What do you want to see in a hobby shop

[Anonymous]

Hello all,

A good friend is starting a hobby shop in our town and I was wondering if some of you could please add your input:

What do you think are the most important features of a good hobby shop? What do you look for and what bugs you about some shops?

My friend is more into RC and Model kits but I am giving him suggestions in the MRR area for his store.

Thanks in advance.

- Mike

[egmurphy]

Wide open question, let's see if a few things come to mind:

1. Friendly staff.
2. Knowledgeable staff (if the owner's not a model railroader, get someone who is to work that section).
3. Decent selection of stock.
4. Did I mention friendliness on the part of the staff?
5. Some type of discount program, could be based on volume purchased during the year. Selling straight msrp is a good way to lose out to e-retailers (imho).
6. Knowledgeable staff.
7. Willingness to special order.
8. At least a short test track (for all scales that he carries).
9. Friendly attitude.
10. If there are any model railroad clubs in the area, make friends/contacts with them and consider a special discount program for members.

Without going into specifics of stock, those items come to mind quickly.

Oh yeah, forgot the most important one for long term success, Friendliness.

Good luck with the new shop. Where's he opening it?

Regards

Ed

[Anonymous]

Hi Ed,

He's opening it in Digby, Nova Scotia, Canada.

I agree that friendliness is a major issue - I read the post about mean people at hobby shops - sometimes I think some people should not work in retail. It's amazing that they don't understand that the customers provide your paycheque.

He's a pretty good head and he has had his share of rude staff experiences at other places.

Thanks for the suggestions.

- Mike

[egmurphy]

Whoops, that's a little far for me to go.

But it could be just the thing for Fergmeister and der5997.

I'm surprised no one else replied to this. Let's bump it back to page 1.

Ed

[Anonymous]

1. Friendly employees[^]
2. Scratchbuilding supplies, i.e., Plastruct, Evergreen Plastic, Grandt Line. What he can't carry in kit stock (obviously his space is limited and can't hold every kit a modeler would be looking for), can be made up for by having plenty of materials for modelers to build their own stuff. Most hobby shops I've been in have old displays from these manufacturers that are 75% depleted [xx(].
3. Display notices for local Model RR clubs with their meeting schedules.
4. While your friend may not be able to carry a lot of rolling stock, a variety of car types from the major RRing eras (early steam, turn of the century, transition, modern) will help serve as many different modelers as possible.

[ClinchValleySD40]

Lots of useable stuff. No "toy" stuff.

[bcammack]

Complementary coffee and a "No Smoking" sign. [:)]

[CBQ_Guy]

Everything in the Walthers catalog and everything that isn't....[|)]

(and then I woke up!)[:0]

[Anonymous]

Two things I look for in a hobby shop mainly.

1Courteous knowledgable staff who are charged with getting whatever the customer wants. If it is not an item in production, there may be an extended wait while they look through alternate suppliers. (Other Hobby shops, Ebay, Old Kit Specialisers, ect) But they are willing to get an item for a customer.

2 Large Varied Inventory. By this I mean. I broad selection of stuff from an assortment of manufacturors. Cary a variety of items with not much more than three or four of any one item in inventory at a given time. As a rule of thumb I enjoy a smaller hobby shop with a more diverse selection, than a big hobby store that carries shelf after shelf of similar merchandise.

My favorite hobby shop is Who's Hobby House of Rapid City SD. Their train section is like this. Their Top Shelf is Athearn. Mix of RTR and Blue Box Next shelf is Model Die Casting and Accurail.
Next shelf down is Walthers. Half Freight half Passenger.
Next shelf Is split between LBF Company, Branchline, and Proto 2000
Bottom Shelf is Clearence and Low end Items. (Like $3.00 Bachmann cars for the kiddies)

Across the isle is set up similar but is slit between O and N scale. The Next Isle is Scenery, Structure, and parts. Then the Display case has a wide assortment of N, HO, O and G scale stuff from varous manufacturors.

