If your travels have ever taken you north on M-63 beyond the Whirlpool Administrative Center, you've likely wondered what in the world a massive aircraft landing gear suspended from a metal framework is doing just a couple of yards off the edge of the highway. Actually, the answer is right below the tires on the gear in what looks like dramatically oversized caution tape: "Yes we have casters."
When you arrive at the aircraft landing gear, you've arrived at the current home of Surplus Trading Company of Benton Harbor, a local phenomenon celebrating 70-years in business this year. It is, as many visitors and customers have discovered over the years, "the best kept secret in Benton Harbor." The reasoning behind that characterization lies behind the front doors and the loading docks. If you have never been there, you have no concept as to what you are missing.
To better understand what you'll find inside, let's go back to the beginning. This venture was launched way back in 1946 when Phil Sax opened a structural steel yard on Eighth Street in Benton Harbor called Surplus Trading. Eight years later, in 1954, the company was moved to 609 Paw Paw Avenue and largely became a scrap yard. Phil's daughter, Becky, and her husband Les Turk returned to Michigan's Great Southwest a dozen years later in 1966 and quickly became a part of the business, bringing along their own ideas which were meshed with Phil's.
Les says that as many businesses are forced to do, Surplus Trading had to advance with the changing times. "We needed to diversify because of the changing economy," says Les. "We became much more involved with electronics and hardware."
In 1988, what had become The Unique World of Surplus Trading moved to its current home at 2700 N. M-63 and evolved into a wholesale and retail business selling to dealers worldwide as well as to walk-in customers off the street. As their slogan implies, they are "The House of Everything, Almost!"
Items for sale are wildly diverse and wide-ranging. You can find everything from the promised casters to moving blankets, tools to flashlights, tarps to magnifiers, materials handling gear to pocket knives, and virtually everything imaginable in between. People can, and do, spend hours simply browsing through the massive showroom.
Becky tells me that they have many customers who come in every week just to see what's new, and that's because there is always something new rolling through their sizable inventory. Conversely, they also have first time visitors stopping by every day just to see what the heck this amazing place is all about. Once they see the vast collection and wide variety of merchandise, they, too, turn into regular customers who have uncovered "Benton Harbor's best kept secret."
The next chapter in the evolution of the business began in 1990 when Les & Becky's son Mike Turk returned home following graduation from Ferris State University to join the team at Surplus Trading. He took the business into the computer era, and the business grew to what it is today.
In 2007, Mike became the third generation owner of the business and immediately began growing in new directions. Three years later, in 2010, he elected to open another business called "Excess Recovery Solutions," an on-line consignment auction. That business is now co-located with Surplus Trading at 2700 N. M-63 just four miles north of downtown St. Joseph. Many people bring things in daily to sell on the consignment site, keeping the company very busy.
Asked about the company's greatest success over the years, the resounding answer from all three — Becky, Les and Mike — was simply: "Staying in business all these years. That's a major accomplishment, each of the generations working together, not all at the same time, but for 70 years running — that's a success!"
All you can say to that is "Amen!"
Both Surplus Trading and Excess Recovery Solutions operate Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8am until 5pm, Wednesdays from 8am until noon, and Saturdays from 9:30am until noon. Visitors are always welcome. If you have questions, you can reach Surplus Trading at 269-849-1800 and Excess Recovery Solutions at 269-588-1990.
The web address for Surplus Trading can be reached by clicking this link: http://www.surplustrading.com
The wev address for Excess Recovery Solutions can be reached by clicking this link: http://www.ersmi.com
