Small Town Hobby Shops

Stopped in the local hobby store today to pick up a few items and thought I'd share my experiences with you. I was on a mission to pick up a few badly needed N scale supplies, mostly dealing with track and couplers. I first searched for my couplers, which is what I needed the most. It was absolutely amazing what they had in there! They had one of every obscure coupler conversion kit, but not one of the mainstream items that I needed! All I was after was a bulk pack of #1015 couplers (which are as universal to N scalers as the Kadee #5 is to HO scalers) and a bulk pack of roller bearing trucks with couplers. This was appaling to me, they had no 'regular' products, but tons of the obscure parts that even the regular hobby shops don't stock. Talk about bass-ackwards...

So I went looking for my track supplies. I needed a few sections of flex track, four turnouts, some rail joiners, and some wire. Picked out for pieces of flex track, a package of joiners, and two pairs of terminal joiners and grabbed the switches. Wait a minute, all this stuff isn't marked. Okay, well, I'll just ask the clerk (Who is a R/C plane modeler and knows nothing about trains...). He looked up in the Walthers catalog the price for them, but mistakenly quoted the price for the remote powered turnouts instead of the manual ones I had. Once I compared stock numbers for him he grudgingly changed his price. Suffice it to say I walked out of there with just flex track and rail joiners today.

Now, I went in there in search of a few specific items, but also had a little cash for those extras. Was looking to aquire some new freight cars, but was disapointed with the selections. They only had three Atlas cars in the whole store, their MDC cars consisted of the old-time reefers, and of course they had the usual selection of trainset cars from Bachmann and Life-Like. It seems they try to push the high-end Micro Trains cars to model railroaders, most likely to maximize profits.

This brings me to another point, everything but engines was being sold at list price. Even then, engine were being sold for five dollars off list price. They were still trying to sell Life-Like SW1200's for $50! Ha!

Now, this leads me to my question, how is your local hobby shop? This took place in a small shop in a town of about 15,000 people. The store is actually a secondary store to one in a much larger town. They stock mostly R/C cars and planes and HO scale trains, with N scale playing third fiddle to most everything else. Other local stores offer discounts off the list price, frequent buyer programs, better service, and a greater selection. This is the closest store to me, and it serves well when I need something in a hurry, I can usually get to the store and home in about 40 minutes. So, how's your local shop? Anyone here lucky enough to live by one of the larger online discount shops?

 

I would have to go over 100 miles to even find a hobby shop, and then its selection would be no better than what you experienced.

 

I have the same problem around the Tidewater area of virginia. Nobody here wants to stock HO scale anything, but they have a store full of Lionel. They will order anything you want but that takes two weeks to get.

 

We have a rather nice N scale only shop on the northeast side of Indianapolis. The owner had a stroke 2 yrs ago and the store was closed for about 18 months. His two sons reopened it about 6 months ago so thier stock is somewhat dated but they are bringing it up to standard slowly. When they first went into the store Dad had not opened up any new stock unless someone asked for a specific item that was not on the shelf. Mort (the dad) treated the store like his personal play thing and really did not care if he sold anything or not. The boys can only have the store open on weekends and then the time is limited to 4 hrs each day. It take me 35 minutes to drive there but at least I know what thier hrs are so that is not a problem. They started slowly becasue they knew little about model RR'ing but are catching on fast. It is a joy to go talk to them becasue you can see they are enjoying what they are doing. Almost all items are discounted and after you pay for shipping on the net they are pretty competetive.

[ 23 August 2001: Message edited by: leghome ]</p>

 

I live in Utah, about 20mins from what I feel is a fairly good shop. It is a series of rooms, with counters and piles of stuff on the floors or hanging from pegboards, but for me modeling in HO and keeping to the basics I feel I have a fair selection. I can't comment on the prices, as I haven't really established a basis of comparison (I just purchased an HO IHC 2-8-0 consolidated for $49.99...good? bad? fair?) For utah, where we have about 5 shops in the whole state, I feel blessed.

 

We have a pretty good selection of Hobby stores in Tucson, Arizona, and then everything that I think is too expensive I get cheaper off ebay, so I break even. I am happy for now.

