Lots of good advice from CT. I don't have retail experience, but as a lawyer I've seen the results of bad deals lots of times. Some of the old inventory could have gained value if it's rare, so it might be worth seeing what comparables are going for - ebay is a great idea.
A written business plan and a realistic budget for making these upgrades is important. Due diligence, have a good attorney review the contracts in addition to an accountant on the books. Look for some warranties and/or insurance to cover any claims that may arise from transactions made before you took over, but pop up after. Provide for a transition period, at least a couple weeks, where the seller will stick around, introduce you to regular customers, show you how he does stuff (even though you're going to improve everything, you still need to know what's been done. As the buyer, you've go the clout to get terms you need -- because you'll have to live with them.
One other thing, good insurance coverage is a must
Whatever happens, good luck! Sounds very exciting.
Philly Bill Lots of good advice from CT. I don't have retail experience, but as a lawyer I've seen the results of bad deals lots of times. Some of the old inventory could have gained value if it's rare, so it might be worth seeing what comparables are going for - ebay is a great idea. A written business plan and a realistic budget for making these upgrades is important. Due diligence, have a good attorney review the contracts in addition to an accountant on the books. Look for some warranties and/or insurance to cover any claims that may arise from transactions made before you took over, but pop up after. Provide for a transition period, at least a couple weeks, where the seller will stick around, introduce you to regular customers, show you how he does stuff (even though you're going to improve everything, you still need to know what's been done. As the buyer, you've go the clout to get terms you need -- because you'll have to live with them.One other thing, good insurance coverage is a must Whatever happens, good luck! Sounds very exciting.
Thanks Philly Bill,
I still haven't totally made up my mind, and I could simply turn my back and walk away from the whole thing.However I do appreciate your advice, and a good friend of mine is a lawyer, and I intend to talk to her and bounce this whole thing off of her.
For now, I want to negotiate a deal where I work as a part-time employee, but am allowed to try out some of my ideas,if they work, they work, if not, I'll find something else to do for a living. More or less, stick my foot part way in to test the waters before making the plunge.
Once again, I'd like to thank everyone for their inputs, it is appreciated!
TheK4Kid
Hi from Belgium,
A good layout in any scale and a lot of ...AMERICAN trains even in display case!!!!!!
I didn't want to see anymore Marklin or Fleischmann or Roco european trains which are often oversized(Marklin) with big couplers and spaghetti layout with trains running at full speed with poor modeling qualities.
Thats my wishes.
Modeling in N scale I must order nearly everything in the USA. As I know there is only four or six good shop who market American prototypes in Europe and for N only one at Paris in France.
Marc
My LHS, which I think of as a brick-and-mortar store, also maintains an Internet presence. He does some mail order, although it's not his primary business. He is an active Walthers dealer, so I can get stuff from Walthers at their sale price. On MSRP items, the regulars get 10-15% off. This is a good arrangement for everyone - Walthers sells stuff, my LHS gets a profit, and I get the sale price with no shipping.
I'm not sure how much of a business it is, but he also does sound decoder downloads. Each of the downloadable decoders has its own special programming box, which is more of an investment than the average modeller wants to make just to do one or two decoders, so having that kind of thing available is a nice asset. Having someone who knows how to do it is even more valuable.
The shop is in a small strip mall. It's on a sort-of-busy street. There is zero foot traffic, but plenty of free parking. The shop itself is quite small, but well-stocked. Sure, a big store in a bustling downtown seems nice, but you have to balance the cost of the real estate with the extra traffic generated.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
TheK4Kid If you guys could give me your ideas of what you'd like to see in a good hobby shop, I'd appreciate it! Remember, train people aren't the only ones to be catered to. Would you prefer to see a nice layout or a layout combing maybe three scales or three separate layouts, say and Ho scale, an S scle and an O scfaleOr would you prefer to look at train equipment in a display case or actually se it in action on a layout?What if a local club was allowed to build and operate a layout and help explain things to the buying public,in exchange for lower prices on train equipment purchases from the hobby shop? TheK4Kid
If you guys could give me your ideas of what you'd like to see in a good hobby shop, I'd appreciate it!
