I'm relatively new to the area, and my friends here are not makers. What is the best place around to buy electronics components and equipment? I've been ordering online and going to RadioShack if necessary.

Also, are there any good places to pick up surplus technical equipment or tooling that can be refurbished or scavenged for parts?

Ax-Man is an essential supply store for any maker. They have a location in Fridley which isn't too far away from Plymouth.

Google Maps:
http://tinyurl.com/9pvd7j

What do they sell?

Umm, it might be easier to say what they don't sell... clothing and food. It's pretty random. They have a bunch of electronics and surplus scientific equipment.

http://www.ax-man.com/

Ahhh, well they have everything and nothing at the same time. They sell surplus items, which means they buy the excess from different company and re-sell it to the public.

That means they don't have a static inventory but they usually have a great deal of miscellaneous electronic components and motors and various other gadgets like motorized chimes that play Christmas tunes.

Well worth a visit if you have not been. I believe there are 3 metro locations as well.

That looks like my kind of store. My wife is going to hate me visiting.

I see they also have a store in St. Louis Park which is pretty close by. Do all the locations tend to carry the same things?

Any other "special" stores in the area?

each store is different, although there are some things they all usually have, like little glass vials, some sort of mylar, hemostats, and crappy rotary tool accessories (think 80's kmart kwality dremel buffing wheels) sorts of things you'll have to visit each if you want to find a parachute, or traffic light or sub pariscope.

Micro Center has a store over in St. Louis Park with more computer parts/pieces than you can shake a stick at. Harbor Freight has a couple of stores here in the cities. Northern Tool has good stuff. Can't remember the name, but up on the West side of University Ave. North of 694 there is a large used machine equipment shop. Hockenbergs food service equipment for a pizza slip for your backyard tandoor oven and more.

As far as local online "stores", these are two amazing auction companies/sites right here in the twin cities

http://www.hoff-hilk.com/
an auction site for liquidation of mostly manufacturing and machining companies (Think the Twin Cities Maker Shop's first CNC mill)

www.minitbid.com
an auction site for end of lease computers and peripherals

Ax-Man differs slightly in variety at every location, but I have found the smell at each store to be the authentic Ax-Man smell. You never go to Ax-Man because you need something, you leave Ax-Man with something because you need it. There's a difference.

I have yet to find something like Fry's, which would end up bankrupting me anyway. I use Ace Hardware, Home Despot, Woodcraft, Radio Shack, etc.