 

Well here is the scoop on my "local" hobby shop (65 miles from town). Their selection is poor, prices are high and there is no reason to buy there. Why do I go? First of all, I purchase a few things here and there to help the store and local economy. Secondly, I go for advice. The guys who work there KNOW trains and I can spend a very comfortable afternoon just chatting. To me, that is worth the price of admission (5 to 10 dollars above what I could get it for online) just my 2 cents worth (or is that 5 dollars?).
Happy Modeling!!
John

 

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by BrianS:
Now, this leads me to my question, how is your local hobby shop? This took place in a small shop in a town of about 15,000 people...
...This is the closest store to me, and it serves well when I need something in a hurry, I can usually get to the store and home in about 40 minutes. So, how's your local shop? Anyone here lucky enough to live by one of the larger online discount shops?<hr></blockquote>

Well, in our town of 68,000, there are no decent hobby shops. Haven't been since I closed mine nearly 20 years ago. The nearest is in Muncie about 20 miles away and about the only thing that I pick up there are scrathbuilding supplies, glue and paint.

The best shops are in or near Indianapolis 45 to 55 miles away. Larry already mentioned the N Scale Shop and it is a nice place with a lot of merchandise. There is a shop near there where you can but basic HO materials, but he is really into RC cars, boats and planes. Train Central is pretty good for HO and Lionel and I generally pick up some detail items and couplers and wheelsets from him.

The others are much harder for me to reach being South of Indy or West in Plainfield and all of this has prompted me to do some Internet Mail Order with success, not because my 'local' shop didn't have it, but because I just couldn't get there from here.

The small 'local' hobby shop is in bad shape. There just aren't many anymore out away from major cities.

Roger

Roger Hensley - rhensley@anderson.cioe.com
== http://cid.railfan.net/eci_new.html ==
== East Central Indiana HO Scale Railroad ==

 

When I lived in Baltimore, MD I went to this one shop past the Timonium Fair Grounds, they sell everything from R/C planes, wooden ships, plastic models and trains. However after about a year or two of buying items from them I went on a quest <Monty Python fanfare > for a Rivarossi Big Boy. The guy (who I think was the store owner)said that they didn't carry any, but before I left he said that there was a train collector shop in Downtown Baltimore. He gave me the address and I went home to look it up so I can call to see if he had the Big Boys'. Low and behold he had them, I went there the next day on 3/21 of this yr. to pick one up. He was selling a brand new one for $200 plus tax ($10 worth) and a used one for $150 I got the $200 one.

Then a few yrs back before this, a train shop (by the name of French's Train and Hobby shop on Dundulk Ave.) kicked me out for no good reason, my friend and I went there so he could shop around for a model, I went in to ask a question came back out to get my friend and went in. Well when we were inside the guy asked both of us if we were in school, my friend said he didn't have to go until the next day. Then he turned to me and I said that I didn't go to school anymore (I quit because of some reasons) then he asked me if I had my diploma, I said, "No! I quit school!". After that he told me to get out or he'll call the cops, I went outside mad as hell, soon my friend came out with some items and said "That was wrong what he did." I told him that I'm not going there again because of the discrimination brought on towards me. After about 2 yrs. I went back there again, this time the guy didn't have the guts to tell me to get out. If a customer is going in there to shop or look around the guy at the counter shouldn't have no reason to kick anyone out, even if their the shop owner.

 

I am from the west side of Indy, but live in Virginia Beach, VA. Everytime that I am in Indy I just have to stop by Tom Metzler's shop. He has the best selection of HO stuff, if you want it he's got it. They also have a large selction of N scale also. They will also let you buy over the phone, but somebody has to pick it up and mail it.

 

WOW!! Like I have always said,"SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL HOBBY SHOP!!" I have been to the N-Scale Shop several times while in Indianapolis, it was a trip in itself dealing with MORT. Set in his ways, and had his own opinion, but he knew what he had and if you needed something he always could find it. Hope his sons keep things going.
You guys all make me feel very happy to have TWO excellent hobby shops just across the Ohio river in Louisville KY.
The first is THE HOBBY HOUSE. This place has been around for a long time. They give good service, very good prices, and will order anything I need. This place is the older of the two main model trains hobby shop in the Louisville area.
The second is SCALE REPRODUCTIONS. This is the new guy in town. Brian is working hard to get my business. He always has good prices, and he gives club members(NMRA,NTRAK,Local Clubs) a 10% discount on top of everything, even sale items! He will order anything and still give a good price. When he found out what stock N-Scalers wanted him to carry, he got it all. He has alot of our business now, but he knows that Model Railroaders want GOOD SERVICE and GOOD PRICING.
If you are in the LOUISVILLE KENTUCKY area I urge you to check out both of these fine hobby shops. They are both in the YELLOW PAGES under HOBBY SHOPS.