Remember, train people aren't the only ones to be catered to.
Would you prefer to see a nice layout or a layout combing maybe three scales or three separate layouts, say and Ho scale, an S scle and an O scfaleOr would you prefer to look at train equipment in a display case or actually se it in action on a layout?What if a local club was allowed to build and operate a layout and help explain things to the buying public,in exchange for lower prices on train equipment purchases from the hobby shop?
Engine House Services is perfection then I guess. They have everything you've mentioned. They have a small I want to say 36 inch x 15 inch shelf to display control systems. They have an old fashioned DC TECH 2 with pulse control, and a Digitrax Zephry to try out with added UT4 and DT400 throttles. Actuallyt hey have a pair of DT400 so when I stop today I will see if one of them is the new DT402 I'm hearing about. They have it fully sceniced, set up with multiple switches, dual main, HO and HO/HO3 dual gauge track, and also have a section of dual gauge N/Nn3 track. I've played with it a little, which is why I'm going back today, I want to try the DT400 and Zephry throttle. The main front desk if you will, is a fully enclosed glass display case show casing various lokes in different railroads, along with 1 or 2 undecorated, in HO and N. Most are plastic but they do have a number of brass ones there. And above the head is a very multi-gauge track. It's nothing too much, not like the shelf, it's just track set up on wood board suspended from the ceiling. It show cases HO and O scale and runs trains around the track. There is also some large scale up there, G I think, but I've never seen it running so I don't know it runs or not.
And there's one more added bonus. The sad part is how it happened, but the owner of the National Railroad Museum doesn't know what he's doing. He's trying to sell of a bunch of the museums stock, and kicked the local Green Bay RR club out of it's building, to build basically what will be a kids zone to try and attract visitors to return trips. This is no balogne either, this all comes from one of the proprieters of the shop which is either very close to the club or is a memember, I didn't think to ask. But now here's that added bonus I mentioned. The LTS is set up in a series of multi-business buildings. The business next door to them went out and when the bully running the train museum (who a club member told me he admits to not liking train modelers) kicked them they rented the open spot right next to the train shop. It's pretty enjoyful going shopping for model train items, and then hopping next door to see the local clubs layout. Well, two layouts actually. They have a modular layout and a more permament layout under construction. Now the news is the place is temporary, for now. I'm not sure what's going on but I know the club is keeping their eyes open and ears listening for a permament place to hold shop. Makes me wish I had an extra building big enough. Heck I'd let em stay there till the end of time, so long as they pay utility bills. Well, that and let me be in the club for free
There is something wrong with those figures. First off, if he is trying to sell the place to you he ought to be explaining the barrels of money you will make. When he tells you he only takes home a pittance, either he is truly naive, or he doesn't really want to sell. Either way, the numbers don't add up.
You ought to do a business plan before putting up money. The plan should cover the first two years. You list expenses, rent, heat, utilities, taxes, salaries,cost of goods, repairs and maintainance, insurance, interest, advertising, marketing, trips to trade shows, repayment of principle and unexpected contingencies. Then you list income, sales, repair work, whatever. The business plan MUST show you making money. If your business plan shows a loss, you are guaranteed to loose money. If you can't make money on paper, you will NEVER make money in the real world. The real world is more difficult than the paper world.
In fact, operating a retail operation ought to make more money than investing your capital in stocks and bonds. You can make 6% investing. You ought to be making more than 6% on your money when you take the risks of going into business.
Think about web sales. Ebay works. So does having a web site that is smart enough to show prices and take orders, including credit card numbers, and bill the credit card before you ship. Dunno what a software package that smart would cost but they ought to be available, off the shelf. You don't want to get mixed up in custom software development. That's a bottomless money pit. Trust me, I used to do software development as my day job.
