I don't think Greg started there until late 1970 or early 1971. I worked for Woodcraft for 25 years (1971-1996) and I think Greg started working at the Lake Street store maybe 6 months (or so) before I started at the Har-Mar Mall store in 1971.
Greg Melby
Seattle, WA
Bill Cole? I haunted that shop in the 60's as well, and do not remember him. Manny left Minnesota about 2 years ago to live with relatives in California. Doug Hogden and Greg Smith also worked at the shop in the late 60's. You might want to look them up and see if they know Bill Cole...
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
Ask him.
Alton Junction
Back in the early 1960's I purchased a Mantua Mikado that had been superdetailed by a customer of the shop. His name was Wm. Cole, I would guess he was about 17 or 18 then. Manny had put it in the display case as a favor for him to sell it.
He put Kemtron brass castings and brass lines to make a GN class 0-8 out of it.
I still have it, wonder if he would like to see it again?