Dallas Area Train Stores

NickB Mar 21, 2007

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  1. NickB

    NickB TrainBoard Member

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    Hey everyone I'm going to be in the Dallas area this weekend and was wondering where would be some good stores to check out. Thanks
    Nick
     
  2. Doug A.

    Doug A. TrainBoard Supporter

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    Nick,

    I'm copying my reply from another post...

    In North Dallas/Plano, you essentially have 3 unique shops, not counting the Hobbytown's and the like.

    1. Discount Model Trains - Must see shop. Great inventory and well organized. 4641 Ratliff Ln, Addison, TX 75001-5314, (972) 931-8135
    2. Collectible Train & Toys (www.trainsandtoys.com)- Good selection of books, standard model train stock, lots of Lionel, not a lot of N-scale. "Junk room" in the back is always cool to rummage through. 10051 Whitehurst, #200, Dallas, TX, (214) 373-9469
    3. Silver Spike Hobbies - A little bit of a trip from Plano, but a decent shop if you happen to be out that direction. 525 N. Elm St., Denton, TX 76201, (940) 383-3914. Tue-Fri 10a-6p, Sat 10a-4p

    On the Fort Worth side, someone mentioned Buddy Spraggins shop which is on the northeast side of cowtown. There are a couple of others, although if you are travelling by train I doubt you will be able to make anything on the Fort Worth side.
    1. Model Train Crossing (www.modeltraincrossing.com) - This is Buddy's store. Pretty standard hobby shop, decent n-scale. 1113 W Pipeline RD, Hurst, TX 76053 (817)595-0800.
    2. Angelo Hobbies (www.angelohobbies.com)- Very small shop, but good hours and worth a stop if you are looking for something odd. Lot of Digitrax stuff. Fairly close to Buddy's shop. 5515B Bonner, Haltom City, TX 76148, (817) 428-0190; W-F 1-7p, Sat 10a-6p, Sun 1-6p
    3. Hobby World - This is the second best shop in DFW, in my opinion. Not huge, but well stocked and pretty well organized. 5658 Westcreek Dr., Suite 500, Fort Worth, TX 76133 (817) 263-5750; Tues-Fri 3-6p (7p on Thurs), Sat 9a-4:30p
     
  3. NickB

    NickB TrainBoard Member

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    Sweet thanks I printed those off and I'll get some directions on good ole mapquest.
     
  4. N_S_L

    N_S_L TrainBoard Member

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    Silver Spike (Denton) has closed as of earlier this year ...
     
  5. Doug A.

    Doug A. TrainBoard Supporter

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    Interesting. They were open about 3 weeks ago, with no indication of closing.
     
  6. N_S_L

    N_S_L TrainBoard Member

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    hmmm, that was the info his wife told me... maybe they weren't having luck with whatever other direction they were trying to go
     
  7. friscobob

    friscobob Staff Member

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    Well, that sucks.......he was a real nice guy to deal with, too.

    Damn............:sad:
     
  8. friscobob

    friscobob Staff Member

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    Besides the other shops, any mention of M-A-L Hobbies in Irving, or have they gone out of business too?

    And as far as Discount is concerned, the only beef I have with them is they have no website. Other than that, I also recommend this place as THE premier shop in the Metroplex (a spot once owned by the late Bobbye Hall before she retired & closed her shop).
     
  9. Tioga Railroad

    Tioga Railroad E-Mail Bounces

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    Discount Model Trains in Addison... Is that the small white building near, I think, an airfield? I was in the DFW area a few times over the years. If that is the place I'm thinking of, they had a great selection and good prices too.
     
  10. Matthew Roberts

    Matthew Roberts TrainBoard Member

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    I went there... and they weren't open.
     
  11. Midnight Railroader

    Midnight Railroader TrainBoard Member

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    It's funny how this hobby works--are there "legendary" shops for other hobbies? I know when I was in Dallas a few years back, I *had* to get to Bobbye's place...and it was worth the visit! The neighborhood had become run-down around the shop, which tends to happen, but it (and she) was as pleasant as could be.

    I was sorry to see her pass. There aren't enough "legendary" hobby shops left.
     
  12. r_i_straw

    r_i_straw Mostly N Scale Staff Member

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    Yeah, she was such a remarkable lady. Not just the shop but her involvement in Hallmark brass imports did so much to promote the hobby. I still have one of these cards she used to stick in your bag of train stuff when you checked out.
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 11, 2007
  13. friscobob

    friscobob Staff Member

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    LOL........I've got one of those cards as well!