Investigate the manufacturer relationships that come with the store. Manufacturers only sell wholesale to bone fide retailers or disti's. They don't want to give wholesale pricing to every tom dick and harry who is actually a hobbyist who sells a couple of items on the side. Find out what manufacturers he deals with and on what terms, is it cash in advance? Or will they do purchase orders and give you 30 days to pay? Will they sell onsy-twosy or do you have to order a full case? I know a guy who is a very small bore retailer and all he talks about is how difficult the manufacturers are to deal with. According to this guy he could sell a million dollars if only the manufacturers would ship him enough stuff, on credit. If the store lacks good arrangements with manufacturers and disti's it can take a long time to develop them.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
Yeah, those numbers look fishy to me, too. There's definitely more going on than he's telling. Unless he has another source of income, $1500 is well under the poverty line, no matter where you live. Even $15,000 wouldn't cut it in most places.
First of all, was that $1M the value of the inventory, the cost of the inventory, or the sales generated by selling the inventory. Three very different numbers. It takes a lot of retail stock to make a million dollars, so what's his velocity (in other words, if his average inventory value is $100K, his velocity is 10, because he's selling, on average, 10 times his stock level of each item). Or, more likely, a couple thousand of a few fast-movers and a lot of dead stock. But his claimed sales doesn't square with your image of boxes and shelves of stuff that's been there forever.
And, either his accountant is very creative (or, worse, he's his own accountant) or the IRS will shortly come calling. Or both. Maybe he finally depreciated all of that dead stock to zero, took the hit on EBIT, and is claming no sales even though he pocketed a tidy sum (which is legal, btw, if you don't cheat on the depreciation). Or he has an unmanageable fixed cost burden, in which case you don't want to be anywhere near ownership.
Your idea to hire on part-time (or even full time) is a good one, provided you're in a management position where you can actually LEARN the business. You probably also want to investigate merchandising deals with companies like Woodland Scenics. Sometimes you can work out a deal where they own the inventory, not you, but you still get a percent of sales, or they pay you to maintain a certain stock level.
There's a store near my office that sells only war and roleplaying game supplies. The only thing I can figure is that the guy must own the building and make his living on the rent from the other retail tenant. He's been there for 20+ years, and he does rent a gaming room in the basement, but I've NEVER seen him make a sale to anyone but me, and I seldom even see another customer.
Well, as you can probably see, I love the challenges of running a retail business, but I hate the hours and the constant diligence required to succeed. Any chance you'd be hiring a business consultant?
Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford
K4-
I'm assuming the shop is in your local area. I'm from the central part of the State, so advertise your parking lot sale and I might see you there.
Since hobbyists tend to look for specific items and not generic ones, I'm not sure that location of the shop is all that important. I think if somebody is looking for trains, planes, etc. they are in the hobby and will find you, if you are not too out of the way. I wouldn't pay extra for the shop being in a "high traffic area". I may be wrong, but the casual passer by who stops in because the shop looks interesting and is convenient isn't the guy who is going to buy your big ticket items. I would keep your overhead low by not paying for a primo retail location. I don't think a high traffic area location will generate the added sales needed to offset the high rent paid for the building (or price if you buy the place)
Just thoughts.
Doug
- Douglas
I'll tell ya what I want to see happen with hobby stores. Get in the gaming business. Put computer games in the stores to invite all them gamers in, then they get to also see all the cool train hobby also and maybe that will help the hobby out. Of course have the Train Sims there.
Thanks for the replies once again!I'm doing some homework, and I'll keep you guys posted.Yes, there's some fishy stuff going on, but if I take over, it's going to end.This shop has potential if it's run right.I'm still all ears and eyes, so keep the replies and advice coming!
DoughlessK4- I'm assuming the shop is in your local area. I'm from the central part of the State, so advertise your parking lot sale and I might see you there. Since hobbyists tend to look for specific items and not generic ones, I'm not sure that location of the shop is all that important. I think if somebody is looking for trains, planes, etc. they are in the hobby and will find you, if you are not too out of the way. I wouldn't pay extra for the shop being in a "high traffic area". I may be wrong, but the casual passer by who stops in because the shop looks interesting and is convenient isn't the guy who is going to buy your big ticket items. I would keep your overhead low by not paying for a primo retail location. I don't think a high traffic area location will generate the added sales needed to offset the high rent paid for the building (or price if you buy the place) Just thoughts. Doug
Hi Doug,
Yes it's a local shop, but I may move it a short distance.
