Local hobby stores and G scale

[Anonymous]

The Denver convention ruined my outing Tuesday. I've been working about an hour and a half drive (one way) from home this week. Within a stones throw of G Scale Junction who advertises in GR. I called to get directions only to get the answering machine saying they had loaded up and left for Denver and would be closed.
So I decided to give the LHS this week a chance and drove to 3 of them. None carry any "G" stuff or very little. I'm am a visual person and like to see what I'm buying or get a general idea anyways. I would like to have some eyes on experence before purchasing online/phone.

All I wanted was trucks W/metal wheels for my scratchbuilt box cars NOBODY had them other than a store selling trucks but didn't carry the wheels for them[D)][%-)] at $23.00 a pair ( LGB)

Just had to get my frustration off my chest[banghead][soapbox]

[jmozz]

Matt don't you love it when you drive an hour and the store tells you that . What the use of selling trucks if you don't have wheels that like only selling boxcars in your hobby store and you don't sell loco power jmozz

[Anonymous]

Jmozz, that would be one of the other stores I visited, two Bachmann Big hauler cars, a few and I mean a few pieces of track and some figures.

[Anonymous]

[soapbox] Oh and another thing, I'd like to meat the wacko who sets store hours, there is one close by and I don't know what they carry but they close at 5:00 p.m! tuesday through saturday. I'm self employed but getting to those places are hard enough, I can't imagine working for someone else and saying
" Hey boss, got to leave early to get to the train store" REALLY!

They must not want to sell trains!

[Buckeye Riveter]

Matt,
I agree. The train stores in Columbus, Ohio suck. I use Davis in Milford, Ohio, Grant's in Akron and G Scale Junction, who when not at the convention has just about everything I have needed.

Have you ever been to the store in Lancaster, Ohio? They have somethings for G scale.

[Anonymous]

oh you started me now matt

UPS drove in the drive way, "Oh cool" I said, so I ran in the house and THE most best dang looking signal I seen in G Scale...
I said oh ^#!, no 12v ....uh 3 wires? oh my .....
So, zoom off to Radio Shack, waste of time! This signal was a static display and prototype for when I make my own
But I wanted it working and Just Knew RS could help.
BS, they can not even help themselves. Dang kids working in there...[:(!][banghead][X-)][D)][|(][sigh][#wstupid][soapbox][tdn][zzz]

[Anonymous]

Bluebonnet
71 I HAVE THE THE SAME PROBLEM, LOCAL HOBBY SHOP DONT HAVE WHAT YOU NEED. THEY SAID THEY WOULD ORDER WHAT I NEED, IT WILL BE HERE IN TWO DAYS,TWO WEEKS LATER STILL DON'T HAVE IT. SO I CANCLED IT, DROVE 50 MILES OUT OF MY WAY TO ANOTHER SHOP , THEY HAD IT IN STOCK . SO I KEEP GOING BACK THEIR . BEN --OF --PENNA. [:D]

[Anonymous]

Ben

Always tell them why you keep coming back and what scale!
Makes them think.

[vsmith]

I cant complain, I'm fortunate enough to have several (8) model train hobbyshops within a 45 mile radius of home, 4 of those carry alot of LS stuff. All of them are good to their customers. But the hours issue can be quite frustrating. the closest to home closes at 6 and I cant seam to get there until 6:10....so I have to plan wekend runs, that can be even more fun with SWMBO waiting in the car...

The one bummer is when the Big Train Show happens in Long Beach, San Val has there big yearly sale and BBQ and have some sweet price reductions...BTS or SanVal, BTS or SanVal, Aaahhh![:p]

[Anonymous]

Two decent Large scale shops in my area, both 1.5hours away........ In New Jersey, C.B. Train Depot and in the Philly area, Toy Train Station. Both are listed in back of "Garden Railways". Many of the shops claim "G" but are not able to offer much of anything. I've had good luck with "O" and "HO" but thats about it. The shops I deal with have proved to be very helpful, those that make me regret that I have visited are not again. Such a shame, I really prefer to visit the "Local " hobby shop but alot of them just don't get it........(I've worked for a few over the years, quick buck artists, and sometimes just inept, tough too for the honest owners, shelf space and cash flow for restock is a killer). Not for nothing, but anybody local to either shop mentioned should stop on buy, yepper, all puns intended......[8D]

[Anonymous]

Well I see I'm not alone. I have two more to try. One I know carrys Marklin but I'm not interested in them. The other has the terrible, I will probably never make it's hours train store.
I would just like to gauk at some stuff before I buy.

