Hi all I am in NOLA in early June for a few days on business and wonder if is there a LHS that might be worth visiting? Time will be limited, so anything downtown would be of particular interest. Thanks for your help Andreas
Andreas, I don't believe there any active multi-scale model train shops remaining in the New Orleans area. Though I hope other TB members in the area can provide more positive information. S&W, http://www.sandwparts.com/, west of downtown in Metairie specializes solely in Lionel. Mike's in Kenner has been around a long time, but from what I hear and read lately he could not care less about customers. Apparently Mike has gotten much worse than when I was last in his store 7-8 years ago. I walked out because what I saw was old junk, and he appeared to not care that I was even in his store. You might try contacting the Crescent City Model Railroad Club, http://www.ccmrc.com/content/, for information, and a possible visit. When I visited the club about 6 years ago, before Hurricane Katrina, it was a thriving operation with a large and imaginative HO system. It looks like they have improved and expanded since then from what their current website shows. Hope it works out for you, have a safe trip.
I think Hubs Hobby shop is still around, I've been going there everytime I got to New Orleans since I was 11 y.o. Vince
Thanks Vince, I'd forgotten about Hub Hobby, http://www.hubhobbyshop.com/index.htm. They appear to focus more on plastic models and airplanes, though they do have a link to Woodland Scenins and Walthers.
If I remember correctly, half of the store is devoted to trains and the other half is models. I've spent alot of time and money in both sections
Hub Hobby Shop is on Airline Hwy. Stopped there a few times. Has an ok size selection of RR stuff. Mostly HO scale with a little N-scale. Some Walther's kits and Athearn cars. Usual Atlas stuff of Code 100 or Code 80 stuff, Bachmann and life-like stuff. They also do plastic model planes, military, sci-fi fantasy kinda stuff. I'd say plastics modeling is probably the bulk of their stuff. There's Mike's Hobby Shop on Williams Blvd. Almost all RR related, but stuff like Bachman and Life-Like. Some Walters' & Athearn, Atlas. Lots of Lionel though. Some HO and N stuff, but can be a lot old stuff or "toy sets". Has a little bit of RC Planes/Cars too. Has a lionel layout in the back. You'll see some negative reviews on this place saying the owner is a jerk. He's been nice to me the couple times I've gone in, but can come off kinda pushy/salesmen-ish like. You might find listings for Kenner Train Shop, which was right across the street from Mikes, but they closed. There's also Adrenaline Hobbies. A new place that opened in the last year or two. Never been yet but focus more on R/C cars & planes than trains. Basically, the LHS's here pretty much stock the "toy train" stuff these days I've found. Being Walther's dealers they can of course order anything out the book, but they're nothing special sadly.
Off topic, Just want to say Hi to Nolatron, I was born in Metairie! There us to be a shop in Westwego, But I pretty sure its closed since the ower Jerry passed away. There was also a train store in the River Walk mall. Vince
I remember the one in the River Walk from when I was a kid. Was my only reason for ever wanting to there with my Mom. It's been long gone sadly.
Well, Hind sight being 20/20 that place was so over priced it wasn't worth buying anything there,I'm surprised it stayed open as long as it did. Vince
Thanks guys. No rich pickings there, then. Well let's see what I can throw in in a couple of hours in between.... Andreas
When I mentioned the Crescent City Club, I meant that they might be the best source for answering your question about local shops....worth a try.
It was part of a chain of "high-end" model train shops. I remember that store from the last 1990's when I worked in Metairie. There was also another one of that chain near my home in Roswell, GA. Despite the high prices, it was a good place to get my monthly magazine "fix". Sorry to hear about KTS going away. I think that it was probably the best N scale shop in the NO metro area.
Yup. We relocated to Houston after Katrina in 2005. When we moved back in 2009 we ended up moving into a house not 5 mins from the store. I was all "yay!" cause it was only open on the weekends so getting there was gonna be much easier than before, but then I discovered it had closed at some point our my absence. Was a great little shop with some friendly owners.