General Steel Buildings has 26 pre-fabs setting in a huge warehouse tht they will sell for pennies on the dollar,so I may build a custom shop later on.
TheK4Kid:
I do admire your dreams and plans. If you have personal hands on experience financing and running a small business you may do fine. Statistically a small will not last 2 years. A hobby shop is a niche business.
Financing is going to be tough in this economy like it or not. A bank is going to want you to have a LOT of skin in the game. I am thinking they will want to see 60 to 75 percent cash. Plus you will have to sign personally, being Incorporated makes no difference. A realistic business plan too. There is an organization called SCORE that is maned by retired business persons who want to share their experiences. A good source, believe me.
I personally know about niche businesses. My wife and I purchased a very poorly run and managed florist in 2001. Rented store front. I had to have double the purchase price in cash and my wife had 20 years experience before the bank would lend us the balance. By the way my credit score is gold, We were able to sell the assets in 2008 at the end of the lease. I am a fairly smart fellow but I had no idea how expensive this would be.
1. A lawyer to prepare the S Corp papers. Make sure you do an S Corp and don't do it on the Internet. If you mess up the IRS will have you for lunch. This is to avoid cooperate taxes and personal taxes. Avoid paying twice.
2. Get a payroll company like ADP to do your payroll. These companies are not cheap but they are a lot cheaper than paying the penalties which can be huge. Ten to fifteen thousand dollars is the average.
3. When you calculate payroll keep in mind there is a 7.5% that will be added on for every dollar of payroll.
4. Unemployment insurance is required by law and is not cheap.
5. Workers comp is required too,
6. Business insurance is a must and don't skimp. Cover your inventory and future expenses. Your rent is due no matter what happens.
7. Do not buy on credit. The interest will put you in a hole in a minute. If you don't have the cash move on.
8. A POS is great but will cost you plenty. The vendor will get you on the annual fees and upgrade costs. Maybe even help, phone or email. If you have a web site you may want to have your inventory shared by the store and the site. This requires SQL database. And an IT person if you don't have the skill and you will not have the time unless you want to spend all of your waking time working.
9. If you are late with your sales tax run for the hills. In my state it is 10% a month. I know because once our check got lost in the mail. Didn't matter. Don't calculate it wrong, 10%.
10. Carefully signing a lease, make sure you are not the one responsible for anything inside or outside the building. We paid 2 grand a year for signage and maintenance.
11. There is more I could tell you but you may not be interested.
12. Lastly credit card processing. This will cost you too. Start with .20 to .30 cents per transaction. In addition there will be a charge depending on your volume of as much as 3.8%, And you will not get the cash for 3 days. Plus there is a flat fee even if you do not use it, can be as much as 50.
I had the opportunity to buy a LHS when the owner passed. After talking to his widow I decided not to touch it. Sales were great, but the profit margin from most major manufactures is ridicules. Then everyone wants a discount for some reason. They did have an Internet business too. The transactions were processed over the phone. The main reason they did okay is because they owned the building and paid the rent to themselves. They also owned their home...
Having a secure shopping cart is not simple. Your liability is tremendous. You will have to pay a monthly charge too. And you will have to pay someone to maintain it.
Just my opinion based on experience. Just having a business doesn't mean you will make money. Watch out for your friends who don't like the discount they got on that last sale.
Bob
Photobucket Albums:NPBL - 2008 The BeginningNPBL - 2009 Phase INPBL - 2010 Downtown
I'm suprised, no one has mentioned this one:
An ATM machine
Vincent
Wants: 1. high-quality, sound equipped, SD40-2s, C636s, C30-7s, and F-units in BN. As for ones that don't cost an arm and a leg, that's out of the question....
2. An end to the limited-production and other crap that makes models harder to get and more expensive.
Thanks for the replies and the information. I do have a plan, and it is different than most shops, and I have a very business savvy partnerr who will be my assistant manager and my hatchet man combined.
I'll explian my plan later.
Thanks guys!
