To MobileMan44,
Thanks for the info. I have heard about Larry's, but have not been there yet. Sounds like it is definately worth the trip. Will also visit the one in Spring.
Santa Fe All The Way
To Wheelset2,
Yes, Larry's Hobbies is at the S/E corner of I-45 & FM1960. There are basically two stores, one with cars & planes, the other with trains. There is a bit of a discount, and the selection is good.
If you continue north on I-45 about 4 miles, you will come to Spring Crossing on the N/E corner of I-45 and the road going to Old Town Spring (forgot the name - Spring something). That store has a lot of older stuff, but needs help. It is worth a visit for sure, however.
Mobilman44
ENJOY !
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
I would like to put a plug in for Caboose Hobbies in Denver. They seem to have found the right mix for both a LHS and on line service. My company had me in Denver for 6 months and each weekend I was down there buying something... This outfit combines service, selection and training which I found to be really great...
Their prices may not be the cheapest but a. They probably have it in stock and b. the personnel know what you are talking about... Something that is sometimes lacking in the on line venue.
When I am stuck for a part... They are the ones I contact...
Best regards,
Roger
When I was in the Air Force, I was stationed near some good LHS from time to time. (BTW, for those who like Caboose Hobbies in Denver over the net, you should visit the store. It's like train paradise in there. But now I'm in an area with no hobby shops for about a hundred miles, so it's pretty much internet shopping for me. Of course that applies to just about anything else as well -- around here, if the BORG doesn't have it, it's wait for the UPS truck.
It's a mix for us as to how we shop- almost 50-50%.
When traveling for business or vacations we always make time to visit other LHS that specialize in trains. Why? We always find something, from engines to cars to scenics, etc that either were discontinued a long time ago, are regional things, or are from some manufacturer we haven't seen before.
We are still very new to the hobby (how many years can I keep claiming that?) and one of us is 9, so going to a GOOD LHS where the folks
a) are knowledgable & helpfulb) like (or tolerate) kidsc) has cool stuffd) are into trains- it's not just a clerk job
are important to us.
I'm surprised how many LHS shops that specialize in trains really range from uncomfortable or plain don't like kids. I won't get on that soapbox.
Anyway, we live about 40 minutes from Caboose Hobbies, and my credit card visits them frequently with us in tow. We make plans to mess around in Denver and are there on average 1-2 times a month. They have the best people, love the hobby & kids, and will spend as much time as you need to learn how to do things. Their prices often match online, and we want to support these guys as much as possible.
We do have Mizell's here too, but we only go there if we have to. It's often MSRP-Plus for pricing. When I go in with my son, we usually are shadowed by staff. Creepy.
Online, we use Walthers. Every now and then we order something from Walthers, wait & wait, get a postcard telling us that the item is discontinued or unavallable, then have the item show up. But overall, they too are a good set of folks to work with and their support people are good to work with via email.
We do n-scale and have a couple of other online retailers. Both do other scales too:
newhall stationhttp://www.newhallstation.com
They specialize in Japanese trains. Very cool stuff that you can't find anywhere else. Good pricing, Good Service, Good selection. We had problem with a purchase once, they took it back, corrected or replaced the train and got it back to us. We also get very funky train-oriented Japanse influenced Christmas cards from them. They are based in California.
Eurolok shophttp://www.eurolokshop.com/
They specialize in european things. Have had less experience with them than others, but so far, no complaints.
In both cases, it's amazing to see how much stuff Kato for example makes for those regions that we just don't see state-side. Sure, it may not make sense if you are strictly prototypical, but we don't play with trains that way.
MicroMark is our tools stop, if Caboose doesn't have it.
Tower Hobbies is another online shop that seems to be good- but most of our online business goes to walthers.
Other good LHS we've found while traveling:
- Engine House: Wichita, Kansas
- Reeds Hobby Shop: La Mesa, CA
- Train Shop: Santa Clara, CA (staff is a mixed bag)
- Eastside Trains: Kirkland, WA
- Both shops in Colorado Springs
Both Caboose & Engine house will meet or beat Walthers pricing, or have some other incentives.
Lefty
Shayfan84325, I have been using Caboose Hobbies on line since the hobby store I went to in Houston (Houston Roundhouse) closed down. They are good people to do business with. Exceptionally fast shipping. And the packaging is great. I agree with you on Caboose Hobbies, great store.
MobileMan44, Are you talking about Larry's Hobbies? I'm from Baytown and since Houston Roundhouse is now closed, I'm looking for the nearest Hobby shop.
