I see alot of whining on here about the demise of the local hobby shop on here and many of the reasons have been discused before but it seems to always end up with people trashing others found memories. I too have some fond memories but I don't wear rose colored glasses (an analogy for I can see the good as well as the bad). The local hobby shop had its time in the sun and now is going the way of the Dodo, they will still exist but not as a true business venture (meaning a way to make a profit that takes into account the hours put in). The reasons are clear (to me) why this is occuring. One that I have not seen discused is that our hobby has grown in product and diverity so that a hobby shop would have to be a very large warehouse to offer a reasonable amount of the items out there and the list is growing daily. I know alot of online people who started online companys and built them, espesialy in the field of scale buildings.
I know.
.
I don't want to mention any specific names, but some formerly great ones are really in a state of decline.
The same is happening with wargaming centered and R/C centered hobby shops.
It breaks my heart. Sorry, my response is emotional. I love hobby shops. So much of my youth was involved with hobby shops.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
My former LHS folded because the owner was past retirement age, and his shop's landlord jacked up the rent. The last I looked, the shop was still vacant.
He could get most stuff I wanted, but I might have to wait a while because his in-stock inventory was small, but I was seldom in a hurry so that was fine with me.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
There is a hobby shop in my city that has existed for many years. The original owner sold it back around the 1980's I think.
The new owner has done quite well but it is very slowly shrinking in size. I have noticed it over the years.
Other issues affect the shop. Cost are always going up. Unless you have ever operated a hobby shop you will have no idea of what it is like. I have talked with the owner a few times. It is mind boggling.
I saw how many times he had to move.
Model railroading is popular in my area. I know may model railroaders and there is probably the biggest show once a year for two day. Online sales. Seems to be one issue.
They handle all scales, planes, cars, other hobbies. A retired fellow takes care of a couple layouts.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
Another issue mentioned often is that some manufacturers require preordering certain models.
What small independent hobby shop can afford to preorder all the models that customers may buy?
York1 John
It is sad to see such I great tradition go. It truth LHSs are still a cheap way to get trains if you think about it. If you add the shipping many online suppliers charge for the LHS is usunalloyed cheaper. My grandpa often order’s from hobby shops a few hours away (they are the closest) in order to give them buisness, and also because they can’t almost anything after a quick phone call.
In the West Michigan Area, were I used to live, there still is a nice LHS within walking distance from my old house. Their stock it small compared to online places, but they often have stuff for western railroads that sell out quickly in places they are more popular.
There is also a used hobby shop in that are. I love it, it’s like a train show open every day (okay, not Sunday). I can’t see used train stores going online, EBay is the closest thing, and nowhere near close to used train shops! It’s nice to see something like a LHS May stick around a while!
Regards, Isaac
I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!
I also have many, many fond memories of hobby shops from my youth. Hauling a gallon of Missle Mist fuel home for my model airplnes on my Mustang bike that was five miles away was just one of many adventures I had.
I have become friendly with this kid that bought a good sized MRR shop a few years ago. I wasn't sure whether that was a good idea or not. He took the name and inventory and moved it into his parents three car garage at home. It is strictly mailorder now and he is making a killing. He has way more inventory than the shop ever did and offers good discounts when asked for.
Shipping charges are a good deal if one really has a grasp on what the true cost to move the metal monster down the road is.
I am fortunate enough to have PWRS not far away and can get my browsing fix there if need be. I don't miss anything about retail store shoppings demise, we get just about everthing we buy brought right to the house the same or next day, gotta like that.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Honestly, I think LHS are dying because all retail is dying. Online retail is gaining more and more market share, and as with all brick-and-mortar stores LHS are getting squeezed out. The convenience of online shopping is too much to compete with, even when taking the personal relationships of LHS into account. We’ll still have LHS around, but I think we’ll see them consolidate from a cluster of small neighborhood ventures into a handful of regional one-stop-shops.
These are some truly GREAT hobby shops I have visited that are no longer with us. Maybe this will bring back some memories of the days gone by.
Bobbie Hall's Hobbies, Dallas, Texas (unknown)
Chattanooga Depot, Chattanooga, Tennessee (owner retired)
Chester Holley, Tampa, Florida (owner retired)
Dan's Train Depot, Ocala, Florida (went to on-line only)
Hawkins Rail Service, Lafayette, Indiana (owner retired)
Gandy Dancers, Atlanta, Georgia (unknown)
Happy Hobo, Tampa, Florida (owner sold store, new owner closed store)
Orange Blossom Hobbies, Miami, Florida (unknown, very old store)
Warrick Custom Hobbie, Fort Lauderdale, Florida (unknown, very old store)
Great hobby shops near me that are still hanging on. Many of these are past the peak of their glory now.