I'm not an expert but I think if you do this an Ebay store at the very least is a must especially with stock as old as 20 years old laying around the store. I have found old stock in hobby shops near me bought it and flipped on ebay and made a profit. There are a lot of guys looking for old discontinued items for various reasons and they are willing to pay more than original MSRP for it if the have to. You will need to monitor ebay to see what is selling for what price but it may be worth it. Is the shop your looking at in the Ft. Wayne area or elsewhere? I'd like to know when you have the big clearance sale. How far is Ft. Wayne from Chicago anyway.
Dan Metzger
Chicago is about 160 miles from Ft Wayne.
Show up for our parking lot sale and I'll treat you right!Yes we WILL HAVE and Ebay store!This store does have a website, but it's very ineffective!The present owner only wanted to pay the webmaster $7.00 an hour,and no bonuses or commissions, so the webmaster quit and the site is not updated or monitored,and the LHS owner wonders why he keeps losing money???I am having the business audited and professionally appraised.His selling price is way out of line.I am demanding a complete inventory be taken.The parking lot sale will take place before transfer of ownership, so I don't get stuck with allof his outdated inventory, and have to pay what he wants for older merchandise.Right now, he wants whatever he payed for 10 year old merchandise 10 years ago.NO WAY!!!It is setting on shelves taking up space that newer fast moving merchandise should be occupying.There is some nice train stuff, but it is old, and there are some real nice RC airplane kits, but they will be getting discounted a major amount to just get rid of them!Anything over one year old is going bye bye!Employees working on their own helicopters, or airplanes or perusing the internet on my time will end!
My incentive? Get caught working on your own stuff? Watch ing movies on company computers? Making long distance phone calls on company phones???-GET FIRED! Employees running up 1000 to 2000 dollar tabs on helicopters or RC cars or airplanes and carrying them out the door and paying 10% a month will end. Maximum tab will be 200 dollars.
Doesn't leave the store until it's payed for.Right now, there is about 6000 dollars of inventory that employees have purchased and carried out the door without having it 100% payed for.This owner is just WAY TOO LAX on policies!Small items will be going behind glass counters or shelves.
!News at 11 with film! LOL!
Would you prefer to see {[(a nice layout}]) or a layout combing maybe three scales or three separate layouts, say and Ho scale, an S scle and an O scale Or would you prefer to look at train equipment in {[(a display case}]) or actually se it in action on a layout? What if {[(a local club was allowed to build and operate a layout and help explain things to the buying public}]), in exchange for lower prices on train equipment purchases from the hobby shop?
~G4
19 Years old, modeling the Cowlitz, Chehalis, and Cascade Railroad of Western Washington in 1927 in 6X6 feet.
I am shocked that, given the number of jokesters and pranksters on this board, that no one mentioned a young 5 foot 9 inch blonde,
Look, any hobby shop needs to have basics: a good staff that knows their stuff, financial resources and high quality stock with good depth. The location is important, but over the years I have noted that people will drive to get to good businesses that make them feel welcome and know their product. And yes, as unusual or unthought of as it sounds, an ATM in the shop or a bank nearby would work wonders for business. Our LHS's in our area are under the gun right now and are showing signs of failing to meet customers' needs for product and service. It is a little sad as the ones remaining all started out so strong.
I'll look at the possibilities of an ATM. in the shop, but also what it costs.Anyone with information on this, please let me know. There are several banks nearby though.Competition with the internet is fierce, therefore this shop will have its own well maintained Ebay store.
But customer service WILL BE NUMBER ONE!Sure internet prices are usually lower, but what happens when something arrives broken or inneed of service?A shop that backs its products and provides in-store repair service ( we will have a full service repair shop in the store with at least two repairmen)Buy it in our store or on our Ebay store, and we WILL SERVICE and REPAIR IT or REPLACE IT if necessary.
