Carl’s Stores

Good old-​fashioned neighborhood store with a good selection, fast and friendly service, fair (and somewhat flexible prices).
You might find comparable merchandise at a big-​box store but these small stores keep our neighborhoods vibrant. Plus, it’s a much faster and more pleasant shopping experience than at the union-​busting megastores with know-​nothing do-​nothing clerks. Carl’s is cool!

I am a big fan of Army & Navy stores and after 4 decades of living in NYC i have shopped at most of them.
Carls is an old school kind-​a shop and while i am not sure how long it’s been here i’d wager it’s seen a fair share of change in the neighborhood. They have a nice range & selection and the prices are fair (i have seen better & of course you can always pay rock bottom if you know your size & just buy online).
Staff is a man and a woman in their mid-​late 40s husband-​and-​wife maybe? brother and sister maybe? I don’t know.. .. Both a bit jumpy and anxious. Every purchase is hand written down with a ball point pen in a ledger. This is Long hand mind you.. . no need for any fancy electronic devises that might effect your brain with them, there radio waves.. .. credit cards are run through an old manual hand cranked thing-​a-​ma-​bob with pieces of carbon paper you manually sign.. . think mid 80’s technology.. . you wanna phreak em out? ask them to email you a receipt & watch them blink.
Browsing is not appreciated or encourage. Like a stray pitbull that just found a discarded hambone the woman was on me & would not back off. What can I get you? what you looking for? what size you what? color? Additionally every time the front door chime went off both man & woman would quickly turn and ask who came in? who just left? what’s going on?
The times & the neighborhood have changed drastically not everyone that walks in is looking to do you harm. While I am sure that some unsavory characters still exist they need to relax and let their guard down just a little.. .. maybe a lil less coffee too.
I probably would have spent much more $ had I not felt very hurry almost as if I were more bother & troublesome than welcomed customer.
the only reason i’d go back is because i am so damn close & in need of an item quickly otherwise i’ll stick with online shopping or hit up Dave’s in the city.

My boyfriend likes this place a lot. A really good selection of pants, jackets, bags and hats. The owner is super nice. They can be pricy, but you can usually negotiate a deal.

The local Army-​Navy store. Work boots, combat boots, jeans, Dickies, Carhartt, flannel, coats, messenger bags, etc. You know the drill.
Got a $ 30 canvas bag here and a stocking cap.
The owners/​staff have a lot of character.