Colonial Photo and Hobby, Orlando, Florida
Discount Trains, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Gulf Coast Model Railroading, Sarasota, Florida
Ready To Roll, Miami, Florida
Riverdale Station, Atlanta, Georgia
New stores are opening, but they are nothing like the old stores.
Not only has the retail market changed, the hobby shop has changed as well.
When I started some 48 years ago, it was common to have a freelance model railroad. So any locomotive could be used - you bought a 4-6-0 or 2-8-2 and lettered it for your road. Scales were pretty much N, HO, O, HOn3, Sn3, On3.
Now everyone wants a model specific to their prototype road. Manufacturers try to supply that, but only the big online guys can really buy them all AND sell them all. Many at a discount. Plus the hobby has so many fragments - Z, N, HO, S, O, #1, 3 rail O, hirail S, Nn3, HOn30, HOn3, Sn2, Sn3, Sn42, On30, On3, all the different Large Scales - that a LHS can't possible cover them all completely.
As an example, last week I was at a fairly good size store in Pennsylvania looking for some AF fastrack straight pieces. They only had the 10" and 5" so I had to mail order the smaller sizes from an online store.
Paul
Mjorstad Honestly, I think LHS are dying because all retail is dying. Online retail is gaining more and more market share, and as with all brick-and-mortar stores LHS are getting squeezed out. The convenience of online shopping is too much to compete with, even when taking the personal relationships of LHS into account. We’ll still have LHS around, but I think we’ll see them consolidate from a cluster of small neighborhood ventures into a handful of regional one-stop-shops.
rrebell The problem is that things like malls were way overbuilt. Then you add the leveraged buyouts (sears, toys-r-us and others) and throw in higher rents and wages.
There is a newer and very nice strip center mall in Daytona that the only tenant is a Dollar Tree. You can see the signs for an HH Gregg, Sears Hometrends, Toys-R-Us, and a Babies-R-Us.
There is so much empty retail space right now that it is staggering.
SeeYou190 rrebell The problem is that things like malls were way overbuilt. Then you add the leveraged buyouts (sears, toys-r-us and others) and throw in higher rents and wages. . There is a newer and very nice strip center mall in Daytona that the only tenant is a Dollar Tree. You can see the signs for an HH Gregg, Sears Hometrends, Toys-R-Us, and a Babies-R-Us. . There is so much empty retail space right now that it is staggering. . -Kevin .
BATMANeverthing we buy brought right to the house the same or next day, gotta like that.
Russell
csxns BATMAN everthing we buy brought right to the house the same or next day, gotta like that. True and i like it but when something comes broke it has to go back.If i get it from the LHS i can check it out their.
BATMAN everthing we buy brought right to the house the same or next day, gotta like that.
True and i like it but when something comes broke it has to go back.If i get it from the LHS i can check it out their.
We have returned very little over the last few years. They make it very easy to do. They E-mail you a lable that you print off and tape to the box, you leave the box on the step and it gets picked up. What could be easier?
It is interesting if you go back to say a 70's model railroader you would see a lot of shops that were gone by say 1990 or 2000. There were shops that closed and others opened. A lot of what has happened is that owners have retired. It doesn't seem like most transitioned to new owners. I can think of one that survived two ownership changes but that is it- Train Central in Indianapolis. It was Varry Trains originally and was sold the next owner passed away and Wayne had bought it. That shop is generally the exception. Indianapolis lost three shops that I can think of due to retirement. Our local shop here in Danville VA closed here about three years ago- it was combined with a gift store. The owner retired. Any new things opening seem to be online.
LHS's are dying because they are single owner stores and owner retires. They aren't being replaced as fast as they are disappearing. Online sales are taking over to fill the gap.
The guy above was not entirely wrong, retail has indeed been shifting in a big way to online sales. This is fact. Any existing or new hobby shop is more likely to succeed if they have a strong online presence. MB Klein's has shifted their b&m store so it is 1/3rd it's previous size to repurpose space to the online sales side. It is not nearly as nice to visit in person since the change but that is where there business is.