If you buy it in my store, you may pay a little more, but you'll get more in the long run.I intend to have a test track, or layout to test train items on.If it doesn't work brand new out of the box, we will repair or replace it free of charge.This will not apply to RC cars or airplanes that come back, totally destroyed by a crash and the customer says, well something went wrong and I want my money back or a new car or airplane.This is happening now,and the present owner loses a lot of money giving in to people like this.If I eventually relocate the shop, and I do have my eye on a piece of property that will allow flying of model airplanes, I'll gladly teach you to fly competently, but it will not be free.As far as learning to fly RC airplanes I STRONGLY RECOMMEND using a flight simulator program first!
My concepts and intentions are to adapt to market changes to survive.Too many LHS's don't and they fail.True, we are in tough economic times, but I DON'T SEE companies like Walthers, Athearn, MTH, and many others going out of business, so this tells me there is still a market out there.My profit margins may not be very high, but I intend to due a high volume business!And I am looking at the possibilities of opening more stores in the future, not just here, but elsewhere.
My employees will be trained to be POLITE, COURTEOUS and HELPFUL, and KNOWLEDGEABLE to my customers, if they fail at this, they ARE OUT THE DOOR like JUMPING JACK FLASH !
[ I'll look at the possibilities of an ATM. in the shop, but also what it costs.Anyone with information on this, please let me know. There are several banks nearby though.]
K4:
Bank's will pay YOU rent for the space needed to house their ATM. It costs you nothing. But...
Bank's have to fill up and remove cash and maintain/repair the machine; offsetting that, and rent, by charging a fee to the customer for each transaction processed. A hobby shop probably wouldn't provide them with enough traffic/fee income to offset their costs. They would rather rent space in gas stations and casinos. I don't think they would be interested in putting one in a hobby shop.
COMING SOON!!!!
BIG PARKING LOT SALE!
Trains, Planes and RC Cars included.
Major price reductions, details soon!
TheK4Kid I'll look at the possibilities of an ATM. in the shop, but also what it costs.Anyone with information on this, please let me know. There are several banks nearby though.
I assume you plan to accept both credit and debit cards, so what's the point of an in-store ATM? A customer can just use the card directly. Sure, that means a fee for you, but it's no difference to them.
Would an ATM generate additional foot traffic? Maybe. Would this be potential customers? Maybe. Or would it be people who trudge through your shop just to get cash to go next door for their Latte? Seriously, I think you'd be better off without an ATM. It can be a magnet for groups of kids you would have to keep an eye on.
ME, with a load of cash!
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
Mister Beasley,,
No ATM will be in the store.There arean adequate number of banks and ATM machines nearby.I'm not going to be a bank or loan compqany.
I will have competitive pricing and also will have an Ebay storealso.The present owner has a website, but it it is inadequate and he scoffsat an Ebay store.
I will service what I sale.The present policy of people coming in with broken products with NO RECEIPTSthat they purchased the item at this store and expecting FREE repairs or FREE replacement without a receipt will NO LONGER be honored!The present owner loses a great deal of money with this policy.
Repairs of products under warranty will be handled quickly and efficiently.Repaiis out of warranty will cost an hourly rate plus parts, but will be repairedin the store repair shop.There is a huge quantity of old stock in the store which MUST GO, and I willconduct a parking lot sale and LIQUIDATE IT!Much of it has been on the shelves 10 years or longer.It's time for it to go BYE BYE!!!
My theory is this-It hasn't sold and is taking up valuable shelfspace for new products.If customers feel like I do, I get tired of seeing the same oldstock on the shelves, and very little new stock when I visit this store.
What doesn't sale will go on Ebay at bargain basement prices The parking lot sale will take place prior to my purchasing the businessbecause I am not going to purchase stock which is 10 to 20 years old!I and my partner have cut a deal with the present owner to do this, and makeother changes and monitor the results.If our business ideas succeed, we will purchase the business.
I have conducted this survey to get a feel for what people want to see in a hobby shop.It is true that many products can be bought online and be delivered to your front door.But the "personal touch" of dealing with a local shop owner is llost.And if something arrives broken or in a non-working condition, you are faced with boxing it back up and sending it back and waiting for a replacement.Not so if you purchase it from me!The old saying goes "You get what you pay for!"
Everyone have a great day!
Medina1128ME, with a load of cash!