I get 99% of my stuff at my LHS, MRPO, http://www.modelrailwaypo.com/ that also has on-line sales. I'm lucky in northern NJ in having several larger hobby shops that carry HO within a 1/2 hour drive, and several more within a 1 hour drive, but use MRPO for most purchases. I worked for about a year after my first retirement at a LHS, and used to get very PO'd at the idiots who came in the store to look at what they wanted to buy on-line, and the owner discounted everything 15%!!! One even tried to get us to exchange a loco he bought on-line!!! I have also bought on-line from Walthers, their prices being good on sale items, but my LHS will give me Walthers sale prices, and I don't have to pay shipping!! I just copy the Walthers listing into an e-mail to MRPO, and the next time I'm in the store pick up the order!! Seems like the best of both worlds to me!!
I bought my first engine at an LHS 90 minutes from my door. It was about three times what I would have paid had I known to order it on line. With that kind of mark-up, I would have perhaps three engines by now. Instead, I have 13, and that number because of some opportunistic blow-outs found while surfing.
That's the most distant LHS...now closed. The closest is only 45 minutes away, and just changed hands last year. I ordered a two-pack of Atlas Trainman coal hoppers when they were announced last spring. I called the LHS twice, and even dropped in for a third confirmation that they had placed the order...which should have been delivered to me when production ceased in the fall. I still have no hoppers, and no explanatory phone call or apology...silence.
How warm and kindly disposed should I be to LHS's based on the two closest to me and my experiences with them? Every single item I have ordered online, including a very early order through the execrable internettrains.com, has come through. On line I am batting 1000.
I frequent my LHS when I'm in need of something quickly, or when I'm in the area (It's 20 mi. away) They seem to have a good selection, but do not carry a lot of supplies I am looking for. Those I buy online.
rlandry6 The other offers a discount for long term customers...
Yes we also used to have some shops that had the "let us overcharge you for a few years and then we will give you a lower price" policy. Of course, they never got any long term customers and are no longer with us. Gotta love competition. Jamie
CLICK HERE FOR THE CSX DIXIE LINE BLOG
shayfan84325 I rarely darken the door of any hobby store. The local one is 45 miles away and he stocks very little in terms of craftsman kits and scratch building supplies. If I'm in the area, I'll sometimes stop in for a bottle of Floquil paint or scenery material, but he doesn't stock the kind of stuff I generally use (and his prices are a little steep). I buy nearly everything I use in the hobby on eBay and at train shows. I'm rarely disappointed and the prices are great. If I need something sooner than I find it on eBay, I generally go online to Caboose Hobbies in Denver. I feel no sense of duty to support the local business; he could compete with the online dealers if he wanted. He could even compete with eBay by doing consignment sales. I shop where I get what I want at a price I want to pay.
I rarely darken the door of any hobby store. The local one is 45 miles away and he stocks very little in terms of craftsman kits and scratch building supplies. If I'm in the area, I'll sometimes stop in for a bottle of Floquil paint or scenery material, but he doesn't stock the kind of stuff I generally use (and his prices are a little steep).
I buy nearly everything I use in the hobby on eBay and at train shows. I'm rarely disappointed and the prices are great. If I need something sooner than I find it on eBay, I generally go online to Caboose Hobbies in Denver.
I feel no sense of duty to support the local business; he could compete with the online dealers if he wanted. He could even compete with eBay by doing consignment sales.
I shop where I get what I want at a price I want to pay.
Pretty much my thoughts also. My first financial consideration is ME. We have a couple of hobby shops. One just out and out sells at full retail. The other offers a discount for long term customers, but it's not enough to offset the MSRP that he claims is on the items. He'll show up at the local train shows with 20% off coupons, but the stuff is marked up so that the 20% discount still puts you at MSRP or in some cases higher. I'll go in the full retail shop for small items that I need in a hurry, paint, rail joiners, weathering supplies, but when I can save $30-40 on a loco, and 30% on flextrack, guess where I'm going..
I have yet to find prices that beat www.modeltrainstuff.com
As to local vs. online, the advantage of local is that A) it's right there, you don't have to wait for your stuff, B) you can pay cash, not have to use a credit card, C) you can look at the stuff first hand before you buy.
Online; A) usually better prices (the main thing there)
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
SilverSpike- 40% markup on a $60 item would be $24.(not $40) Watch out for your LHS is they're using THAT kind of math!
I do 98% of my shopping on line and 2% at the not so local hobby shop...I can't see making a 52 mile round trip,paying full price for old stock or need to special order a given item to include new releases..
