Did my weekly stroll through Hobby Lobby today and found their HO scale vehicles have been replaced by a larger hot wheels type selection. Although they never had much selection anyway with a coupon it was a decent buy when they did have something I could use.
I didn't know they had them. Oh well. CMW needs to do some different stuff, maybe even bring back the old Ford PU??
Richard
Yep, just the latest of things that have changed recently. They were just to the point of reaching critical mass in the RR dept, then they threw the whole thing out the window. They have a handful of trainsets and few Woodland Scenics items, plus the usual selection of general model supplies. If it wasn't for paint, bruashes and a few other things, I wouldn't find much.
They used to have a pretty good stock of the larger sizes of wood stock and in packages of 5 for $2.99. GONE
CMW vehicles. GONE
Individual rolling stock and locos. GONE
Sort of like the death of a LHS. With all the decorative junk (OK, just my opinion, but mostly stuff I'd never buy) they stock, you'd think the diversity of customers that RR supplies brought would be something that they'd pursue. Guess not.
One thing I've bought the heck out of are some SandyLion brand stickers that are just pine trees, over and over and over. Works great right at the horizon where your scenery meets the bottom of your backdrop. Easy to cut and in the clingy sort of backing that makes them easy to get right where you want without being so crazy sticky they're hard to handle. I went through about 15 packages before I got everything done I wanted. You get 64 trees for $1.99 -- try beating that price for trees anywhere. So what if they're 2-D? They look great.
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Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
The Hobby Lobby stores I was in never had much of a selection of model railroad items. Their prices were not that competitive and it was only the use of their coupons that made their merchandise affordable.
I agree. I sent a note off to CMW a year or so ago and asked why did they not bring back some of their old releases. I was told that it was due to licencing.
It is quite a shocker seeing what their old stock items bring on e-bay. Many of their old stock items hit the $30.00 mark.
I am very satisfied with CMW's last release the 1948 chevy trucks, especially the pick ups. The detail level is good. I was surprised to see that they had changed from metal to an acrylic though.
The certainly do have a niche market the 1940's to 1960's. Not much in the way of competition, Smart move on their behalf.
There's several Hobby Lobby stores in my area, and over the last two years they have all dropped almost all of their HO scale stock.
The only plus side was that I used to check the clearance aisle on a weekly basis and got some good deals on a few things.
CMW are carried by Walmart under another name if I remember.I think Malibu International and they are a lot cheaper there.
RMax
There was an announcement on these forums about a year ago that the Hobby Lobby corporate headquarters had dictated that all train items would be eliminated. They carry what sells.
Just like Radio Shack -- used to be a good source of electronic components for the experimenter, but today they carry very little other than cell phones and other gadgets aimed at the younger generation.
Retailers have to adapt to the market demand or go out of business.
RMax1 CMW are carried by Walmart under another name if I remember.I think Malibu International and they are a lot cheaper there.
The Malibu cars which Walmart sometimes has are not CMW models. On the other hand, they are cast metal with good window glazing and details, and are well worth the price. I got a bunch fo them for $1.67 each some years back, but I haven't seen them lately. (Admittedly, I almost never go to Walmart. It's not philosophical, just inconvenient.)
These cars are available at most train shows I go to for about $5 each. They're still a bargain at that price.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Sorry about that. It's probably the Model Power Mini's I was thinking of.
RMax1 Sorry about that. It's probably the Model Power Mini's I was thinking of. RMax
Does Walmart still have these? It might be worth swinging by if they do.
MisterBeasley RMax1: Sorry about that. It's probably the Model Power Mini's I was thinking of. RMax Does Walmart still have these? It might be worth swinging by if they do.
RMax1: Sorry about that. It's probably the Model Power Mini's I was thinking of. RMax
They've been gone for a couple of years now. Some even had the fresh cherries. If my local ones did, I would have cleaned them out.
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.
I've scoured our Walmarts around Houston for the past year and have not found any HO scale vehicles. I guess in the volume WM sells things HO models were probably a distant second to the 3-6 year olds that want a larger car to scoot along the floor and leave out in the rain.
The whole Walmart/Malibu thing started with some disagreement with manufacturers in China, where as Malibu had all those vehicle models made, they had to dump them and Walmart was the solution. It was a one shot deal. Reel Rides and Hot cherries jumped in for a while, then they all disappeared.
I think CMW does a fine job and use many of there vehicles, but personally wish for more '60's offerings. mh.