Hobby Shops in Lower Michigan?

[Attuvian]

I'll be taking a trip back to Michigan in the near future.  I know that one of my favorite past stops, Junction Valley RR's store in Bridgeport, closed about a year and a half ago.  It was a great place to browse.  But so was Brasseur Electric Trains in Saginaw.  I note that they no longer have a listing in the back of MR magazine.  Have they closed up as well?  I suppose that I could wait until Monday and call them, but Patience is a girls name - at least it USED to be.

Any folks out there with details on Brasseur?

And are there any other good shops left within a hundred miles of Midland that don't have a listing in MR?

Thanks!

John

[mbinsewi]

It comes up ar the top of the list on a Google search, BUT when you click on Brasseur Electric Trains, you some advertisement/almost like a pop-up page.

Click back to the Google page, and on the right side, it shows their store, gives hours, etc., directions, etc., like most Google searches for a buisness, and when you click on the web site button on that ad, you get:

http://www.traindoctor.com/

But the top of the page says Brasseur Electric Trains.  So, YES, it looks they are still in business.

Try it yourself.

Saginaw, MI

Just couldn't resist one of favorite songs:

Mike.

[Attuvian]

Thanks, Mike.  I have noted in the past that certain websites, and especially those that are secondary, i.e., general business compendiums, often retain old information.  That is also true of the Google postings for businesses that occur at the right of the screen that show maps, hours of operation, etc.  Case in point is Junction Valley Railroad which, except for lack of hours, appears to be a viable business.  Just to the left of their information is an article that notes their closing to business in August of 2017.

I will give Brasseur's phone number a try tomorrow morning, but until then I'm hoping for some first-hand information.

BTW, how cold did it get at your place?  Got a brother in Rockford and it was -32 there.  Of course that's chicken feed for some of our forum members.

EDIT:  And you got me with the song! Fond musical memories!

John

[mbinsewi]

Oh yea, the cold, last Wed. was the coldest, we had -30 here in East Troy, WI.  We are about 60 miles NE of Rockford, on I-43.

Mike.

[Attuvian]

Attuvian

. . .  I suppose that I could wait until Monday and call them . . .

John

 

I called and they are indeed still in business.  However, my next question still stands:

 

Attuvian

And are there any other good shops left within a hundred miles of Midland that don't have a listing in MR?

Thanks!

 

John

[Sparky Rail]

I can't answer your question about shops not listed in MR, but I also did make it to Junction Valley a few times before they closed, and to Brasseurs as well. Both unique, Junction being stuffed full of stuff, and Brassuers with it's old-time charm. Last I was at Brasseurs I'd say it was about 50% O, 25% HO, and 25% N. I also hit Riders in Flint on the same trips, and seemed to always wind up with the most stuff from them.  

[Attuvian]

Sparky Rail

. . . , Junction being stuffed full of stuff, and Brassuers with it's old-time charm. Last I was at Brasseurs I'd say it was about 50% O,  . . .  

 

A big "yup" on both these counts, Sparky.  Got what looked like a nice deal at Junction on an A/B set of Genesis Espee Fs, that apparently hadn't moved since they initially stocked them.  Not surprising as SP probaly doesn't move in LHSs back in that neck of the woods.  Shoulda made an offer - might have saved another 30 or 40 bucks.  It was only six months before they closed up.  If I'd only known.  As for Brassuer, it is indeed very quaint.  and O guage/Lionel shouts as you walk in the door.  Scored a pair of undec Walthers Difco dumper kits that hadn't moved.  Guess I'm just drawn to dust!

 

As for Rider's, in Flint it was well-stocked with locos and rolling stock but, if I recall, was a bit thin on detail parts.  And I prefer a store that focuses solely on trains.  Their store in Grand Rapids is likely the same.

 

Still hoping to hear of another shop or two in Lower Michigan.  May be able to get down to the Detroit area but don't enjoy metro area driving.  May have to hit the 'Net with a little more diligence.

 

EDIT:  Now that I've verified that Brasseur is still cooking in Saginaw, I've changed the topic to fish for other good LHSs in Lower Michigan.  I'm sure there are a fistful that do not advertise or list in MR.  Let's see if the updated header opens the throttle a bit here . . .

 

Thanks,

 

John

[mbinsewi]

I haven't look at a map to see where all of these are, but I did just look at the listing in two competing model railroad magazines,  and there are 5 that are listed in both,

Riders in Flint, Riders in Grand Rapids, P&D in Fraser, Trains and Things in Traverse City,  and Empire Trains in Troy.

There is one that is not in the other: Hobby Recycling in Wyoming.

Good luck on your search!

Mike.

[Attuvian]

mbinsewi

There is one that is not in the other: Hobby Recycling in Wyoming.

Good luck on your search!

Mike.

 

Thanks, Mike.  Hobby Recycling is west side Grand Rapids.  I could hit up two places.  Couple of articles on it on the 'net.  Sounds like the owner and his wife travel the state shows and pick up a lot of estate stuff.  May call the store today to see if he carries a stock of old bagged parts.  That would be interesting to rummage through. 

 

John

[mbinsewi]

Attuvian

Sounds like the owner and his wife travel the state shows and pick up a lot of estate stuff.

Now to me, THAT would be an interesting place to visit.  We have one shop (that I know of) here in the Milwaukee area that does that, although their main product line is "O" and "G" gauge, they also buy up HO scale estates.

I haven't been there in a year, I think I just talked myself into a journey to the far NW burbs of Milwaukee. 

Happy hunting!

Mike.

[Enzoamps]

We had a Riders here in East Lansing, I thought it was the original one?  But they closed up and left YEARS ago.  ANother store held on longer,  Hobby Hub maybe, but we haven't had any stores selling trains for many years.  We have stores like Hobby Hub.  SO Lansing is a bust.

[Attuvian]

Enzoamps

. . . So Lansing is a bust. . .

 

As is Mountain Town Hobbies in Mt. Pleasant.  Puchased some box cars there in November of '16.  Now closed.

 

Hobby Hub rings a bell as a business name.  I think there might have also been one (not necessarily related) where I grew up in Jackson a loooong time ago.  I'm betting local hobby shops have been going out of business for a lot longer time than we might suppose from current conversations on this forum.

 

Give a wave to Sparty for me next time you drive past.  Fisheries & Wildlife grad in '72.  Great memories of East Lansing.

 

John

[Water Level Route]

Hobby Recycling is a neat little place.  Tons of old rolling stock kits.  Some of what they have isn't worth buying, but spend a little time in there, and you can find some gems.  There is another store nearby in Grandville called Sidetrax Hobbies.  Focused more on RC, but did have an OK train section.  HO & N if I recall.  Been a couple years.

[danno54]

Great Lakes Hobby and Toy in Sterling Heights, Mi. is my go to train store. Store is packed with many different hobby interests and will order anything I want if they don’t have in stock.