    Going to Bobbye Hall's was like poking thru an attic- everything was crammed in there tight, but you could find what you were looking for. Discount Model Trains, in comparison, is neat & orderly, with more space to move around.

    I like both shops, but I really miss Bobbye Hall's. I wish someone had stepped up to take over the busness when she retired. Last time I went by it, it was some sort of Oriental gaming hall.

    The only other hobby shop I could now call legendary would be Caboose Hobbies in Denver- it's what Hall's could have been like had she more space. Haven't been there since I was working up the road in Cheyenne back in '05.
     
  14. friscobob

    friscobob Staff Member

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    Yep, it's on Ratliff Road, actually in a part of a large white building next to Addison Airport. Addison itself is kinda surrounded by the city of Dallas, with all the appropriate traffic (which moves like molasses during "rush" hour- Crawl hour is more like it; but I digress).
     
  15. Doug A.

    Doug A. TrainBoard Supporter

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    Yet, mysteriously they are still in business...

    :asl: I just got off the phone with the proprietor and they are very much still in business. :asl:

    :zip: I suggest you verify such statements before you blindly post to such a visible public forum. Such misinformation can seriously harm a small business like Chuck's shop, (like there's not enough challenges running a hobby shop!) and there's a chance that the above quote will pop to the top of a Google search...great for business, I'm sure.
     
  16. river_eagle

    river_eagle TrainBoard Member

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  17. r_i_straw

    r_i_straw Mostly N Scale Staff Member

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    He made an understandable mistake, if it was even a mistake. After all he got his information direct from Chuck's wife. Perhaps he could have revealed his source when he made the original statement. It does appear that there was a point recently when the future of the shop may have been in question.
    I may try to drive up there when I am visiting Carrollton in the next few days to check the place out.
     
  18. Doug A.

    Doug A. TrainBoard Supporter

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    Yes, who needs all those pesky customers!

    Understandable mistake? More like "I need to star in my own movie and come up with a BIG SCOOP and MORE DRAMA so I can be interesting". Hockey fights, NASCAR wrecks, and TRAIN STORE CLOSINGS.....THAT's entertainment. :cry:

    So, either you don't believe me, or you are (hopefully) implying that they closed and reopened. He does close some weekends for shows I think, and also I think he did have an unusual circumstance last year where he closed for a day or two. Honestly I don't keep tabs on the guy, but this is the SECOND time this rumour has been on this forum and it's time it stops! :zip:

    Or perhaps he could have just not said anything if he didn't know the facts.

    Why do you have that impression? Hell, quite honestly you are probably right--I suspect that is true of about 95% of hobby shops on a daily basis. But I hardly see where you get that conclusion except from the same horse's mouth that is providing other incorrect information. My point is, it is irresponsible to make statements like that when people's livelyhoods are at stake. I'm not saying the poster is a bad person. I've met him and he donated some items to a local club and I applaud him for that. But here, not so much. :embarassed:

    Well, if you believe the shop is closed I'm not sure I'd waste the gas. :rolleyes:
     
  19. r_i_straw

    r_i_straw Mostly N Scale Staff Member

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    Calm down Doug. I was only trying to smooth things out. Sorry I just made things worse. I believe they are still open and was going to see if I could give them some business, that is all.
     
  20. Rossford Yard

    Rossford Yard TrainBoard Member

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    This is the second time we have heard this rumor, and it could be damaging to a shop that has a lot of stuff and also discounts equal to DMT, sometimes more. I agree we all probably post stuff without confirmation more than we should, and that was posted as a fact, which turns out not to be true.

    Doug (and I) are upset because frankly, Chuck is one of the real good guys - besides stock, discounts, and special orders, he supports the local clubs, does some custom rock island work, etc. And, he is always available for a friendly conversation. In DFW, we would hate to lose him as an alternative to DMT and don't like the idea that a random rumour could put him out of business, as unlikely as that might be.

    As to those who go to the shop and find it closed, he does close on Mondays, he occaisionally leaves just before closing by a few minutes (which caught me one night, as I was making a mad dash to get there at 5:59PM) and he closes the shop when he packs up to go to train shows. I will suggest he puts a sign in the window when he does that!
     
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