I heard a rumor that Klein's (Model Train Stuff) is closing down the 15th. Anyone able to confirm this?
Since they quit the walk-in business and went full internet I understand the business has changed greatly.
Hello All,
Yes, it's true!
Just saw their post on FB announcing the closing.
So sad!
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
Closing down online as well or just their brick and mortar store?
MJ4562 Closing down online as well or just their brick and mortar store?
Rich
Alton Junction
richhotrain MJ4562 Closing down online as well or just their brick and mortar store? Just the brick and mortar store is closing. Rich
Just the brick and mortar store is closing.
Nope, they're closing their warehouse and shipping location in Cockeysville Maryland.
They have allegedly been purchased by Hatton's.
Edit to add: People on other forums are stating that recent ModelTrainStuff orders have shipped from Nebraska.
richhotrainJust the brick and mortar store is closing.
That closed several years ago.
oldline1 I heard a rumor that Klein's (Model Train Stuff) is closing down the 15th. Anyone able to confirm this? Since they quit the walk-in business and went full internet I understand the business has changed greatly.
Not exactly what was announced. From Facebook:
Brick and mortar store, physical warehouse, whatever. The point is, the Internet presence is still alive and well.
richhotrain Brick and mortar store, physical warehouse, whatever. The point is, the Internet presence is still alive and well. Rich
That's good to hear. I've never been to their old brick and mortar shop, but I've always been happy with their online site and service.
I didn't want to see them on the RIP track.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
placed and order with them during their T Giving sale and half my order shipped from NE and half from MD.
The shipment from NE was carefulLu packed. The one from MD not so much with not enough packing material and jewel cases slapping around inside the box. Looked like the person didn't care anymore. This news might explain.
Here's hoping only the physical warehouse is closing and not the entire business. It's a great merchant. We might need to figure out where else to purchase should it actually cease operations.
Model Trains Stuff isn't closing down its business, it's changing its business model from a brick and mortar store to an e-commerce operation. The ultimate cause of this shift is due to the fact that a British firm, Hattons Model Railway Shop, purchased MTS. Hattons, which has been a major model shop in the UK (located outside Liverpool) since 1946, is a family controlled business that began successful expansion into e-commerce in the early 2000s and bills itself--in Britain-- as "Your Local Online Model Railway Shop." It is thus roughly equivalent to Walthers. And like Walthers, it produces its own lines of model equipment. But in addition, it also offers used products sales that adds another feature to its services. If the reorganized MTS can provide the level of service and goods that Hattons provides in Britain, it will prove a boon to North American modellers. Hattons move reflects the globalizing taking place in the model industry and the rise of intercontinental firms in sales as well as manufacturing. Walthers, take note!
AEP528Nope, they're closing their warehouse and shipping location in Cockeysville Maryland.
If you're fully online and you're not based in the area (like the new ownership), it just makes sense to decamp from a high value area like the Mid-Atlantic.
Plus the US logistics network is sophisticated enough that you don't need to be near a major hub like Baltimore to meet your shipping needs.
In the early 80's I retired for the first time and got bored so got back into model railroading. I lived in downtown Baltimore at the time and ran into this store and bought a couple of matched speed engines, customer service still existed back then, I miss that.
Hattons have purchased Klein's, increasing their market share in the U.S.A..
Hattons already have a warehouse in Nebraska. Possibly Klein's stuff will be shipped from there.
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
I got their email that the rewards program was shutting down so I needed to place an order to use the points I had accumulated. It was very difficult finding items in stock. I had several box cars that showed out of stock within minutes of adding them to my cart.
It looks like the new owners are blowing out any MTS stock on hand. I hope after the 15th it gets better.
Rick
hbgatsf I got their email that the rewards program was shutting down so I needed to place an order to use the points I had accumulated. It was very difficult finding items in stock. I had several box cars that showed out of stock within minutes of adding them to my cart. It looks like the new owners are blowing out any MTS stock on hand. I hope after the 15th it gets better.
Yes they will likely sell off as much as possible rather than move it to the new location.
Sheldon
What is strange is that I had placed an order a couple of weeks ago. They shipped a pack of figures almost immediately but the rest of the order didn't ship for about 10 days. I still have that second box; I'll need to look to see where it came from.
The point is, MB Klein/ModelTrainStuff is gone. The employees in Maryland are gone. ModelTrainStuff is now just a name.
ModelTrainStuff had a strong East Coast customer base, and there are reports that shipping time from Nebraska is several days longer.
It's disappointing that neither company has seen fit to announce the sale. I suspect Hatton's bought it only for the name - hattons.com already belongs to another company in the US.
AEP528 It's disappointing that neither company has seen fit to announce the sale. I suspect Hatton's bought it only for the name - hattons.com already belongs to another company in the US.
