Friedman’s Army Navy Store

ITS COLD!!! Brrr… I think winter, and stocking up at Friedmans is my first stop.
If you are into camping and other wilding, you will find a good, but not great selection of essentials here. Not the snazzy down filled sleeping bags from free range geese that you’ll be paying a premium for at REI. Think more «zombie survival joint» than ‘hipster camping joint’ and you’ve got the vibe of this place right.
You should absolutely go to this place instead of going to Old Navy for their clothes which fall apart in the wash. They have really, really good sales items and many racks of tops and bottoms for kids and women in addition to the guys.
There is a STUPID amount of army surplus… so, good naming of the place Mr. Friedman! Get your full body camo on the cheap here.
And knives. Did i mention the crazy knife collection? This place has them all. Like every one of them. The sad side of this is that their horrific counter display is like 8 feet in the air and lots fo the knives are behind the counter. But if you are into hunting, which I guess you are if you’re at the giant hunting store, you will surely find the knife of your dreams/​nightmares is in here somewhere.
The staff has rightous gruffness with hipsters and not what you might call friendly or speedy, but they get the job done and know where all these weird little things hide around their store.
I’m scaring you off from coming now, right? Sorry… did I mention the bad ass collection of super cheap thick sweatshirts, running pants and fleece?
Also, there is mace, hand warmers, scarfs, a zillion hats and gloves for winter and they regularly let a variety of food trucks pull up in front to sell BBQ and such.
Bottom Line: Come here first for your industructable thermals, winter and camping wear but be prepared to not be coddled while shopping. And good luck leaving without managing to convince yourself you really do need a giant knife.
Also, I’m super amused Marcia M reviewed this place at all. I think its high praise that my dog-​loving, vegan buddy gave it 3 stars. Lets just say, this is not where I would imagine her hanging!

Situated right around the corner from the Harris Teeter, this place is such a find. I came here looking for some bungee cords for my bike and ended up exploring the place for like 45 minutes. Its like a ½ price REI. I found a duffle bag that is exactly like the «black hole» series from Northface for ~$ 40. Thats… like ¹⁄₃ the price and the exact if not better quality. They have a huge stock of camping supplies, fishing and hunting gear. If you are looking for a nice but cheap rain jacket. this is your place! One particularly nice find here are the socks. You can get your wool hiking socks for $ 5 – and sometimes thats a pack of two. I KNOW. That’s crazy talk.

This place definitely surprised me by it’s eclectic selection. I went in expecting to only find military-​type gear and clothing, but I was hugely misinformed.
As an outdoors girl I wanted to find some pants and/​or a jacket that I can wear out in the briars and brush while hiking. Well, I found plenty of that as well as some good, rubber boots to wear while kayaking and getting out on the banks in the winter. They are great quality and I only paid $ 35 for them!
They also have a lot of camping gear, fishing gear, firearms, metal detectors, and more. I even saw sleds and cute winter hats and jackets.
The staff were not as friendly as I would have expected, but there was one woman who was pretty helpful. She was just a little abrasive in the way she answered my questions. Other than that I would definitely go back.

I went here for a hiking backpack and was inside for over an hour just trying to see everything they had. It might not seem like much when you walk in, but if your looking for outdoor gear and you don’t want to get on
than this is the place.

I have driven by Friedman’s time and time again and frankly never believed that I would have any need to pop into a retailer with the name «Army Navy Store» as part of it’s title. Don’t get me wrong, I support the Army and Navy and am a military brat myself but if you’ve ever met me, you would understand why I would not be patron of a store that has offerings such as camouflage, camping gear, and caps.
However, I came here at the referral of a friend when he was appalled that as a single woman who gallops throughout our fair city constantly… I didn’t own any mace. What can I say? Having lived in the mean streets of NYC and St. Louis (repeatedly titled the «Most Dangerous City» in the country), I just never saw a need to pack a spray version of a defensive system in my clutch. Rambo doesn’t have anything on this broad.
After consideration, I decided to pull the trigger (pun very much intended) and hit up Friedman’s. The store is spacious with racks and merchandising areas in every nook and corner. This could result in a potentially cluttered environment but not here! Friedman’s was neat and very clean… perhaps the military values kicked in?
I located the nice assortment of mace near the register and decided on a little pink key-​chain version for only $ 8.99. As I waited for the cashier to finish up with the customers ahead of me, I glanced around and noticed that there was much of the floor space dedicated to outdoor or active life apparel for both men and women. There appeared to be a sale in progress with many racks offering up 20% off. I also noticed a lot of camping gear throughout the sales floor too. I personally think that with their current name, they don’t really showcase the vast array of inventory in the active life and outdoor segments… I wouldn’t have known until I walked in on a complete fluke.
The cashier wasn’t particularly friendly or helpful but was efficient in processing my sales. It would have been nice to at least be greeted, right?
I’m not sure if I will ever step foot in Friedman’s again but if you’re into the great outdoors, you probably should!

