Business Spotlight: 'Preparedness' store serves variety of clients

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Just past the 25-pound tubs of rice, dry milk, powdered eggs and beans are several barrel-sized water containers. Beyond that are several shelves filled with what owner Rob Wood calls, "My scary book collection." Here you can find everything from hunting and fishing manuals to "The Anarchist Cookbook," by William Powell. |ret||ret||tab|

In the back of the store, you can find military camouflage clothing, canteens, lanterns, food-drying equipment and camping supplies, along with a protective chemical weapons suit, some gas masks and several Geiger counters that measure radioactive fallout. |ret||ret||tab|

Zigi's Survival Supplies clearly isn't a mainstream retail operation. However, you might just be surprised at how many people buy survival supplies, according to Wood and his wife Julie. |ret||ret||tab|

"The closest shops that carry survival supplies are in Kansas City or Bunch, Okla.," said Rob Wood, who also goes by the nickname Zigi. "Before we started our business back in 1996, people had to drive to one of these places or order what they wanted out of a catalog or from the Internet."|ret||ret||tab|

Although Zigi's Survival Supplies still competes with mail-order and Internet-based businesses, the Woods said many of their customers get their supplies at the store because it's more convenient. Others want to avoid giving their name, address and other personal information to a company when ordering survival supplies.|ret||ret||tab|

"People can come in here, pay cash for what they need, and there's no record," said Rob Wood. "You don't get that if you order from a catalog or off the Internet, and some of our customers are suspicious about who might use that information."|ret||ret||tab|

The Woods are quick to point out that everything sold at their shop is "absolutely, 100 percent legal." They also said they don't belong to any survivalist groups, nor do they put their customers in touch with any such groups in the area. In fact, the Woods take exception to being labeled survivalists.|ret||ret||tab|

"We don't like the term survivalist," said Rob Wood. "We think that preparedness is a better word." |ret||ret||tab|

Although the Woods said some of their customers probably belong to survivalist groups, the majority of people who frequent the store are regular folks. Many of the items at Zigi's Survival Supplies are geared toward those who hunt and fish. |ret||ret||tab|

During hunting season, the shop sells a lot of chemical weapons suits that can mask a hunter's scent when worn. The store also sells camouflage clothing used by hunters, as well as state hunting and fishing licenses and guides. Other customers come in to buy camping supplies, including portable toilets, canteens and lanterns. |ret||ret||tab|

Earlier this summer, water barrels began selling quickly when the area experienced a drought. According to the Woods, many people who live in small towns around Springfield also began buying water barrels and filtration systems when fluoride was added to their city's water supply.|ret||ret||tab|

Other items in the store, however, are geared specifically toward survivalists. |ret||ret||tab|

According to the Woods, every time China and the United States have a breakdown in diplomatic relations, the sale of gas masks increases. In addition, the store carries several maps that show potential nuclear targets within the United States. |ret||ret||tab|

Although the Woods said they strongly believe in the right to bear arms, Zigi's Survival Supplies doesn't sell any guns or knives. The most controversial items in the store are books. Many of these books are surplus military manuals, but some describe how to make detonators, dynamite and other weapons.|ret||ret||tab|

"We sell the books, but we don't sell the things you would need to do what's in some of those books," said Julie Wood. "We look at the books as being strictly informational, and we don't sell them to anyone under 18. The First Amendment covers more than freedom of speech, and we don't believe in banning books of any kind."|ret||ret||tab|

Although the Woods don't plan to market their products on the Internet, they are in the process of putting together a mail-order catalog. |ret||ret||tab|

To create an interest in their catalog, the Woods plan on placing several ads in publications that are read by survivalists and those who love the outdoors.[[In-content Ad]]