The unique and beloved American Science & Surplus announced late last week that it is closing its warehouse and its online sales — and its store in the northwest Chicago suburb of Park Ridge is also likely to close.

The other two American Science & Surplus stores, in the west Chicago suburb of Geneva and in Milwaukee, may stay open as employee-owned and operated businesses, American Science & Surplus said on social media last week.

Back in May, American Science & Surplus launched an online fundraiser to try to save the business. Nearly $195,000 were raised in the "Keep American Science & Surplus Alive" fundraiser, but American Science & Surplus owner Patrick Meyer wrote that nevertheless, the store's mail order warehouse and website must close.

"After working hard to stay open, and thanks to your incredible support, we were able to hang on a little longer. But despite our team's best efforts and your unwavering love, we're not able to continue. We will be closing our mail-order warehouse and discontinuing our catalogs," Meyer wrote in a Facebook post. "The last day to order from us online or by phone will be September 7th, at which point our website will also be shut down."

Meyer elaborated on the GoFundMe that American Science & Surplus has been trying to renegotiate and relocate its warehouse, but this effort has not worked out.

However, Meyer wrote, American Science & Surplus has been moving forward and working to sell its Milwaukee and Geneva stores to employees.

"We will keep you posted if and when we can make this happen!" Meyer wrote.

Meyer wrote on the GoFundMe this past Wednesday that American Science & Surplus was also asked its Park Ridge community if anyone had interest in buying the store — and reported there were several interested parties — but said on Facebook on Friday that no buyer was found for the Park Ridge store and it would close later in September.

However, Meyer did leave his email in the Facebook post for anyone who may yet still be interested in buying the Park Ridge store and keeping it open.

According to the website for the store, American Science & Surplus — formerly American Science Center — was established in "about 1937" by Western Electric employee Al Luebbers.

"Al had a great interest in optics and he noticed that a company next door to the plant where he worked was throwing away reject lenses," the store's website recounts. "He asked them if he could buy the rejects and they said, 'No, But you can have them if you will haul them away.'"

Luebbers and his wife took the lenses, spruced them up, and offered them for sale on Popular Science. Orders started coming in, and this led to the founding of a business, American Lens & Photo.

After World War II, war surplus became the catalyst for the expansion of the company. Luebbers went on to open a retail store on Chicago's Northwest Side called American Science Center — which also featured educational science items.

 Al Luebbers' son Jerry took over in the 70s and started a catalog operation called Jerryco in 1979. He opened a second location in Milwaukee in 1981.

In 1988, Jerry Luebbers took a partner, Scott McCausland, who bought out the Luebbers family after Jerry Luebbers died that same year at the age of 46. The Geneva location opened in 1991.

Meanwhile, American Science & Surplus launched its first website in 1995. McCausland retired and sold the company to "lifelong science geek" Philip Cable, who in turn sold to employee Patrick Meyer in 2012.

The Chicago area flagship location has moved around over the years. After moving from its original Norwood Park location, American Science & Surplus was located at 5316 N. Milwaukee Ave. in the Gladstone Park neighborhood for many years — until relocating to 27 N. Northwest Hwy. in Park Ridge in February 2022.

The Geneva American Science & Surplus location is on Route 38, 1/4 mile east of Kirk Road. The Milwaukee location is located at 6901 W. Oklahoma Ave. up in the 414.

American Science & Surplus also maintains a warehouse at 7410 Lehigh Ave. in Niles.