Strand Surplus Senter-Galveston Tx

[DennyB]

I saw where Col. Bubbie (actual name-Meyer Reiswerg) of the Strand Surplus Senter in Galveston Texas had died recently. I was wondering if anyone from that area had been to his store since he died or is it still even open?
I used to go in Col. Bubbie's surplus store when I lived in Galveston years back and he had three floors full of old militaria (he wouldn't allow anyone past the first floor) but he didn't know what most of it was. I know he had a box ful of unissued German WW2 messkits dated 43-44 at one time, I saw a room on the second floor full of WW2 American dress uniforms, there must have been 500 or more uniforms in all sizes and patches.
He got quite a bit of bad press for sending people anything and then refusing to give them a refund except in-store credit. I knew some of the girls that worked there and said that he would advertise a WW2 M-28 pack and send a buyer a Vietnam era rucksack then refuse to give them a refund, claiming they didn't know what they had, etc.
If anyone has been down to Galveston, please go by 2222 Strand and see if it is still open. I know he had tons of good stuff.

[Skipper Greenwade]

They were severely flooded during Hurricane Ike (6-plus feet of water in the building, just like everything else on the Strand). I was down there in November and they had simply taken everything out and dumped it on the sidewalk and street to be picked up. The Strand district was without electricity and running water for weeks if not months and rebuliding/recovery of anything more than two blocks from the seawall has been slow and not-too-steady. There are signs of life now, so we'll see.

I will be in Galveston in about three weeks for a conference and will drive by the Strand, check in on Col. Bubbie's and give a follow-up report.

Best,
Skip