Incedently I almost stopped at marklin store but didn't due to the fact i was already running late getting home and it's my wife's B-day and I had to stop and get a card before dinner.

[Anonymous]

Good Move, probably a life savingone at that.........Happy B-Day to the Missus.......[bday]

[Anonymous]

I know the feeling, there are no hobby shops to really speak of, unless your into vintage Lionel, here in Erie, PA. I would love to start one, or get together with someone to start on, but I dont have the capitol to do it myself right now. Nearest is in NY state or Cleveland. So I do mainly mail order or train shows. I prefer Watts in Zionsville, IN. Used to live near there and Dave takes good care of me when I need things.

[Anonymous]

I've heard more than one hobby store say they don't carry large scale because of shelf space and lack of interest from the customers.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by LGBF7

I know the feeling, there are no hobby shops to really speak of, unless your into vintage Lionel, here in Erie, PA. I would love to start one, or get together with someone to start on, but I dont have the capitol to do it myself right now. Nearest is in NY state or Cleveland. So I do mainly mail order or train shows. I prefer Watts in Zionsville, IN. Used to live near there and Dave takes good care of me when I need things.

[#welcome] Mike

[Anonymous]

When I was in N scale, store in the area (meaning 70 miles away) kept nothing but HO and N scale pickin's were slim. Now that i am in Large Scale, it seems they have all kinds of cool N scale stuff. I'm lucky if they stock G guage track.

There are a wide number of G scale people in the area of whom I have met recently, but their locomotives are static displayed on offices or on some shelf because everything has to be mail ordered.

We need large scale dealers to stock "basics," I submit that we brainstorm just what that means and forward that list to our friends at GR Magazine. [2c]

HO and N now control most Train Stores and Hobby Stores carry only marginal stuff we can use (i.e. doll house). Are we not a significant market share?[:(]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dontrainman

I've heard more than one hobby store say they don't carry large scale because of shelf space and lack of interest from the customers.

If the LHS would stock some to let people get alook at it with maybe some layout photos, like a garden railroad or an around the room people might be more likely to purchase it with knowledge or inspiration of what to due with a train that size.

[Anonymous]

Well we can beat that; I did once drive right across Sydney, 90 minutes in heavy traffic and found they didn't open on Tuesdays! So I don't live in Sydney anymore and I don't go to Hobby shops.

And If I don't i don't think anyones else should either!


Rgds

Ian

[Anonymous]

Reading this makes me realise how lucky I am. Tower Models in Blackpool is just a mile away, two car parks within minutes and wall to wall trains. Not a big shop but one cabinet does 'OO' British outline, one cabinet for Bachmann On30, a couple for British outline 'O' and the rest is all G stocking Bachmann, USA & Aristo. The shop is literally stacked from floor to ceiling and it seems the item I want always makes it look like a rubik cube to get it out. I can get stuff cheaper (and do) but you have to support your local shop.
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[Anonymous]

Hello all, stopped of at the Marklin store today, He did carry some LGB. Funny though he carried metal wheel sets at $ 17.00 a pair (LGB). Now if I were stupid[D)]
I would have bought his metal wheels at $ 17.00 bucks apair and the trucks from the other store at $ 23.00 dollars for two trucks I could have had Trucks and wheels under my boxcars I'm building for $ 57.00 a car times three cars total for $ 171.00 plus 5.75% tax for $ 180.83 HELLO! St. Aubins can you send me some frieght car trucks with metal wheels?

AND THEY WONDER WHY THEY HURT FOR BUISNESS[D)][%-)][X-)][?]

[Anonymous]

One of the best hobby shops in my area has layouts of all gauges that are separated in different rooms. The large scale has a nice water feature. Each room has the products for sale. Great concept!

[grandpopswalt]

It sure would be nice to have a hobby shop relatively close by that STOCKED a wide variety of basic scratchbuilding stuff like Evergreen plastic, Brass and Aluminum shapes, G scale detail parts, specialty tools, etc, etc. But since most of us buy the big ticket items on-line because the local guy charges too much, he has no choice but to stock only main-stream hobby items and toys.

If there are any hobby shop owners reading this thread, here's a tip for you. If you DID stock some of these items you'd be surprised how much you could sell. I'm sure that I probably buy twice as much stuff as I'd intended to just because I saw something else sittting there on the shelf. When ordering on-line I get only what is on my list and I usually come up short because I forgot or didn't realize that I need certain items.

Walt