"We wish to inform you of an important update regarding MB Klein Inc.'s operations. Our physical warehouse is closing its doors this month, but we want to assure you that our online platform will continue to serve you seamlessly.
Modeltrainstuff.com will remain fully operational, allowing you to browse an extensive range and place orders with ease. "
You are correct that it is disappointing that neither company has seen fit to announce the sale to its customers. So, I guess that it is a case of another one bites the dust.
Warehousing and shipping from Nebraska makes a lot more sense than performing those functions from one extreme side of the country. Not to mention any USPS activity seems to get bogged down when going through the mid Atlantic region.
But I was wondering what was going on. They were fireselling some items that I needed, so I bought them.
Unfortunately after about 2 weeks, the order still says "Awaiting Fulfillment"
Hopefully, it sounds like I will still have the ability to buy train stuff at reasonable prices, shipping cost, and timeliness. What form it takes or who the ultimate family is that receives the profit is of little interest to me.
Unless its some evil member of SPECTRE trying to fund world domination....LOL.
- Douglas
Doughless Unless its some evil member of SPECTRE trying to fund world domination....LOL.
So if Hatton's bought them, and the Cockeysville warehouse closes, all that's really left is a recognized brand name and a website that will be fulfilled from....wherever.
It's sad, but after the move from Gay Street, you could see the transition coming, as the selection out front got smaller and smaller, and the focus on the online business got bigger and bigger- they replaced staff with computers that linked to.....the website.
Sad, I liked it, particularly the old store, and a lot of the people who worked there were buffs themselves.
http://mprailway.blogspot.com
"The first transition era - wood to steel!"
MidlandPacificSad, I liked it, particularly the old store, and a lot of the people who worked there were buffs themselves.
https://blog.modeltrainstuff.com/remembering-theodore-ted-klein/
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Has it been confirmed that Hatton's really bought them? I just read on Facebook that Hatton's is closing down.
Hattons did buy them.
Since then a large amount of items were due from China to Hattons in October/November 2023. They did not arrive. The Chinese company said it would be at least May before they would be in the U.K..
No products from China, Hattons therefore could not fulfil their Christmas orders.
Hattons had to rely on selling their second hand items to survive.
No new products. Very little second hand items left. End of the line.
buoyboy Has it been confirmed that Hatton's really bought them? I just read on Facebook that Hatton's is closing down.
That is the real kicker.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
What a crazy story this has turned into!
It appears that Hatton’s got caught in an unanticipated cash flow crisis. Although it had a long standing retail store in the UK, it expanded its business through early adaptation to e commerce. That step opened new markets abroad as well as at home and made it more of a global firm. No doubt Hatton’s purchase of Train Stuff was an effort to further extend its international operation. Doing so, however, probably drew down its capital reserves during last year. Then, to make matters worse, it was hit with a supply problem this fall when scheduled shipments from Chinese manufacturers (still suffering from the economic disruptions of the pandemic era) failed to arrive on time for the Christmas rush. So sales must have fallen way below expectations, as did profits needed to cover its North America expansion. In its recent closure message to clients, Hatton’s noted that profit margins were already decreasing due to Brexit measures, while demographic changes were shrinking its client base and affecting sales. Given the combination of these factors, its owner, Christine Hatton, seems to have concluded that the business was no longer viable and thus best closed down while it could be done in an orderly way. Its loss will be felt both in the US (through the demise of Train Stuff) and the UK.
VoyagerIt appears that Hatton’s got caught in an unanticipated cash flow crisis. Although it had a long standing retail store in the UK, it expanded its business through early adaptation to e commerce. That step opened new markets abroad as well as at home and made it more of a global firm. No doubt Hatton’s purchase of Train Stuff was an effort to further extend its international operation. Doing so, however, probably drew down its capital reserves during last year. Then, to make matters worse, it was hit with a supply problem this fall when scheduled shipments from Chinese manufacturers (still suffering from the economic disruptions of the pandemic era) failed to arrive on time for the Christmas rush. So sales must have fallen way below expectations, as did profits needed to cover its North America expansion. In its recent closure message to clients, Hatton’s noted that profit margins were already decreasing due to Brexit measures, while demographic changes were shrinking its client base and affecting sales. Given the combination of these factors, its owner, Christine Hatton, seems to have concluded that the business was no longer viable and thus best closed down while it could be done in an orderly way. Its loss will be felt both in the US (through the demise of Train Stuff) and the UK.
Cash flow sounds like it- wonder how much debt they got into buying Kline's- apparently too much. This collapsed pretty quickly. It reminds me of what happened with a couple of discount chains. Ames bought out Hill's- would up getting themselves in a lot of debt and sunk quickly after. Same thing happened with McCrorys and TG&Y a decade earlier. Both got into a lot of debt and did not know the market that they had bought out.
Jim