Sure I have a few nostagic memories but that's all in the past and gone. I prefer to focus my nostalgia on model trains rathers than hobby shops of your, which didn't have nearly as nice products as we have today. They don't call them rose colored glasses for no reason.
Heck, I'm presently building an Amtrak San Francisco Zephyr which will be pretty close to typical of the mid 1970s. I never would have been able to do that in "the good ol days".
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
riogrande5761Heck, I'm presently building an Amtrak San Francisco Zephyr which will be pretty close to typical of the mid 1970s. I never would have been able to do that in "the good ol days".
Yeah Jim but,it took us to where we are at today..
As I often stated we begged for detailed locomotives starting in the 60's because brass steam engines was better detail then brass or plastic diesels. Recall there was many road specific detailing artices in MR and RMC back then so,there was a demand.
As you know it just didn't happen overnight and every manufacturer was caught flat footed by Life Like's P2K line. Still a lot of today's older and still popular manufacturers dragged their feet into the dawning of a new era.
Now,some manufacturers has introduce a eccomy line.
What a maddening business it must be.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Kevin,
I think Bobbie Hall's closed whe she died. My memory is going in there on a St. Patrick's day with a green shirt on and Bobbye declaring to one and all "The man with the green shirt gets a 10 percent discount and 20 per cent if the item has green on it!" My wallet bled green that day but it was fun.
It is sad to know the Happy Hobo in Tampa closed. They had a good shop with a wide range of kits. Well like so many shops, their time runs out. When I was kid we had three good hobby shops within walking distance of each other in downtown Boston. There was Eric Fuchs at 28 Tremont Street. Hobbytown of Boston was at 46 Boylston Street. John Chapper produced those famous Hobbytown of Boston locomotives down in the basement. Finally, my favorite was the Boston Model Railroad Company at 665 Atlantic Avenue, right across the street from South Station. This was a good place to meet railroaders who were also railfans and modelers. All of them are long gone. No one would be able to afford the rents in downtown Boston now.
I was recently in a Hobbytown USA that I don't expect to see this coming Christmas season. Their inventory is about two thirds of what is normally on the shelves. What there is has been spread out to do something about the empty space but, thin discises nothing.
The fact that there is so much available to warrant a shop devoted to HO alone, is part of the demise of the LHS who did OK when it was Athearn, Mantua, and Varney. Today. No way buddy. I do all my buying over the www. The nearest place that even calls itself a hobby shop is a 170 mile drive, ONE WAY. If I'm in the area I stop in and buy what's available that I want. Otherwise, why turn down up to a 20 per cent discount, free shipping over $100, and a live inventory?
I respectfully disagree with the op.
Where I live there are great train stores that are still going, arguably as strong as ever! The sales staff is as knowledgeable, kind and courteous as any could ever hope for at The Station, in New Cumberland, PA (only minutes outside Harrisburg). The coffee is free, and they are trying to provide good quality coffee to their customers, also free sodas and snacks. The regular clientele brings in plenty of snacks that are freely shared with customers. They may not be a big store but a variety of items are crammed in the space they do have, and they will order anything the customer wants. On Saturdays, the "usual suspects" can often be found hanging out.
English's Model RR Supply in Montoursville, PA, is another great train store. They have expanded the actual retail area in recent years and they have a great in-stock inventory, including a section for new releases that is off limits to picking for internet/mail orders so that the locals or other walk-in customers can be assured of being able to obtain newly released items that maybe they had not pre-ordered or otherwise somehow "missed" (since not everybody is breathlessly tracking the new announcements or arrivals online). They most often pre-order one of at least every road number of whatever engines are coming, to have for the retail store customers. That in itself is quite an achievement, these days.
Shipping charges are rising and I'm switching my buying away from Ebay and online retailers back toward those train stores that remain. That means I'm doing more pre-orders than previously, and am splitting them between the stores. It is better (more economical) for me to show up in person and scour through the store inventory than to pay high prices and high shipping charges for the occasional single item on Ebay. At these stores, I can always find something to want.
Also there is Mainline Hobby in Blue Ridge Summit, PA; I haven't ever gotten in the door yet, as the other two generally take care of any needs I may have, but they too have a great reputation!
Others will say I'm somehow "biased" but the folks running these stores are indeed lifelong friends of mine. I was not in any way compensated for these comments.
