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Jax Mercantile, Co :: Page
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The Jax Story | Jax Mercantile’s 50 plus year history stretches back to 1953. In that year, the first Jax store building was constructed by the Dreher boys on the edge of the family pickle farm just north of Fort Collins. They built the store from wooden ammunition crates and steel that had once held up steam engine water tanks. |  |  | Near the same time, 700 miles away in Ames, Iowa, Marvin and Lola Quinlan opened Ames Surplus, a small store near the edge of that town. Both the Dreher boys and the Quinlans used their stores to sell military surplus items they had purchased at government sales. | | The Quinlan's son, Jim, began managing Ames Surplus at age 18. In 1983, he decided to move out west to start up his own store. He opened Rocky Mountain Surplus in Fort Collins, Colorado on August 1, 1983. |  |  | Five years later, the Dreher family announced they were closing down the nearby Jax, after 33 years of business. Spotting the opportunity to build on the long history of that store location, Jim quickly purchased the property, moved his small business there, and started turning Rocky Mountain Surplus into Jax Surplus. | | Supplementing military surplus products with hunting and fishing equipment, outdoor clothing and footwear, camping supplies and hardware, Jim eventually renamed the store Jax Outdoor Gear. He set the company on a course of offering quality products at fair prices, stressing top notch customer service, and welcoming customer input and special requests. |  | | In 1988, Jim's parents retired, so Jim purchased Ames Surplus and changed it's name to Jax Outdoor Gear of Ames, Iowa. | | The closing of a Quality Farm Store in north Fort Collins in 2000 created another opportunity. Aware of a continuing need for a farm store in that area, Jim purchased the property at auction and opened Jax Farm & Ranch on the site in April 2002. |  |  | Jax newest store in Loveland, Colorado opened in September 2008. Surplus, outdoor gear, and ranching supplies are all in the product mix at this location. | | Today, all four Jax stores are integrated into a single company, Jax Mercantile, Inc. With over 50 years of business history behind us, Jax strives to fulfill the needs of all our valued customers. Over the years, Jax product mix has changed and grown, as lighter, stronger, and more innovative items have become available. Continuously educated on all the products we sell, Jax staff work hard to ensure that every customer gets the best equipment for their particular needs. |  |  | So, whether you are looking for the latest and greatest in products, or hoping to pick-up some of the old classics, Jax is the place! |
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