James.

[Javern]

Hooters-like girls, and everything in the Walthers catagol

[Anonymous]

Plenty of roadnames offered, and no cheap stuff, like IHC or Bachmann standard. (Bad stuff to get started on, and even worse stuff to sell.)
Also plenty of eras and types of rolling stock offered-what's the use of having a hobby shop if everyone just has to order stuff?

[trainfan1221]

I like when stuff is displayed well, so its right there to see. There are two hobby stores in New York City, right across the street from each other ironically enough,and one has the stuff just thrown in and one has the stuff all displayed in cases. It is much easier to see what I would like to get. Another problem I notice in hobby stores in general is that extras such as detail pieces, signals,couplers,etc..seem to be all over with no logic as to why they are where they are. Sometimes N and HO stuff is almost mixed. Organization is really good for the customers and I think a lot of people would appreciate being able to see up front what they have.

[rexhea]

Since my LHS doesn't have much I could give you quite a list. But, since I doubt if they are going to have 100k sq. ft. , they should have at least the basic items. Many things we can wait on [V], but it's nice to be able and pick up items continue our layout work

1. track items: track, track joiners, cleaners, turnouts, wire, wire connectors, tools, etc...
2. scenery: paints, Woodland Scenics products (or equiv.), air brushes, etc...
3. general maintenance: Couplers, lubes, wheel sets, hobby tools, etc...
4. Books: How to, History,

A luxury would be a good selection of rolling stock and motive power to choose from and be able to test it before purchase. At least a few from the age of steam and the age of modern diesel.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mmount42

Hi Ed,
He's opening it in Digby, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Oops already - trying to open a hobby shop in a small town is probably an automatic failure waiting to happen. Not enough people in the area to support one, unless it also carries craft stuff and even then it would be a gamble. If its a part time shop where the owner has another job and does not rely on the income from the shop to make a living, it might have a better chance for "success". Parnellrail in Yarmouth has greatly scaled back his part time shop and I think only now operates out of his home.

Good luck anyway! [:D]

Bob Boudreau
Across the Bay in NB

[Fergmiester]

Well Bob I tend to agree. However there are exceptions to the rule! Take Great Hobbies of Charlottetown ( my customer number is somewhere in the hundreds) they're generating numbers in the tens of thousands now. Point is that Charlottetown is a very small market but they do 90%+ mail order but not trains. If the guy in Digby is to survive he will have to diversify and be willing to keep his margin at a minimum.

I wish him all the luck

Regards
Fergie

[ericsp]

Lots of kits.

[Fergmiester]

QUOTE: Originally posted by bcammack

Complementary coffee and a "No Smoking" sign. [:)]

You'll be happy to know this is the standard already established in these parts. Your not even allowed to smoke in bars[:0]
And you'll find a Tim Hortons on every corner (about 25 in Dartmouth alone).
Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have come down hard on smokers.

A good hobby shop needs nicnacs, such as paints, glues, building materials such as styrene, bass wood and brass. These are the things that people need now and aren't willing to wait 2 to 4 weeks for. Since the store is in Canada it maybe to the owners advantage to bring in "Canadiana" as this is not something readily available in the open market.

A good webpage is also a must as this will bring customers from away.

As Always
Fergie

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Fergmiester

Well Bob I tend to agree. However there are exceptions to the rule! Take Great Hobbies of Charlottetown ( my customer number is somewhere in the hundreds) they're generating numbers in the tens of thousands now. Point is that Charlottetown is a very small market but they do 90%+ mail order but not trains. If the guy in Digby is to survive he will have to diversify and be willing to keep his margin at a minimum.
Fergie

This is a totally different situation. Great Hobbies is one of the largest mail order shops in Canada for radio controlled airplanes. They have a huge website and catalog. I'd say their success is an exception for a small location, and I'm sure they did not start out big. As far as I know their experiment in carrying model railroading supplies ended some time ago with the departure of one of their staff who was instrumental in getting them into this hobby. I visited the shop several times when I was there on business.