John
rrebell Mjorstad Honestly, I think LHS are dying because all retail is dying. Online retail is gaining more and more market share, and as with all brick-and-mortar stores LHS are getting squeezed out. The convenience of online shopping is too much to compete with, even when taking the personal relationships of LHS into account. We’ll still have LHS around, but I think we’ll see them consolidate from a cluster of small neighborhood ventures into a handful of regional one-stop-shops. Accually you are wrong. The problem is that things like malls were way overbuilt. Then you add the leveraged buyouts (sears, toys-r-us and others) and throw in higher rents and wages. What most people don't know is that in malls, the anchors have a say in the rents of the other spaces and sometimes other voting rights, it is not allways the mall that sets these things. The last nail is the new minmulist culture (whatch the coming glut in storage rentals, already they are diversifying). Last thing I would like to bring up is places like Amazon (the gorilla in the place) has never made a dime in retail, like never.
Accually you are wrong. The problem is that things like malls were way overbuilt. Then you add the leveraged buyouts (sears, toys-r-us and others) and throw in higher rents and wages. What most people don't know is that in malls, the anchors have a say in the rents of the other spaces and sometimes other voting rights, it is not allways the mall that sets these things. The last nail is the new minmulist culture (whatch the coming glut in storage rentals, already they are diversifying). Last thing I would like to bring up is places like Amazon (the gorilla in the place) has never made a dime in retail, like never.
Pardon me if I misread what you said, but I think we’re actually in agreement here. Plenty of economic publications note how the US is wayyy overbuilt with retail space and now we’re witnessing a market retraction here, partly spurred by online shopping gaining a foothold in the retail market (as I mentioned), and partly just due to the nature of market bubbles. LHS are just caught up in this seismic change.
One other issue I have experienced this year has been a decline in the quality of packing and shipping models combined with rougher package treatment by the USPS.
I have had to return three models so far this year from three different dealers due to shipping damage, and a fourth model that was not quite as advertised was effectively destroyed in return shipping despite the fact I packed it exceptionally well (in words of the seller).
For these reasons I now prefer to buy from my local dealers, or at Timonium. (I did/am still buying good late model brass from Overland Hobbies.)
PRR8259For these reasons I now prefer to buy from my local dealers, or at Timonium. (
John,As I have mention before in these type of discussions I would love to buy from a LHS but,the closest fully stock hobby shop is in Columbus and that's around 130 mile round trip and that's a mite to far.
And not to mention I don't have money to burn by paying near full price plus gas,wear and tear on my 97 Jeep plus food due to my diabetes so,I buy for M.B. Klein and B&M shops that has a e-Bay store and there are many on e-Bay.
I'm weary of buying locomotives at Train Shows in fact I can count on one hand the number of engines I bought at shows and those was from the same dealer since he stands behind the locomotives he sells and even gives you his business card in case something is wrong with locomotive.
BRAKIE riogrande5761 Heck, I'm presently building an Amtrak San Francisco Zephyr which will be pretty close to typical of the mid 1970s. I never would have been able to do that in "the good ol days". Yeah Jim but,it took us to where we are at today..
riogrande5761 Heck, I'm presently building an Amtrak San Francisco Zephyr which will be pretty close to typical of the mid 1970s. I never would have been able to do that in "the good ol days".
Nobody is denying that. Same can be said for umpteen many things. It's basic history.
As I often stated we begged for detailed locomotives starting in the 60's because brass steam engines was better detail then brass or plastic diesels. Recall there was many road specific detailing artices in MR and RMC back then so,there was a demand. As you know it just didn't happen overnight and every manufacturer was caught flat footed by Life Like's P2K line. Still a lot of today's older and still popular manufacturers dragged their feet into the dawning of a new era. Now,some manufacturers has introduce a eccomy line. What a maddening business it must be.
It's not for the feint of heart. But there are a lot of businesses I would not want to be in. Thankfully there are people who have a passion for it and are offering us excellent products.
PRR8259 I respectfully disagree with the op. Where I live there are great train stores that are still going, arguably as strong as ever! Others will say I'm somehow "biased" but the folks running these stores are indeed lifelong friends of mine. I was not in any way compensated for these comments. John
Where I live there are great train stores that are still going, arguably as strong as ever!
I wouldn't say you are biased. You are just lucky to live in an area where there are B&M shops that still exist and that serve you well. Or you are biased based on your circumstances, which are unique to you. My question to you is, what about the rest of us? What you have ain't no good to us.
But I can't complain as I have access to an infinitely greater variety of model train products than I ever would have back in "the good ol days".