We gonna go an' run da trains now!
MARK M. HEDGE
Kentuckiana Society of N-Scalers
NMRA, NHRS

 

We have quite a few good hobby shops here in east central Wisconsin, but if you want anything, you drive 50 miles south of here. Terminal Hobby Shop.
It's a distribution center for Walthers and it is huge! I beleive they said you could fit 3 football fields under the roof.
They have a small retail store inside which is nicely stocked, but you can get anything from the Walthers catalog. They even send out four sale catalogs a year which has something for everyone.
They also have some excellent model railroading seminars.
Everytime I visit my wallet feels much lighter.

 

I live north of Los Angeles. No Hobby shops in my town of Santa Clarita (pop. 150k). I drive down to Burbank House of Hobbies (25 miles). Since I am an Nscaler, they're the perfect shop for me (Its the only scale they handle). Very friendly and knowledgable.

 

I live in York county PA which seems like the Tinplate mecca all the O scale you want(5+shops) but no Nscale .However about a half hour drive in New Cumberland is my favorite local shop "The Station".It is a converted Reading passenger station and the people in the shop are very nice.Who can complain about a 16 foot shelf stocked full of Nscale cars from Atlas to Microtrains? They have all types of scratchbuilding supplies and kits and you can always work out a payment plan with them.

 

After reading these posts I feel very lucky up here in eastern Massachusetts. I am into HO but there is a very well stocked N Scale shop about 20 minutes from my house. I go there to get my paints and Woodland Scenic stuff. If I would have known about Ken's earlier, I might have been a N-Scaler. As for HO there are two shops relatively close, but there prices are in-line with the Walther's Catalog, these shops are about 30 minutes away. There are two other shops within about 45 minutes. They have decent selection for generic needs, but as far as road name selections they have mostly Boston & Maine, New Haven, some Pennsy, CV and a little bit of Conrail. If you model something else you could be out of luck.

Now my all time favorite hobby shop is located in the tiny town of Warren, MA right near the CSX mainline and about 10 minutes from a very popular railfan spot. I am talking about Tucker's Hobbies. The staff treats every customer like a long lost friend and they will chit chat with you as well. The owner, honestly remembers you or at least he did for me. (Maybe because I model the N&W a rarity for living in New England. ) I have called him on the phone and he has held back a hot selling loco so I could drop by in week or 3 to pick it up. The shop stocks everything and he will locate it for you. I went in looking for GE handrail stanchions and he put his finger right on them. My only regret, and probably my wife's delight, is I can only make it out there about 3-4 times a year. It is probably just as well, because I can never seem to get out of that store without dropping a least $100+.

 

In the Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada area there are four good MR stores. The two I recommend are Pacific Scale Rail in New Westminister and Central Hobbies in Vancouver. Pacific Scale Rails is the best source of N scale goodies, but they also have lots of HO stuff, and Central Hobbies is best for HO, although it has lots N scale stuff as well.

What amazes me is that more Americans don't come up and use these stores. Once you get above Everret (just north of Seattle) the pickings are slim for MR fans. Billingham and Fernie in Northern Washington (small town) have stores but they are only "okay." So if you live north of Seattle, the best stores are in Vancouver, BC. I exclude Spokane from this suggestion as I don't know what they have.

Many Americans who live close to the border, probably live very close to some excellent Canadian stores but don't now it. Up here it is called "Cross Border Shopping." Canadians used to go down to the states and do lots of shopping. With the slump in the Canadian dollar, millions of Americans are coming up here to make their purchases. Remember $65 American will buy you slightly more than $100 Canadian. Items will be priced higher, but in some instances after the dollar conversion (Canadian to American) will actually be cheaper. For example, if an engine is $65 American in the states but is $95 Canadian, it is actually cheaper (with the conversion) than in the US.

You can get all the same stuff as in the states, with possibly a bit better selection in European stuff in Canada. For example, Pacific Scale Rail in New Westminister has a store within a store, which sells english (England) goodies only, both in N and HO (or is it OO).