So,if I need paint or decals I add 'em to my on line order since I would need to order 'em through my LHS..I suppose what really put the icing on the cake as far as the LHS he had to order 5 packs of KD 148 couplers because he doesn't stock 'em!!! Ask about CSX Gold paint and he didn't have any in stock but,he can order a bottle for me..I don't need that hassle of ordering from him,making that 52 mile round trip and still pay full MSRP..
Its much better to order from my on line supplier and have USPS bring my package in 3-4 days after its shipped.I usually order on Sunday and have my goods by Thursday or Friday of the same week-the same amount of time the LHS takes if I call my order in Monday.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Hi again,
Last week I placed a fairly large dollar order with Caboose Hobbies via internet and the next day did a change to it via telephone. The folks there were just great! I was ordering my first DCC set-up and they took the time to make sure I was ordering what I really wanted. The really neat thing is the order was at my door in three days! Their prices are very reasonable, and I would have spent another $100 if I had got it at one of the two LHS.
By the way, someone earlier mentioned the high cost of shipping. Well, I consider it a wash with the local sales tax here in Harris county (Houston area).
feh,
The following two truths apply to me:
With that said, what percentage would you think I spend online vs at my LHS. 40%? 50%? 75%? Would you believe only ~10%?
Generally, big ticket items - like locomotives or manufacturer specific and hard to find items - I am more likely to purchase online. However, when if comes to day-to-day items like supplies, I enjoy giving my LHS the business.
Each that I frequent in my area have their strengths and weaknesses and reasons why I visit them:
So, although stretching the hobby dollar is important, I also feel very strongly compelled to support the local shops out in my area.
With 3 of the 4 LHSes, I've built a relationship with the owners and staff. There's something about being able to look and touch and hold the product before you buy it that you don't get from an online store. This is a must for me buying rolling stock as I want to make sure that the cars I'm purchasing are appropriate for my era - early 40s.
Also, where else can I pick the brains of someone who knows the business or who has the hands-on modeling, kitbashing, scratch-building, and/or prototype experience under their belt to make suggestions or give me ideas about how to tackle a problem. You have to ask yourself the question, "What's that worth to me?"
As far as buying online, M.B. Klien is a favorite of mine for finding some real bargains on locomotives. I also use eBay on occasion and have found some very good deals there, as well.
On either site I have seen and have purchased some *brand new* locomotives for as much as 50%-75% off MSPR. However, with eBay, you have to be VERY careful and know something about the product that you're interested in BEFORE you place a bid on it. Patients is also a virtue when scouting out deals on eBay.
Three other sites worth mentioning are more DCC-related:
Empire Northern (Tim Smith)
Tony's Train Exchange (Tony)
Litchfield Station (Bruce Petrarca)
Tim's site has been recently revamped and is now under construction. However, it looks like he's really broadening out with his online store. Tim, Tony, and Bruce are all very knowledgeable gentlemen and have some very good prices on things.
Anyway, feh, I hope this is helpful for you in some way.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
When I was growing up, my home town had almost 80000 people and at times as many as 5 full service hobby shops. Model builder's heaven. Even a couple hardware stores carried pretty good lines. Now, the only hobby shop in town is available on a call for appointment basis. A bit over a year ago, he started an auto detailing business in the part of his building that his father originally had a heavy truck repair business in. His father had started handling model trains, O, HO, and N, as a sideline, and eventually closed the repair shop. Regular customers got considerations and discounts. But also, hotheads who thought they were being overcharged (most prices pretty much matched Walther's) would eventually be asked to find another place of business. About 5 years ago, he went on a cash or credit card system, with a kind of 'Golden Pass' for regulars who were able pay by check. He had been getting too much rubber over the counter.
Of course, with the closing of the local auto plant, ship builder, and automation and reduction in output and therefore employment at the local steel plant, we are now something less than 63000 population.
The next closest LHS is now closing and moving about 30 miles away. Not enough business. Another HS is moving from a larger metropolitan area about 24 miles away to a new shopping center only about 14 miles from me.
Another LHS owner was open for about 6 years, then closed down. He couldn't stand trying to satisfy model builders. He kept a furniture refinishing business and the doll house trade till he retired. Now, the closest decent shop is almost 24 miles away, except for a couple small in -house shops that handle mostly O guage.
I'd like to be able to do more shopping at a local shop. Used to be a lot of socialization there. It was fun. Get to see what you're gettting efore paying. Now, it seems there is a lot of chip-on-shoulder customers who think the world should be run their way. Too many complaints about rip-off prices, even when the marked price is equivalent to an on line price, and often much lower than prices for the same thing I've seen on E-bay.
I still buy locally when I can get to a shop, but have been doing more on-line, especially for smaller hardware and detail parts.