I needed a new black cap and wanted it to be plain with no writing or cheesy logos on it. So I figured that if anyone had anything like that then Friedman’s would be the place. Sure enough, I found exactly what I was looking for at a very nice price. Having completed my mission so quickly, I walked all over the store just checking out all the gear they had. They mostly had military surplus clothing, camping gear, and fishing equipment. They also had some very cool, but pricey knives on display in a glass counter. The staff was very friendly and often offered to help but I was just browsing around the store checking out all the cool stuff. I especially eyed some cool t-​shirts that were plain with no writing or cheesy logos on them for a nice price that I may have to purchase at a later time. I will certainly be back to Friedman’s Army Navy Store.

A long long time ago, I can still remember when the Friendman’s used to make me smile. And I knew if I had some cash, that I would buy a hunting sash, and perhaps a knife to down a crocodile.
This February I went again, 2 feet taller than when I was 10.
Zombie targets in the front aisle, lightweight fabrics mercantile.
A Rambo styled arrow quiver, shotgun shells and MRE liver.
A used undamaged flak vest, netting for more common pests.
I can’t remember if I sighed when my sight on it did collide, but I knew that I’d be bona fide, the day I went back inside.
So
Hello pink tight «Booty Camp» shorts
not standard issue but won’t dis you I’m not of those sorts
And MREs stacked nearly knee-​high
cap guns and periscopes with which you can spy
cap guns and periscopes with which you can spy
Is that a clay target shaped like a dove?
And does your helmet protect from debris above
Does the manual tell you so?
Now do you say «let’s lock and load»
While spear fishing off the road
and can you teach me how to cast reeeeeel far
Well I know you want those cargo pants
A «security» badge with which to prance
You want those army boots
And the plastic owl that hoots
If you want a Nashville Predators hockey puck
or the flags of places called Canuck
well I fear that here you’re out of luck
but why don’t you step inside?
…
Now for 15 years I haven’t been back
And I’ve gotten older and quite fat
but that’s not how it used to be
when I was ten and my eyes would gleam
at an army coat from the Philippians
and a canteen not made for you or me
At old Paul K I’m looking down
I put away my WW2 crown
My campfire matches all burned
and warlike ways were spurned
An old gas mask from world war two
reminds me of my misspent youth
when I was a bit more uncouth
and loved to go inside
…

I like to think this place is owned by the tribe.
If it isn’t, it is still super-​cool because there is a Masonic Lodge attached and they have an awesome sign out front.
Not really a military surplus store in a classical sense, it strikes me more instead as a camping store. They have a bunch of clothing and camping supplies, plus what I assume is a hefty collection of fishing equipment and guns.
I seem to always go here when I need to get sets of camping utensils. Truth be told is that I don’t actually camp, I just always carry around metal forks, knives and spoons because I hate eating with plastic utensils. Yep, that was me eating with real silverware at Boltons…
The staff has always been helpful and friendly here, but be forewarned that their receipts are not itemized by default, which caused me a helluva lot of problems when I had to buy a bunch of military-​themed paraphernalia for work. They were nice enough to hand-​write out everything for me afterwards, though. One last great point, they are CHEAP.
A fun place to putter around in, never know what you’ll find!

