When one Four Corners military surplus store closed this year, the Borgen family saw it as an opportunity to start a new one.
Christine, Roger and Brandi Borgen bought most of the inventory of Alamo Military Surplus in Farmington after it went out of business. On Thursday, they used it to start a military surplus store on 11 N. Broadway. The store sells new and used equipment and clothing, from cots to camouflage to canteens.
The Cortez family are not strangers to military gear, since Roger Borgen spent several years in the National Guard. His current job as a helicopter mechanic keeps him away from Montezuma County for months at a time, so even though the new store was partly his idea, Christine Borgen said he won’t be heavily involved with running it.
Instead, the couple’s 20-year-old daughter Brandi will handle most of the store’s day-to-day operations. While Christine Borgen has managed several businesses in the past, the store will be a new adventure for Brandi.
“This will be my first time doing anything like this,” she said.
She said she’s nervous, but excited to see what happens with the shop.
Christine Borgen said she believes the store will fill a gap in Cortez area retail.
“There hasn’t been (a military surplus store) here for quite a few years,” she said. “We figured this would be a good place to put it.”
Right now the store doesn’t have a permanent sign, just the words “Military Surplus” painted on the window facing Broadway. While they eventually want to get a better sign, the Borgens said they didn’t do much to advertise the store before it opened, instead relying on word of mouth. Their opening day was slow, but Christine Borgen said she expects things to pick up as more hunters, campers and military enthusiasts hear about it.
The shop is located in what was once a Western goods store, but it’s been empty for some time. The Borgens hope its location, near the entrance to downtown Cortez, will gain them some exposure.
Prices vary widely in the store, but almost everything is significantly marked down from its original price, Brandi Borgen said. Products on sale include flags and insignia from many different military divisions, uniforms, shoes, canteens, helmets and a whole room full of tents, cots and other camping gear.
