BRAKIE richhotrain 6. Hobby shop owners dying and retiring He threw in the towel at age 74..Harold said After 46 years his old bones was tired and therefore he's going to retire and that he did...
richhotrain 6. Hobby shop owners dying and retiring
He threw in the towel at age 74..Harold said After 46 years his old bones was tired and therefore he's going to retire and that he did...
Brakie, who is Harold? I don't see where Rich mentioned any Harold in his posts!
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
NP2626 BRAKIE richhotrain 6. Hobby shop owners dying and retiring He threw in the towel at age 74..Harold said After 46 years his old bones was tired and therefore he's going to retire and that he did... Brakie, who is Harold? I don't see where Rich mentioned any Harold in his posts!
10. Other reasons.
Rich
Edit: In other words, in response to my question, So, what do you suppose did the LHS in?, Larry's answer is, Harold did the LHS in.
Alton Junction
Actually I was answering #6: 6. Hobby shop owners dying and retiring.
Harold closed shop and retired.
As far as shops closing 1-10 applies.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
, ,
E-L man tom BMR777 Where I live there's two hobby shops that I can choose from that are both within 20 minutes of my house. There's B & G Train World which is trains only and there is Hobbytown USA. I think B & G Train World is able to hold on because the Chicago area has a dense enough population of model railroaders. From B & G it's only a 30 or so minute drive to the Great Midwest Train Show, the largest monthly train show in the USA. I believe, however, that your Hobbytown USA type store is more the future of where hobby shops are headed. The key for Hobbytown is that they diversify. My Hobbytown has a decent sized model railroad department. The selection could be better, but there are all the essentials there and more. They recently added a whole new dedicated section to Woodland Scenics products within the last month. Hobbytown has something for everyone: trains, RC Cars, Planes, puzzles, toys and more. I think they're able to make a better profit than a trains-only store so they have a better chance at survival. Even though they have diversification, there are still people there who specialize. There's one gentleman there who knows about model railroading and there's another guy who knows about the RC planes. Even though it's more of a general store you can still find someone who knows what they are talking about for model railroading. I, over the years, have moved from Ohio (in the 1990's), in which the Dayton-Cincinnati area had no fewer than 5 or 6 great stores for trains, pretty much trains only; to Denver (1998-2006), Colorado, which has two great stores right in town, Caboose (of coruse) and Mizells. There were others, but these were the main ones, not to mention the one or two in both Colorado Springs and Ft. Collins. Then, in 2006 moved to Boise, Idaho; there are no hobby stores here except the two Hobbytown USA stores, which have a very poor selection of Model RR inventory; all basically at MSRP as well. They do still, however, have some scratch building supplies that I cannot get at Michaels or Hobby Lobby. The last true train item I bought from Hobbytown USA was back about 3 years ago, when I purchased an Atlas C424 for $100.00; that was the last "good deal" that I found there. There is one other store that bought the inventory of a local hobby store owner that passed away years ago, but he has no idea (nor does he seemingly want to know) what he purchased. He has more of an interest in R/C cars and so that is what he spends his money on to replace his inventory. There is a local guy here in town, however, who buys and sells Model RR stuff out of his home. He goes to train stores, buys whole lots at estate sales and has many connections around the country, including other hobby stores where he'll buy in large lots and then pass the lower prices on to those who buy. He sells most of his wares at train shows, which are not local; we haven't had a train show here in about 4 years. I can say that I have been spoiled from living back in Ohio. I surely enjoyed stopping at a train store on my way home from Cincinnati or some other place in the area after doing business at my regular job during the day.
BMR777 Where I live there's two hobby shops that I can choose from that are both within 20 minutes of my house. There's B & G Train World which is trains only and there is Hobbytown USA. I think B & G Train World is able to hold on because the Chicago area has a dense enough population of model railroaders. From B & G it's only a 30 or so minute drive to the Great Midwest Train Show, the largest monthly train show in the USA. I believe, however, that your Hobbytown USA type store is more the future of where hobby shops are headed. The key for Hobbytown is that they diversify. My Hobbytown has a decent sized model railroad department. The selection could be better, but there are all the essentials there and more. They recently added a whole new dedicated section to Woodland Scenics products within the last month. Hobbytown has something for everyone: trains, RC Cars, Planes, puzzles, toys and more. I think they're able to make a better profit than a trains-only store so they have a better chance at survival. Even though they have diversification, there are still people there who specialize. There's one gentleman there who knows about model railroading and there's another guy who knows about the RC planes. Even though it's more of a general store you can still find someone who knows what they are talking about for model railroading.
Where I live there's two hobby shops that I can choose from that are both within 20 minutes of my house. There's B & G Train World which is trains only and there is Hobbytown USA.
I think B & G Train World is able to hold on because the Chicago area has a dense enough population of model railroaders. From B & G it's only a 30 or so minute drive to the Great Midwest Train Show, the largest monthly train show in the USA.
I believe, however, that your Hobbytown USA type store is more the future of where hobby shops are headed. The key for Hobbytown is that they diversify. My Hobbytown has a decent sized model railroad department. The selection could be better, but there are all the essentials there and more. They recently added a whole new dedicated section to Woodland Scenics products within the last month.
Hobbytown has something for everyone: trains, RC Cars, Planes, puzzles, toys and more. I think they're able to make a better profit than a trains-only store so they have a better chance at survival.
Even though they have diversification, there are still people there who specialize. There's one gentleman there who knows about model railroading and there's another guy who knows about the RC planes. Even though it's more of a general store you can still find someone who knows what they are talking about for model railroading.
I, over the years, have moved from Ohio (in the 1990's), in which the Dayton-Cincinnati area had no fewer than 5 or 6 great stores for trains, pretty much trains only; to Denver (1998-2006), Colorado, which has two great stores right in town, Caboose (of coruse) and Mizells. There were others, but these were the main ones, not to mention the one or two in both Colorado Springs and Ft. Collins. Then, in 2006 moved to Boise, Idaho; there are no hobby stores here except the two Hobbytown USA stores, which have a very poor selection of Model RR inventory; all basically at MSRP as well. They do still, however, have some scratch building supplies that I cannot get at Michaels or Hobby Lobby. The last true train item I bought from Hobbytown USA was back about 3 years ago, when I purchased an Atlas C424 for $100.00; that was the last "good deal" that I found there. There is one other store that bought the inventory of a local hobby store owner that passed away years ago, but he has no idea (nor does he seemingly want to know) what he purchased. He has more of an interest in R/C cars and so that is what he spends his money on to replace his inventory. There is a local guy here in town, however, who buys and sells Model RR stuff out of his home. He goes to train stores, buys whole lots at estate sales and has many connections around the country, including other hobby stores where he'll buy in large lots and then pass the lower prices on to those who buy. He sells most of his wares at train shows, which are not local; we haven't had a train show here in about 4 years. I can say that I have been spoiled from living back in Ohio. I surely enjoyed stopping at a train store on my way home from Cincinnati or some other place in the area after doing business at my regular job during the day.
I feel your pain. I live in Boise as well and we never get any train shows (there was a little one in Nampa a few weeks ago, well more of a swap meet). Hobbytown on Cole Rd got some new stuff in but their inventory is sad at best. R/C seems to be the big thing around here. If you haven't already, subscribe to their emails because the frequently send out $15 off $50 coupons that you can use online or in-store.
I'm glad you mentioned that other place in Nampa because I've seen some adverts on craigslist about him. I had a feeling that the train stuff for him was strictly a side business until all of the inventory is gone. Luckily Boise seems to be a pretty good mail hub beings I seem to get everything I order online very quickly. Stay strong fellow Boisean!