Strangely, I've often seemed to have an easier time getting stuff from sources like Walther's and other Wholesale/retail companies than the local shops do. I once got a couple car kits in about 4 days on-line after that LHS down the street from me had been trying for over three months to get them. Constant out-of-stock notices to him. And the price to me with shipping was slightly higher than it would have cost me with the advertised suppliers price he would have charged me along with the 6.5% sales tax.
An established LHS in a nearby city is up for sale. My wife and son sometimes try to lobby me to try to buy it. I personally think I would end up shooting some of the customers I've seen. I don't want anything to do with the business, especially after the experience I've had trying to sell modeling stuff for a couple estates. My personal opinion is there iare more problems with modelers than with the hobby shops.
I honestly really miss the two LHS's that were around when I was a kid growing up, it was great to be able to go there and spend the day just roaming around the store, AND running the small layout that one of the owners had set up, but alas they're closed, and lets face it, Hobby Lobby blows except for the "basic" stuff. I really enjoyed the personal service that I got when I could actually go to a LHS, but those days are over, like I said before, its now pretty much all online.
Re-reading the posts I see I forgot about ebay, I've actually bought quite a bit of stuff there over the years. My problem is that it seems as soon as I decide I need something, it goes out of production so I'm stuck scouring ebay and flea markets to try and find it. For example my free-lance road chose MDC woodside cabooses as their "standard" steam to transition era caboose, but now the undec kits are OOP and apparently won't be reissued. (Now they only offer the cabooses 'ready to run'.)
Then too, some smaller manufacturers sell thru ebay that probably couldn't afford the overhead of selling to regular stores. I don't know if Hay Brothers are still around, but I bought a bunch of their iron ore car loads for MDC and Walthers ore cars thru their ebay store a few years back.
Driline WaxonWaxov The closest LHS to me is about an hour away, but get this: he isn't open on weekends. When I lived in Illinois there was a great LHS about 40 minutes away but they closed their brick and mortar store because they were being too distracted from managing their online store by keeping an eye out for shoplifting teenagers. They moved about two miles down the road to an industrial park and allowed local customers to order online, but pick up at the warehouse on Saturday mornings to avoid shipping costs. They also gave a discount to make up for sales tax, so if you bout something that was $100, and the sales tax was 8%, they charged you $92.59 then added the (manditory) 8% sales tax so it ended up being $100. 8% is a horrible discount from an LHS. Unless I get at least 20% I don't buy. Instead I'll buy over the internet for 20 to 30% discount. We have one LHS that offers 20% and thats where I buy and order many of my train items. I just purchased an Athearn Genesis HO loco through him and saved 20%. I could have gotten it for $10 cheaper through M.B. Klein, but I decided to give him the business this time as I was feeling quite generous at the time.
WaxonWaxov The closest LHS to me is about an hour away, but get this: he isn't open on weekends. When I lived in Illinois there was a great LHS about 40 minutes away but they closed their brick and mortar store because they were being too distracted from managing their online store by keeping an eye out for shoplifting teenagers. They moved about two miles down the road to an industrial park and allowed local customers to order online, but pick up at the warehouse on Saturday mornings to avoid shipping costs. They also gave a discount to make up for sales tax, so if you bout something that was $100, and the sales tax was 8%, they charged you $92.59 then added the (manditory) 8% sales tax so it ended up being $100.
The closest LHS to me is about an hour away, but get this: he isn't open on weekends.
When I lived in Illinois there was a great LHS about 40 minutes away but they closed their brick and mortar store because they were being too distracted from managing their online store by keeping an eye out for shoplifting teenagers. They moved about two miles down the road to an industrial park and allowed local customers to order online, but pick up at the warehouse on Saturday mornings to avoid shipping costs. They also gave a discount to make up for sales tax, so if you bout something that was $100, and the sales tax was 8%, they charged you $92.59 then added the (manditory) 8% sales tax so it ended up being $100.
8% is a horrible discount from an LHS. Unless I get at least 20% I don't buy. Instead I'll buy over the internet for 20 to 30% discount. We have one LHS that offers 20% and thats where I buy and order many of my train items. I just purchased an Athearn Genesis HO loco through him and saved 20%. I could have gotten it for $10 cheaper through M.B. Klein, but I decided to give him the business this time as I was feeling quite generous at the time.
I should have been more specific. They never charged MSRP for anything. Often there was about 20% off MSRP on the website. So you ordered online, then when you went to pick it up and pay for it, they gave the 'sales tax compensation' discount on top of the already discounted price. They did this because they wanted to be cool to their local customers they had basically abandoned by closing the brick-and-mortar store.