Just to be fair, I agree with those who don’t really classify this place as real military surplus. They’ve got a decent little selection of that kind of thing, but it’s really more of an overall outdoorsman’s store. There’s lots of neat things to look at, ranging from camping gear, to guns, to fishing stuff, to handcuffs.
It really runs the gamut, and it’s just the kind of place you ought to explore, just in case you find the deal you just can’t pass up on.
It’s not very well organized, and it feels… old. But I can live with that. Name: not very accurate, but once you get used to that, you should be able to make it work

I was on my way to check out Harris Teeter when I came across this gem.
I didn’t know what to expect, as I’ve never been inside an army surplus store before. But my brief foray in the police academy has made me appreciate traditionally masculine hardware.
I was surprised to find women’s sporting goods here. But I was looking for gear for my husband. I did see polo shirts on sale for $ 7.99 («as is») and various winter-​friendly items for reasonable prices. (Having once worked for an upscale outdoor clothing store, I’m used to clothing in the mid hundreds — the prices here didn’t even approach that.) Decent jeans that my husband could wear since he is not a fashionisto. Running and hiking socks and shoes. Some Thorlos and BDUs that reminded me of my former cadet days. I even found some cast iron cookware (not Lodge) in the camping section.
Despite my new respect for guns, I did not check out what they had. Nor did I look at the fishing aisle.
But definitely a place to check out each time I am in the area.

Friedman’s is not the kind of place that I would usually stumble into but the last time that snow stuck in Nashville I felt a desperate need to buy a plastic sled, ipso facto, I came upon Friedman’s. Though the big sign out front makes sure you know that it’s an army and navy war surplus store, I think that they are selling themselves short. It’s actually a camping, fishing, working, shooting, Carhart, hiking, shoe selling, outdoors… and also navy and army supply store. Their stuff is really fairly priced and their staff (which is always numerous for some reason) is always helpful. They somehow manage to fit everything you can think of into the space, and I always seem to find some random thing that I could never possibly imagine myself wanting but am weirdly drawn to.

If you’re on a budget and are looking for a raincoat, winter jacket, or hiking, backpacking, and fishing gear, I’d recommend trying Friedman’s before going to Cumberland Transit. Friedman’s has boots, sleeping bags, packs, lanterns, flashlights, mess kits, thermal underwear, folding chairs, and more, all at 20−30% less than you would pay at most stores. Even if you’re not into the great outdoors, you can find a wide array of pocket knives, winter hats, scarves, and gloves here. Unfortunately, most of Friedman’s clothes (even the $ 5 button down shirts) say «army» or «navy» on them.
I was surprised to find Ladybug clogs, various shades of Converse sneakers, some sporty women’s flip flops, colorful woven hammocks, and a large selection of basic messenger bags here as well. Unlike other reviewers’ experiences, the two staff members I encountered were seemed friendly (although maybe a little awkward), and asked me if I needed help finding anything. However, I was a little weirded out by all the guns and camouflage.

I think to classify Friedman’s as an Army Navy store is really an injustice. I understand that they have it in their name, but it really is so much more, and not always in a good way. On the plus side, they sell a really good selection of surplus military gear like Gore-​Tex seam taped waterproof jackets, some of the warmest wool blankets ever, down jackets and the like. However, on the down side they also sell UT jerseys, camo kids clothes etc.
They also have a pretty good fishing department, and a practical arsenal of guns to choose from.

Friedman’s is a strange place; it very well may be, however, your best bet for military surplus shopping… if that’s your thing. Back when I lived on the West Side, I often stopped in to Friedman’s to buy items like wool caps, thermal shirts and jackets. It truly is a good, cheap spot for your winter layering needs.
In addition to buying winter clothes at Friedman’s, however, I have often explored their other items. They sell everything from machetes and deactivated hand grenades to helmets, mosquito repellent and, as the sign proudly states, Chuck Taylors. If you’re the camping type, Friedman’s is a pretty good spot to stop in for tents, lanterns or fishing supplies. Everything is in pretty good shape and relatively cheap.
Despite Friedman’s extensive selection of pretty neat stuff, the staff is often a bit unapproachable. They seem to give off the vibe that, unless you look like a veteran, they assume you’re goofing off and would just as soon not take your business. I’m sure they don’t really feel that way, but they certainly aren’t the most thoughtful staff around. Anyhow, Friedman’s is a great spot to pick up rugged outdoor items as well as sailor and tough-​guy hats, and the staff isn’t so bad once you’ve been in a time or two. I dare you to go into Friedman’s and not buy anything. Seriously.

This place has some good stuff most of the time. The service can be kind of surly. I’ve gotten some good bedrolls and web belts. They also have fishing/​hunting stuff. I kind of don’t trust it though, cause of the masonic lodge upstairs in the back.