History of Rothco

In 1953 in a small loft on Great Jones Street in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Milton Somberg began Rothco, then known as Morris Rothenberg & Son. Dealing with used clothing and World War II army surplus, the business grew, settling in a larger warehouse on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. When used military goods became scarce, Rothco became manufacturers, eventually becoming the country's largest supplier of military clothing and gear to the commercial market. 

By the late 1970, the business grew considerably, and Rothco made the move to Long Island, NY, building its very own warehouse and office space in Hauppauge. Over the next 20 years, Rothco continued to flourish, soon outgrowing the Hauppauge space and then eventually making its way to Ronkonkoma, NY. Nestled in the hub of Long Island, Rothco's new location offered the convenience of a major airport and highways nearby, thus ensuring the fastest shipping possible. 

Over the years, Rothco has introduced numerous lines of clothing and product but at the root of each item is our military heritage, from our M-65 Field Jackets to our Canvas Bags, even the folding camping shovel can all be traced back to Rothco's military surplus roots.