What is a Local Hobby Shop?
I used to have one about thirty miles away, but he went under. Now its train shows and on-line shopping.
Jim, Modeling the Kansas City Southern Lines in HO scale.
I was very lucky (especially when I was too young to drive) to live only a block away from the Hub Shopping Center (Richfield MN) back when the original Hub Hobby shop was still there, there was also a bike shop that sold some train items about six blocks away. Later when the Hub Hobby shop split - one owner moved it west a mile or two, the other opened a new hobby shop a couple miles east - we had two very good hobby shops in Richfield.
Now living in the SE metro area I don't have a hobby shop really close (especially now that the one in Woodbury moved) but I work in DT St.Paul and Scale Model Supplies is only about a mile from where I work - albeit in the opposite direction that I take home!! I can stop in after work pretty easily, but it's kind of a drag on a Saturday to have to drive half an hour one way to get a $3 bottle of paint.
Anyway, I got in the habit of mail-ordering when I was in O and very few LHS's carried O stuff. I started buying from TrainWorld when it's MR ad was a three or four line classified ad from Peter Bianco. As much as I like shopping at SMS I do find that Trainworld usually has the best prices on stuff, SMS is pretty much full price.
BTW don't overlook Walthers. I get my catalogue from them every year, and regularly order stuff direct from them. If you are a regular customer they send you a monthly sale catalogue showing new products and what items are one sale.
I am very fortunate to have a couple of very good sources in my area. The LHS right by my office has great staff, great prices (comparable to online prices), and a great supply of N-scale stuff. The other "LHS" I buy from is actually 45 miles one way, but they are also a significant online retailer in the N-scale world and as such have an excellent inventory. So I will drive there when they have something that the other guys don't--with gas prices low I can beat the shipping charges by doing so and as a bonus I actually get to personally eyeball all the stuff. Jamie
If your using Atlas track, this is the place to get it from.http://www.nhshobbies.com/category_s/368.htmHere's another couple places with good prices.http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/
http://www.dallasmodelworks.com/
My closest hobby shop is 65 miles away and is about 40% higher than online. All they seem to have in stock is what they've bought out from other shops that have gone belly up.
My local train shop (LTS) is Train Buddy http://www.trainbuddy.com and it is only about a 10 minute drive from the house. Kim Parker is the owner and he is very helpful and knowledgeable. He also does Internet orders too. His prices are 20% marked down from MSRP, so any prices listed in Walther's will be reduced accordingly. Here is how it works, Walther's and most of the hobby suppliers mark up their products by 40% margin for MSRP. So, for example, an item that costs $60.00 to manufacture is listed at an MSRP of $100.00. Yet, many of the good shops will cut the mark up by 1/2, thus giving the 20% discount off the MSRP. You should never have to pay more than 80% of the MSRP for any item in the Walther's catalog.
Train Buddy also offers that extra personal touch you won't get online, customer service and a laugh or two when I hang out with the 'Buds at Train Buddy.
On occasion I have ordered stuff online, and typically for hard to get items or specialty items that TB cannot access.
Ryan BoudreauxThe Piedmont Division Modeling The Southern Railway, Norfolk & Western & Norfolk Southern in HO during the merger eraCajun Chef Ryan
WaxonWaxovThe closest LHS to me is about an hour away, but get this: he isn't open on weekends. When I lived in Illinois there was a great LHS about 40 minutes away but they closed their brick and mortar store because they were being too distracted from managing their online store by keeping an eye out for shoplifting teenagers. They moved about two miles down the road to an industrial park and allowed local customers to order online, but pick up at the warehouse on Saturday mornings to avoid shipping costs. They also gave a discount to make up for sales tax, so if you bout something that was $100, and the sales tax was 8%, they charged you $92.59 then added the (manditory) 8% sales tax so it ended up being $100.
I buy from both the internet and my LHS. For me there are three issues here. 1) Shipping costs over the internet often add tremendously to the cost of internet buying. 2) Many LHS's offer gret discounts, especially for regular customers. I get 20% off MSRP for most items at my LHS. 3) There is value in having a person locally with whom you can discuss purchases and problems. Customer service is a very real asset to me. Also, being able to see and touch an item before I buy is sometimes a great value. I prefer the buy through my LHS. I do buy on the internet some, but it is not my preferred method.
Ron
Owner and superintendant of the N scale Texas Colorado & Western Railway, a protolanced representaion of the BNSF from Fort Worth, TX through Wichita Falls TX and into Colorado.
Check out the TC&WRy on at https://www.facebook.com/TCWRy
Check out my MRR How-To YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/RonsTrainsNThings