Figure 1.--This is the San Jose, California Boy Scout Outfitters window taken during the 1920s.

With the creation of the Scout movement a new kind of store was created to sell both uniforms and camping equipment. Scout shops sprang up all over England because Scouting was so popular. Boys could not buy Scout uniforms in department stores, they went to Scout shops. An English reader writes,"Almost every large town in England have a Scout shop. Here uniforms and related merchandise can be bought. It was from this shop that I used to go to purchase the badges the Cubs in my pack required after they had passed a course of study." Elsewhere in the world where Scouting was not as popular had far fewer Scout shops. Most countries had at least a few. And Scout shops still exist in numerous countries around the world. Scout shops were also opened in America. They were called "Scout Outfitters". There were not as many Scout shops in Amrica, however, because early in the cout movement uniforms were available in mail order catalogs. Both Sears and Wards offered Scout uniforms as did Pennys later. I do not have a precise chronology here. This probably occured because Americams were more accustomed to mail morder purchases than Europeans.

Purpose

With the creation of the Scout movement a new kind of store was created to sell both uniforms and camping equipment.

Country Trends

We have very limited information on Scout shops aound the world.

England

Scout shops sprang up all over England because Scouting was so popular. Boys could not buy Scout uniforms in department stores, they went to Scout shops. An English reader writes,"Almost every large town in England have a Scout shop. Here uniforms and related merchandise can be bought. It was from this shop that I used to go to purchase the badges the Cubs in my pack required after they had passed a course of study." I wondered if the Scout shops also sold Boys' Brigade items. A British reader tells us, "No is the simple answer. These came from the Boys' Brigade head quarters in the town. It would be a 'small shop' in the organisation's admin centre. The leaders would obtain these supplies for the boy's who joined. There would be a stock of second hand items which were given out to new members at each of the Boys' Brigade units. These would be connected to a church. The Boys' Brigade often met in the church hall. The Boys' Brigade uniform was hat and white shoulder strap. This was worn over the boy's ordinary clothes." Another British reader tells us, "Just had a thought. I recall that in Blackburn, Lancashire, there was a shop that specialised in Childrens clothes and they had a section were you could buy uniformed organisation clothes and related accessories. This is a very vage memory though! The Scout Shop in Manchester, England is in a shopping complex near Picadilly Railway station."

America

Scout shops were also opened in America. They were called "Scout Outfitters". There were not as many Scout shops in Amrica, however, because early in the cout movement uniforms were available in mail order catalogs. Both Sears and Wards offered Scout uniforms as did Pennys later. I do not have a precise chronology here. This probably occured because Americams were more accustomed to mail morder purchases than Europeans.

France

We have little information on France. A HBU writer asks, "I have been looking for the uniform suppliers of the French Scout groups such as SUF. I understand that they still use traditional button flys on there beige-navy cord shorts, but I am not sure. I think some one told me that they stopped them around 1998. The most I have found, is a shop that used to be called "The Adventure Shop", but they did a merger with another shop group called Carrick."

Saudia Arabia

A HBC reader writes, "The Scout Shop in Riyhad, Saudi Arabia is at their headquarters which in 1996 was at the British School. I assume it still is there. What a great country for scouting. The camps brought schout groups from all the country. We had a long weekend doing all kinds of activities. The cubs went on fossil hunting trips and their short pants were weighed down with the rocks they had stuffed into their pockets. They walked baxck weighed down with their discoveries. I feared that the elestic belt holding their trousers up would not take the strain but it did."

Other countries

Elsewhere in the world where Scouting was not as popular had far fewer Scout shops. Most countries had at least a few. And Scout shops still exist in numerous countries around the world.