It's Been a while!

Hello!  It's been over three years since our last blog post.  That is embarrassing.  So much has happened!  We will just go over 2020.

We all know that 2020 is synonymous with COVID, so we really don't have to go into great detail over that, except to say THANK YOU!  Thank you to all of our long term repeat customers.  You have sustained us for nearly 6 years now and we are ever so grateful to you.  A big thanks and welcome to all of our new customers as well!  We are so glad that you have found us!  COVID was a very difficult year for a lot of businesses, but for a few small online retailers like us it was the year that people did a lot more online shopping and we were found by a LOT of new people.  So thank you!  

Central Alberta Military Outlet has been a small online retailer for about 6 years now.  We are family owned and operated. Robert started this from his basement with the help of a friend and it eventually grew into the back of the warehouse that we currently inhabit.  Four years ago I (Janine) started here.  I was looking for a part time job with great flexibility so that I could still have time with my kids, Robert (brother-in-law extraordinaire) offered me the first paid position in the history of the company!  The terms were - just make sure the orders get out and the emails get answered- which I still do, and he named me director!  A couple of years later we expanded into the next section of the warehouse where there is much better heat and where we do most of the sorting and packaging.

In 2020 sales started to really take off and I was very tired of working all by myself every day and my sister was looking for flexible work for herself, so we hired her!  Carla has been an amazing addition to the crew.  She has a great mind for details and can remember things that just fall out of my brain.  Her organizational skills have been a huge asset and we are just so glad to have her with us.
August 2020 I bought out Robert's former partner and became 40% owner of this place!  That is exciting!  We are working towards new goals and bringing in new items all the time, while maintaining a focus on genuine military surplus. 
 
One of our first big steps was to expand once more into the front of the building where we have our warehouse and open up a retail location.  On November 6, 2020 we opened our doors to the public for the very first time.  We have been well received so far and everyone that comes in is so happy that our little town has a military surplus store, and a lot of them didn't know we were online all this time.  Another hidden gem in the lovely town of Lacombe.  Come visit us!

We are happy to serve you here in the store Weds-Sat 10am-4pm or online 24/7. And you can be happy that you supported a very small, very family run business.  We are excited with every new milestone that we reach.  This year our goal is to reach 1,000 online sales.  We can do it!!
​- Janine