Good for you but not for most of us - so basically not much use to a majority of the readers here. Just sayin...
Two reasons why the above isn't useful to me are:
1) The only LHS I am aware of presently is an hour away and stocks very little of use to me. Sure, I could try to order from him but why? It's out of my way I can order and actually get items I need from a few vendors in other cities and states, who do stock items I need and ship to me. It makes no sense what-so-ever to try to order stuff from a shop an hour away and then wait for it, assuming he can even order items which are probably out of stock at the supplier or middelman etc.
2) I do go to Timonium 2 to 3 times a year, but being a 70's D&RGW/SP modeler, it's pot luck to find things I need. I do find things but it's random luck and not a reliable source of things I need.
One thing that would work for a large percentage of people is to scan eBay for OOP things - that is how I've been able to piece together the passenger train I rode in the mid-1970's, the San Francisco Zephyr. It would have been much more difficult to have to hunt down OOP passenger cars before eBay.
The other thing is to build a list of good vendors you can find current or fairly recent production items to order from. I've got a list of 3 or 4 regular vendors, which BTW, are also B&M stores in other states, and I order from them as they often have things I need.
Between 1988 and 1998, I traveled quite a bit for my job to other states, all over the eastern half of the US. I made it a point to visit 2 or 3 shops in every city I visited while in town. Quite frankly, my experience with the train shops was spotty and most of them were a waste of my time.
I realize there are a few out there who are lucky and have shops they love and then are traumatized when those shops close down. Quite frankly there are much worse things to be traumatized about, and in the present times, there are tons of good options to get your stuff if you simply avail yourself of them. Twenty five years ago, adjusting to the loss of a good local shop wouldn't have been quite as easy.
It seems we have to rehash the demise of the LHS every few months and retread the same stuff more or less. I don't think we've really covered any new ground - repeated the same thigns over and over ad nauseum.
The two biggest model railroad focused shops in my area both found a unique solution to keeping their audience.
The closest to me is Train Shoppe in Salt Lake City. Their current building was built with a kid fun zone in the back, with riding trains, coin operated layouts, a shoot em up minecart dark ride, and birthday rooms. It keeps the families coming in and exposes new people to the hobby. The stock is varied from Garden Scales, Three Rail O Scale, down through HO and N. Mostly entry level and mid-priced brands like Athearn Blue Box stuff, Bachmann, MicroTrains, Lionel over at the 3-rail section and a spattering of Walthers; and a few higher priced stuff like Athearn Genesis to round out the selection.
The other one that comes to mind is TrainLife in Provo. Operated by ExactRail their solution to the LHS problem was to become an online store as well as a physical location. Their store is a dealer's warehouse at its core. While it lacks the flashy kid rides of Train Shoppe, the displays give a more polished adult focused look at the hobby with Pelle Soeborg's former layout taking center stage. Stock is exclusively HO and N, so while it lacks the breadth of the other store; it gains power in its specificity; being the only place in Utah to carry, in addition to ExactRail the house brand; lines such as ScaleTrains, Rapido, Moloco etc (plus some Athearn Genesis and Walthers stuff). There is also a nice line up of railroad books. Most sales are online, but its a great brick and mortar stop for the locals
Both approaches are valid responses to the changing store landscape, and offer an idea of how the local shops can survive in a post Amazon world.
This is an interesting thread to read through. Either everyone knows why the LHS has all but disappeared or no one knows why the LHS has all but disappeared. I will be quick to concede that I have no idea either. But, I can share my experience.
I have always felt that I entered the hobby back in January 2004 right at the beginning of the end for the LHS. Up here in the Chicago area, back in early 2004 I had three LHS's to choose from, all within a 15 minute drive from my house. All three stores were owned by aging owners in leased store fronts in strip malls. All three were willing to discount purchases, none had an online presence, and all three could order what they didn't have in stock and get it, usually from Walthers, within 3 days without charging me for shipping.
All 3 LHS's closed in 2009-2010 as the owners drew nearer to retirement and as the strip mall owners increased rents. Although none of the three had an online presence, neither Amazon nor eBay killed the LHS, at least in my experience. The closures were the result of aging owners and increasing rents and a dwindling customer base.
Back in the 2004-2010 time frame, beyond by three truly local hobby shops were another dozen or so good sized model railroad shops within an hour's drive of my house. Again, they were all in strip malls, leased storefronts and aging owners. They are all gone but two. The two remaining shops are either 30 minutes away or 45 minutes away, no discounts, but an online presence.
