If you lived in Minnesota in the late 1970s and early 1980s, you might remember shopping at COMB Warehouse. COMB was always an adventure!
COMB was founded by Irwin Jacobs in the 1970s. COMB stood for "Close-Out Merchandise Buyers". (NOTE: Irwin Jacobs was an interesting man, who had a surprising death. Make sure to click the link to read more about him).
Surplus Goods
COMB was a surplus store that sold just about everything. I imagine they purchased truckloads of overstock items and returned goods from local stores - such as Dayton's, Donaldson's, Montgomery Wards, Sears, etc. - and then turned around and sold these items in their store.
You could find so many cool things at COMB - household goods, tools, patio furniture, and more.
Shop Often
Because the inventory at COMB changed all the time, you really had to shop there often in order to score the best deals.
Every time we shopped at COMB, there were new things to discover. It felt like a treasure hunt every time we stepped into the store.
My Mom and I loved going to COMB. We'd go there at least every other week to see what treasures we could find. And we ALWAYS found amazing deals! I remember my Mom buying high-end bedding and bath towels, planters for her patio, fishing gear for my Dad, and tools for home and for at the cabin.
When I started dating my husband, he and I used to shop at COMB all the time. I remember buying a purple foam swim mattress there. That mattress normally sold for over $100 back in the 80s (probably from Dayton's), and I bought it for less than $20. We STILL have this foam mattress, and we still use it in our pool!
Before I met my husband, he bought a socket set at COMB when he was in high school, because he needed a 22mm socket and he had seen a complete set of sockets for $25. He still uses that socket set to this day... and he still has the 10mm socket too.
Good Bye COMB
Sadly, COMB closed for business some time in the late 1980s. There have been a few other surplus warehouse stores in our area since then, but they have pretty much all come and gone now, too.
Hello Escapade Warehouse!
When I decided to open Escapade Warehouse - it occurred to me that it would be a little bit like a modern day COMB! Well, at least a little bit.
While COMB bought overstock and returns, ALL of Escapade Warehouse inventory are items I personally purchased new.
Escapade Warehouse is stocked with inventory I purchased for an ecommerce store I ran from 2005-2010 - things purchased directly from the manufacturers, as well as new inventory I purchased for our homeschool adventures and new inventory I purchased for home decor, houseplants, and entertaining.
All of this inventory has been stored carefully in a protected, climate controlled area. Over the years, I've sold most of the inventory I had from my previous ecommerce store, but now it's time to let go of all that is left. And, since we are no longer homeschooling, all those items need to find a new home, too. Along the way, there are also items I've purchased here and there, tucked away, and no longer need. Escapade Warehouse is a shopping adventure much like it was with COMB!
Like COMB, I'm adding inventory on a daily basis. So every time you visit this website, you'll find something different. Fun! Right?!
And, also like COMB - when something is gone, it's gone for good. So when you spot something you're interested in, grab it right away before it gets away!
I hope you have fun shopping!
And if you ever shopped at COMB, leave a comment below and tell me about your fun finds!