Growing Up With G.I. Joe's

Ed Orkney returned home from flying bombers in World War II and started selling war surplus sleeping bags out of his car. That was Ed's start on a path that eventually led to his opening G.I. Joe's, a war surplus store in a tent in Portland in 1952. Then, over time, his vision and hard work built the business into a multi-million dollar retail chain.

In the book, Ed's daughter, Janna Orkney, looks at her dad's business philosophy and practices that contributed to the success of G.I. Joe's. She also analyzes what personal qualities of her father were important in building the business. Janna writes of G.I. Joe's expansion throughout Oregon and into Washington under the leadership of her brother, David Orkney, after her father s passing. Then, after David sold the business in 1998, it was sold again in 2007. With new owners, the store name was changed to Joe's Sports, Outdoor and More and the chain expanded to 31 stores. Two years later, it went bankrupt and was liquidated - a sad happening after the company had served customers for 57 years.

Growing Up With G.I. Joe' is much more than a business history, however. Janna also tells of her own childhood growing up near the Columbia River in the mid-20th century, and recounts the story of the devastating Vanport Flood of 1948 and the inundation of the ancient tribal fishing site of Celilo Falls in 1957. And, from her research, Janna shares details of how early war surplus stores in the Northwest were forerunners of general retail stores today and pioneers in the marketing of outdoor gear after World War II.

If you like inspiring rags-to-riches stories, this book should appeal to you. It should appeal to you as well, if you are interested in how and why businesses succeed, Also, 20th century history fans would be drawn to Growing Up With G.I. Joe's especially those who enjoy tales of the Greatest Generation. This book is can be looked at as a nostalgic coming-of-age story, too. And, Janna Orkney describes her book as a love letter to a store, to the land and people of the Pacific Northwest, and to America as the land of opportunity.