Medina 1128,
Bring me a load of cash, and I'll send you home with a load of train goodies!!!!I hereby issue this disclaimer that am NOT RESPONSIBLE for what the "better half" says or does when you arrive home with your load of goodies!
Hope to see you soon!
TK4K:
Good luck, chief! You'll probably need a lot. Starting or rebuilding a business is never easy.
One thing you might do is experiment a little. Interest varies by region. Certain things get snapped up and others shelfwarm. The LHS has had a plain CR auto boxcar on the shelf for a million years, but when I ordered a Proto Mather boxcar kit and had them put it on the shelf to gauge (I was doing a little experiment of my own) it got snapped up quickly.
You might want to look at what your dealer is currently discounting, and pick up a few items that would seem to have broad appeal, then see which sell. Get more of the ones that do, and mark down the ones that don't to recover your cost and keep them from gathering dust. The risk should be minimal, and you'll gradually get a feel for what turns over quickly in your locale. The revenue from these sales will help you stock my stripwood and styrene displays.
Obviously it isn't something you want to do with big-buck items, but half a dozen different freight cars wouldn't be bad at all. Try a range of eras and skill levels. I'm surprised at how few LHS's seem to do experiments like this. A lot of 'em seem to stock only what the owner is interested in, or whatever people ordered and then lost interest in...this last one seems like an especially good way to fill the shelves with nonmovers.
TA 462,
Thanks for your reply.My policy of allowing employees to work on their personal toys on companytime will not be allowed!
I do not know what the complications of shipping Ebay items outside the USA is, but I'll have someone very familiar with Ebay operations looking into this matter! People wanting to learn how to install decoders, etc, will be covered by seminars.I will welcome any local train club which wants to build a layout in my store, and if space allows, a slot car track.The present building has limited space, but a store with more space is definetly being looked at.There is a big slot car facility located a very short distance away.However there are no LHS's anywhere close with a decent in-store layout.I look at an in-store layout in this way.People ( customers) can see trains in action, and a couple of local club guys could operate it.In exchange, I'll give them an extra good deal on train item purchases.It gives them a place to run their trains, and explain things to my customers.If it boosts my sales, I'll respond in kind by allowing them to purchase items at a good discount.Perhaps it will bring new members into their train club, and customers can see trains in action, rather than just seeing them setting in a display case.It could be a two way street!If people come in to see the trains running, perhaps they'll purchase something during their visit.I have personally seen people in the store to purchase a train set for Christmas or a birthday, but have no idea of how to assemble it or run it.I will have a layout from a Lionel starter set, up and running so the details like these can be explained!A product demonstration is a must!I will not be a baby-sitting service to youngsters that just wander in to watch the trains, that problem will be controlled.
What would I like to see ? A hobby store with the following :
TheK4Kid TA 462,Thanks for your reply.My policy of allowing employees to work on their personal toys on companytime will not be allowed!
This is a bad idea, I think.
No employee actually works 8 hours continuously, and if they did, they'd probably quit.
With this in mind, I'd rather see them take up those spare moments on hobby-related stuff rather than personal phone calls, smoke breaks, and the like.
Not sure I would enjoy working for someone who takes such a hard line on the subject, and you may drive away solid, model-railroad-specialist employees with it.
Midnight Railroader TheK4Kid TA 462, Thanks for your reply.My policy of allowing employees to work on their personal toys on companytime will not be allowed! This is a bad idea, I think. No employee actually works 8 hours continuously, and if they did, they'd probably quit.
TheK4Kid TA 462, Thanks for your reply.My policy of allowing employees to work on their personal toys on companytime will not be allowed!
MR:
Of course, you don't want an employee who ignores customers, or worse, looks up to see Pistol Packin' Pete (sadly a possibility in any retail store). I guess the potential for trouble would depend on the employee. Some people are better multitaskers. Others yak on the phone and ignore customers.
I'm also reminded, however, of the owner of Shinohara, who used to clean up switch castings with a file between customers at the company's hobby shop, keeping busy with company business, if I remember MR's writeup correctly. I've often seen owners or employees here repairing customers' items in between customers as well. An employee with that kind of work ethic would really help a shop succeed.