Friedman’s was the first surplus store I ever visited. I am trying to remember if it was December of 1982 or January 83 when I was a young foreign student with a less than basic command of the English language (Hold the snarky remarks, you a-holes! 😀 )

I was amazed that military stuff was freely for sale coming from a country that forbade civilian ownership of any kind of military stuff.  The thing I wanted the most was a navy coat, but it was an expensive item. I ended up buying a Vietnam-era army shirt of thick cotton and something else I don’t remember, maybe a pin.

I went back several times while living there and getting inexpensive stuff or just simply to kill time on a boring day. Not far from there is the laundromat I patronized (it is still there) because you could not get the machines at college without a 3 day waiting period.

Most of the stores of my times in 21st Av South are gone and that area of Nashville (Hillsboro)  has changed dramatically since I lived there, but it is nice to see some places still have withstood the trials of time.