By Puja Bhattacharjee

A unique store in the Northwest Side of Chicago is helping kids bond with science. American Science and Surplus has been in business for 80 years. It stores every scientific item one can think of. It is popular with parents of school going children who often come looking for items needed in school science projects.

Chicago store manager Maren Karpen says that the store has something for everybody that can be used as a teaching tool. “We are all fans of the STEM projects and we do what we can to support them.” Demonstration products like Tesla coil and Van De Graaff generator are the most popular items at the store. The store also hosts Science Nights, a free event four times a year where the staff demonstrates principles behind scientific tools.