Sure it is theoretically possible that a shop in faraway Digby, Nova Scotia could become a large one, but this is a real remote possibility.

Bob Boudreau

[Fergmiester]

Agreed but I wi***he individual much luck. You never know he maybe able to tap into the tourist trade in the summer with everyone coming off the ferry from Saint John.

As for Great Hobbies I remember when Mike had his store in the basement of his bungalow. It was actually better stocked then some of the larger LHS's I've been into. When I was in their store last month I was told mail order accounted for 95% of all business.

[nslakediv]

keep in mind, in order to survive he should try e-commerce, its killing the little guys now, so why not join them if you cant beat them. talking from expierence.

[MAbruce]

While I think there are many things that have already been said that could be considered important for the success of a hobby shop, I think two of the most important things are:

1. The shop absolutely, positively must be staffed by people who like to deal with customers. They must be friendly, willing to spend time, put up with rudeness with a smile, and NEVER look down on a customer who does not make a major purchase. If you have this kind of staff, I don’t think it would matter if they were not as knowledgeable about model railroading. Customers (no matter how much they spend) just like to be treated well and feel welcome no matter what.

2. Price competitively. Be realistic about who you’re competing against – the internet shops. If you can’t compete on price, then I would suggest that you don’t even try to sell model trains.

[Anonymous]

A couple of people already mentioned a wide selection of stock. But unfortunately, that can be unrealistic, especially when someone is starting up. The next best thing would be having a good variety, a sample of alot of things, and being able to hunt down and find something for people, and ordering it for them. It is also important to inform the customer roaming the aisles with signs or notices that you can do so. Like someone mentioned, having a staff that will be able to look things up and find them for the customer is also important for this. For me, having someplace to go where they will be able to find if something exists, or the next closest thing, is big for me.

Another thing that I like to see in train hobby shops are at least a couple of small dioramas, if not a display layout or two. This can draw me in, keep me in the shop for awhile, and inspire me to model myself. Maybe a decent N-scale table top layout (with a plexiglass top to protect from dust and customers), N-scale for size reasons, maybe HO if you have the space. Have one or two examples of highly detailed engines and/or cars. Possibly a well-done diorama with a structure, people, cars, scenery items, and labels pointing out the products in the store that were used for it.

And on some weekends, have someone in the shop building a car kit, weathering an engine, scratchbuilding a small building, or do something else of interest that people can watch, and ask the modeller questions. There are plenty of people in this hobby who would be happy to do something like that for free (or for a free car kit, or lunch, or something like that).

---jps

[Anonymous]

A decent selection of model railroad related supplies, not just plastic model planes and cars or R/C stuff, which is what's near me. That's why I shop online.
Tim

[dragenrider]

I visit lots of hobby shops in my traveling and like to find old and unique items. I love digging through used consignment items, old blue boxes, last decade's Athearns, dusty books and peering at local club's displays.

I would suggest that your friend not be a mirror image of a Walther's catalog with a higher price tag. One of the biggest turn offs I've experienced was a brand new hobby shop with nothing but latest craze by a whole three or four manufacturers. I walked through and looked at all the gleaming plastic, calculated how much I could save by just ordering through another hobby shop and promptly left. [tdn]

Oh, yeah....friendly staff is a must!

[BRAKIE]

For me I look for the following:
1.Discount on prices.
2.Good stock and well organized
3.Clean store.
4.Lack of know it all owners/clerks that are modelers.I don't want to hear their BS Period nor do I want them to even think about selling me things I don't want nor need just because its the newest or hottest gimmick in the hobby..
5.Greetings by name if I been there several times and fork over money in large amounts.
6.Idiots get rid of them (see number 4.)
7.NO ALCOHOL I don't want to deal with a drunk..Drink it at home.Smoke if you must.Its your store.
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