Quartermaster Stores Ltd

What Quartermaster Stores Ltd does

Quartermaster Stores Ltd is a privately held United Kingdom retailer operating under the trading names "QMS Army Stores" and "QMS Online Store." The company runs a single physical storefront at 19-21 Broad Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent (ST1 4HS), supplemented by a basic e-commerce website (qmsarmystores.co.uk) and a Blogspot-based content/blog presence dating to 2008. The headcount is approximately 5 employees. The business is privately held with no parent company, subsidiaries, or disclosed funding rounds.

The core product mix spans genuine army surplus, military and tactical clothing/footwear, security-grade apparel, police supplies, army cadet kits, outdoor pursuit and camping gear, camouflage and DPM clothing, and paintballing accessories. The company stocks multi-brand inventory from suppliers including Viper, WebTex, Gortex, Magnum, Hi-Tech, Regatta, Graffters, Highlander, Johnscliff, Fortress, Mil-Tec, Leatherman, Wenger, and Sherwood. Pricing is unit-based (for example, paintball overalls from £5), with discount offers extended to armed forces personnel and SIA-licensed security staff.

The revenue model is straightforward direct-to-consumer retail, with one-time product sales conducted through both physical footfall and online transactions processed via PayPal. The customer base comprises individuals in four identifiable segments: serving UK Regular Forces, Territorial Army and Army Cadet Force members; SIA-licensed security personnel; outdoor pursuit/camping enthusiasts; and paintball participants. The technology stack is minimal — a basic storefront website, PayPal payment integration, a Blogspot blog, and an associated online community forum — with no APIs, no proprietary platforms, and no AI/ML components disclosed.

Name

Quartermaster Stores Ltd

Legal name

Quartermaster Stores Ltd

Website

https://qmsarmystores.blogspot.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Quartermaster Stores Ltd is a small UK retailer (5 employees) selling genuine military surplus, tactical/security apparel, cadet supplies, and outdoor and paintball equipment through a single Hanley storefront and a basic PayPal-enabled e-commerce site.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Military Surplus Retail

NAICS

Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (458110), Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers (459)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

Uniforms & Workwear Specialty Department Stores (CRAGAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hunting Clothing, Footwear & Camouflage Retail (CRAMAKAD), Historical & Military Collectibles Retail (CRALAGAM)

Keywords

• Military surplus retail
• Security equipment
• Outdoor camping gear
• Camouflage clothing
• Army cadet supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Hanley, Stoke on Trent

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Product Sales: One-time sales of physical products including military surplus clothing and equipment, security gear, outdoor pursuit clothing and equipment. Products sold both in-store and via online store with secure PayPal payment processing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Quartermaster Stores Ltd is a UK-based specialist retailer operating from Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, selling military surplus clothing, security equipment, and outdoor pursuits clothing and equipment. The company serves individual consumers including army cadets, outdoor enthusiasts, paintball participants, and uniformed service personnel through both a physical store and an online shop at qmsarmystores.co.uk. The product range spans military clothing, footwear, camouflage apparel, paintball accessories, camping gear, and tactical/security equipment.

Product overview

Quartermaster Stores Ltd operates as a traditional multi-channel retail business with both physical store (Broad Street Hanley, Stoke on Trent) and online store (qmsarmystores.co.uk). The core offering consists of the QMS Online Store platform supplemented by an online forum community. The product portfolio spans military clothing and equipment, security apparel, outdoor pursuit and camping gear, army cadet supplies, police equipment, genuine army surplus, paintballing accessories, camouflage/DPM clothing, and footwear. The company operates on a brick-and-mortar plus e-commerce model without an API platform, offering in-store discounts for armed forces, SIA license holders, and organizational buyers like cadet detachments and TA centres.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Military Surplus Clothing Authentic military surplus clothing and apparel sold to army cadets, regular forces, Territorial Army personnel, and general consumers seeking military-style clothing.
• Security Equipment Security-related equipment and supplies targeted at SIA-licensed security personnel, police, and private security buyers.
• Outdoor and Camping Gear Outdoor pursuits and camping equipment sold to outdoor enthusiasts and recreational users.
• Paintball Accessories Paintball accessories and gear sold to paintball participants and recreational users.
• Footwear Footwear including military-style and outdoor boots sold alongside clothing and equipment ranges.
• Camouflage Clothing Camouflage clothing and apparel sold for hunting, outdoor pursuits, and military-style use.
• Army Cadet and Police Supplies Specialist supplies for army cadets, Territorial Army, and police personnel, including uniform-related items and accessories.

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Supplier Network (NATO Products)coreOthers · 18 January 2008Maintains relationships with multiple equipment suppliers including Viper, WebTex, Gortex, Magnum, Hi-Tech, Regatta, Graffters, Highlander, Johnscliff, Fortress, Super Civic, Blue Castle, Tracpac, Mil-Tec, Sherwood, Bund, Mil-Com, Leatherman, Wenger, and Echo. Many products sourced as actual NATO products. The company also stocks genuine army surplus items and specialist equipment.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Blacks: Established UK outdoor and hiking retailer owned by JD Sports. Sells footwear, clothing and equipment that intersects with QMS's outdoor pursuit segment, though focused on mainstream rather than military/tactical.
• Mountain Warehouse: UK value outdoor retailer with extensive own-label range in jackets, boots and camping gear. Adjacent competitor for QMS's outdoor pursuit and value-conscious customers.
• Cotswold Outdoor: UK outdoor clothing and equipment retailer with national store footprint. Competes with QMS for outdoor pursuit and hiking customers, particularly on premium-brand footwear and Gore-Tex products.
• GO Outdoors: Large UK outdoor retailer carrying camping, hiking and tactical-style clothing and footwear. Overlaps with QMS's outdoor pursuit range but at much broader scale and assortment.
• Amazon UK: General e-commerce marketplace with broad assortment of military surplus, security equipment and outdoor gear from third-party sellers. Competes with QMS on price, selection and convenience for online customers.

Direct peers

• Dragon Supplies: Long-established UK military surplus and tactical equipment retailer offering new and graded army surplus, boots, camouflage and outdoor equipment. Directly comparable product assortment and target customer to QMS.
• Surplus & Outdoors: UK online surplus and outdoor equipment retailer carrying military-style clothing, camping, hiking and tactical gear. Overlaps with QMS's outdoor pursuit and surplus inventory.
• Military 1st: UK-based online military surplus and tactical clothing retailer with a comparable product mix covering military apparel, footwear, camouflage, security and outdoor gear. Closest direct competitor to QMS on the e-commerce side.
• Cadet Direct: UK specialist in cadet kit and uniform supply, including Army Cadet Force starter packs. Directly competes with QMS in the cadet supplies niche.
• Troopers UK: UK retailer specialising in military and security clothing, footwear and equipment. Targets a similar customer base of forces personnel, security staff and outdoor enthusiasts with overlapping SKUs in camouflage, combat boots and tactical gear.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/quartermaster-stores-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Quartermaster Stores Ltd