So, now, unless I am desperate, I buy what I need on eBay, wait 3 to 5 days for delivery and pay outrageous shipping charges. Amazon? While we seem to get daily deliveries from Amazon for other household needs, I have never had to go to Amazon for model railroading purchases.
So, at least in my experience, Amazon did not kill the LHS. Neither did eBay. It was the aging of the owner and the ever increasing strip mall rents.
Alton Junction
My LHS was quite large, and had amazing inventory and several display layouts, but the owner was of age. He eventually pasted, and his son took ever the buisness. Soon after, they had to close. I still remember the last time i talked out with a brand new GTW blue gondola from Athearn. It was on University road just north of NOVA SouthEastern University.
Luckly, there are still 3 predomenant hobby shops in South Florida, Ready to Roll, Micro Macro Mundo, and a 3rd I can not remember the name of in Fort Lauderdale.
~Eastrail
richhotrainEither everyone knows why the LHS has all but disappeared or no one knows why the LHS has all but disappeared.
It isn't really a mystery.
I've been watching and reading about hobby shops closing over the past 30 years and the vast majority of them have closed because they are single owner shops and the owner retires, or ages out or is ill and can no longer run it. Few closures have been reported due to not being able to keep doors open due to insufficient income.
Now considering that there has been a paradigm shift in the way people buy things over the past 10 years, it seems pretty obvious that anyone opening a new shop will increase their odds of success greatly if they extend their reach using online sales.
We can cover the same ground over and over, but the conclusions are still basically the same.
I think this cud has been well-chewed before in these Forums ... but then, what topic hasn't been?
When I think of the LHSs of my youth a few things stand out. First, maybe it didn't take much to make me and others very happy. That is, perhaps I was tailoring my "wants" to what I had reason to know the shop had available to sell. So they always had want I wanted! Second, most of them probably made their "real" money from other stuff such as toys (including but not limited to toy trains), plastic models, and in at least one case here in Milwaukee, a rather formidable array of weapons, "men's magazines," and hunting gear. Third, there was no such thing as the big train show/swap meet as we know it today. So other than mail order, which has always been with us (indeed there was mail order before there were train shops), the LHS had that near monopoly on supply.
We won't even factor in Ebay and such.
My hunch is that back in the days I am talking about, the early to mid 1960s, you didn't really have to know all that much about trains to run a decent hobby shop or even train shop. Now you need a "train guy" (at a salary) to avoid expensive mistakes. And you didn't need massive sums to stock enough inventory to bring in the customers, nor huge numbers of shelves to hold it all. In fact with hindsight, I now see that some shops that I thought were very nice were actually kind of pathetic. They looked well stocked because so much of that inventory never moved.
Consider what it now takes to have a hobby shop that is really impressive. The scenery section alone would be bigger than the shops I went to as a youth (pathetic little boxes of Life Like trees and rolled-up grass mats were the scenery sections back then). The same for track - it isn't just Atlas anymore, and everything in Code 100 is also there in Code 83 etc. And the detail parts, holy cow, how can any shop be expected to carry all the parts that today's prototype-oriented modeler might want? At last fall's Trainfest, Tichy was there with (seemingly) ALL their stuff, the complete line. A huge, overwhelming and wonderful display, and they are hardly the only outfit selling huge inventories of parts.
I'd be surprised if any shop carries every Tichy part. And you could have some of those parts sitting on a shelf for eons before just the right customer strolls in to buy it. That is one reason why Walthers is making no bones about decreasing the number of parts suppliers they carry in their catalog. I disagree with their decision but understand the reasons for it. Products are being offered for the pleasure and satisfaction of increasingly micro-sized minorities of fussy and specific modelers. In 1965 a grab iron was a grab iron. Today? A profusion of grab irons and only the exactly right one will do.
Inventory that sits has always been the bain of the retailer. Think of the LHS as a classification yard. If the cars don't move then it becomes a car storage facility that makes no money for the railroad. And today, inventory almost doubles: every desirable locomotive in both DCC and DC. This or that mail order place undercuts you on price. There no longer is that sure money maker, non-train, bread and butter part of the business to actually pay the bills. And almost nobody needs to deal with you. They have options.
I love hobby shops and I love record stores. I can assure you, there are way more LHSs than record stores today. So be thankful for what we have. But don't get too nostalgic -- the good old days had their limitations.
Dave Nelson