polo shirts, mugs or T-shirts emblazoned with the private security firm’s old bear-paw-in-the-crosshairs insignia. The company long since rebranded itself “Xe,” and now a brick-and-mortar outpost selling official company apparel has closed up shop.

The proprietor of the Soldier Systems blog recently traveled to Fayetteville, North Carolina, (about four hours southeast of Blackwater’s original Moyock headquarters) where a Blackwater Pro Shop opened in June to sell commemorative clothing and let weapons enthusiasts take target practice on an indoor range. Unfortunately, the blog reports, the Pro Shop locked its doors for good in early October: “They even took down the sign. It looks like the Grinch came through the place.”

An interior view shows how thorough a job the Grinch did:

Maybe that’s the right move for the company. Blackwater/Xe is up for sale, the latest fallout from the security firm’s controversy-filled history, starting with its guards’ shooting of Iraqi civilians at Baghdad’s Nisour Square in 2007 and continuing through its acquisition of U.S. military rifles and pistols using the name of a South Park character.

Of course, the company wouldn’t have made so much money off government contracts if it didn’t know how to hedge its bets. (Why, a Blackwater joint venture just got a piece of a $10 billion State Department contract to guard diplomats.) While a planned Salem, Connecticut, Pro Shop doesn’t appear to be open yet, there’s still Blackwater’s online retail swag trade, where you can buy 58 items — shot glasses, keychains, baseball hats, mouse pads and more — that rock the old-school BW logo. (Rent is expensive, I guess.) Alas, no more onesies: The only youth-sized item on sale is a T-shirt. Toddlers today will have to learn to do without private-security gear.

Photos: courtesy of Soldier Systems

See Also:

• Blackwater in Kabul, or Eric Cartman Gets an AK-47
• ‘500 AK-47s, Please’: Art Imitates Blackwater (Updated)
• Murder Mistrial for Facebook-Friendly Blackwater Guards
• Exclusive: Blackwater Wins Piece of $10 Billion Mercenary Deal …

Authors: Spencer Ackerman

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