absolutely awesome! Thank you for posting!

When I was young you had to have a 500 lb. practice bomb in front of your store if it was a real Army Surplus Store .

Damn the smaller Jim is so little. He looks like he stopped growing at the beginning of puberty, everything he puts on is big on him.

I remember going to the store and also going to south broadway and diving into bins of WW2 surplus

being 73 years old and been to Kaufmans when they were on 42 street and present location many times..I have to say it is just a shadow of what it once was.

That parka at the end 😍

I was expecting the old man from falling down to come out.

Green/olive parkas are my favorite jackets especially during cold winters

EXCEPTIONALLY nice people work here who really care and treat you with respect, dignity. Thank you always Kaufman's

I have walked past this place a couple of times, but it was either very early in the morning or late at night, so they were understandably not open. Even if the stuff is not 'authentic', I am just glad a place like this still exists in the 'new', glitzy, billionaire's playground that is Manhattan. It is sad to see so many longtime mom & pop businesses go under, in the past decade or so. Online shopping is great however, there are times it's better to try something on and/or see, touch and feel the item.

The owner reminds me of Hannibal Lecture mixed with Ned Flanders !

I used to have a P38 can opener. It's a very useful device. I find the one on my multi-tool is just as good and very handy to have with me.

I LOVE EVERYTHING IN THIS STORE. EVERYTHING.

Sorry man, but we had the P38 can opener in Viet Nam and the canned food( MC)I to open, MRE's came later.

I thoroughly enjoyed that

When I was living in NY, been to that store a number on times. Also the distributor located on 3rd ave in Brooklyn.

Awesome video. I remember going to Sunny Surplus when I was younger

The Alpha industries have decreased the size of their M65 jacket pockets. The upper chest pockets are smaller and narrower than previous models.

You know he's hiding some sarin gas canisters in the back lol

Very Cool ! Years ago, In New York , There Was " Bannermans" Military Surplus- What's left of Bannermans Castle is on an Island in the Hudson River - Army-Navy Stores are always fun !

I’m in my 70s now, as a kid my dad used to receive a Kaufman’s catalog. Mail order handguns and all, German Lugers $39.95!

Should have given us a few prices . Am I right .

Omg lol, I went to the US on holiday and when we went to NY we popped into this shop when we were walking to see the statue of liberty. I had no idea the shop had such a reputation.

I have new place to visit when I go to NY. There is a great Surplus store near where I used to live and I still go there each week I head downtown each weekend.

I never saw the store so well organized! Nice n neat! :D

Notification gang 🙌🏾

I wish we have stores like it in Germany.

My brother got his first rifle for Christmas at Kaufmans about 1964, a bolt action .22. The salesman in the back gun store was a fellow named Ben .

This series is awesome

Come to Milwaukee we have a few

2:49 ALL CAPS WHEN YOU SPELL THE MANS’ NAME

Just love stores like that so much history.

5:10 I have heard a British WW2 veteran refer to that as a "string vest". They wore them under or between shirts to provide an air layer of insulation. Not sure which was their original purpose, but it's apparently very effective when used that way.