BEST LOCAL HOBBY SHOPS OF MY TIME IN HOBBY

[jag193]

Most of the LHS's that were my favorites are long gone ...

of course, Caboose Hobbies in Denver (even when it was downtown back in the 60s) was fantastic and still is

made most of my model railroad friends and got the best advice at Action Hobbies in Tulsa, OK

Dan's in Ocala, FL, is now my favoriate but I can only get there about two or three times a year

[brothaslide]

The Train Shop - Santa Clara, CA

[Tracklayer]

The Houston Roundhouse in Houston, Texas is my favorite!... I had a falling out with the owner last year because he marked a loco up $25.00 that I had on layaway, but after a big arguement, he came back down on the price and has been a lot nicer ever since.

TL

[jeffrey-wimberly]

The only hobby shop I can get to right now is Hare's Art & Hobby in Alexandria, Louisiana. I visit there when I have to go the Alexandria for my medical appointments. The drive there just to go to the shop and come back is a bit expensive. It's a 120 mile round trip and with the way gas is going up and up and up, it adds up. Did I mention, my Century gets only 12 mpg and that's on a good day.

[Anonymous]

My favorite is also the first LHS I ever went to. Dayton Model Railways (aka Smitty's Hobby Shop) in Dayton, Ohio. 58 years without a single bad experience. It's one of the last two LHS's in Dayton. The other one is a wonderful place to go if you don't need anything.

FritzvB

[wjstix]

I'll go with Woodcraft Hobby - "The old reliable on Lake and Bryant" in south Minneapolis. A family owned and operated hobby shop started by Claude Newman in 1938. They sponsored a local 15 min. TV show in the sixties-seventies on Saturday afternoon. That (and living next to a rail line) made me really want to get into model railroading!!! Luckily my Dad was their mailman at the time, and on their advice he bought a Tyco train set and MRC "Golden Throttlepack" from them that I got for Xmas 1971.

[jrbernier]

Art,

I remember Gagers. Great folks. Their best MR store was the one in Southdale Shopping Center - They had everything. Gagers was bought out and replaced by Craft Village, which died as well.

Jim

[howmus]

I would vote for Lake City Hobbies in Geneva, NY. Excellent local shop that will order in most anything you need if they don't have it in stock.

http://people.clarityconnect.com/webpages2/valley/books.htm

And Empire Northern Models in Webster, NY. Tim Smith is Da Man for DCC and beats just about everybody's prices including the big names on anything DCC. Knows his stuff!

http://www.empirenorthernmodels.com/index.htm

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by KenLarsen

M.B. Klein, Baltimore, MD;

Peach Creek Shops, Laurel, MD

[#ditto][#ditto]

Also within striking distance (1/4 tank fo gas each way) Tommy Gilberts in Gettysburg,PA , Mailine Hobby Supply in Blue Ridge Summit, PA, Both well stocked stores.
Also getting an honorable mention from me is the Moose Caboose in Winfield, MD. While it is not a terribly large store like the others, Glen the owner is all about servicing his customers. If I want it, he gets it A.S.A.P, and his stock seems to grow daily.
A long time fav for me is Dennison's in Berlin MD. Right off route 50 outside of Ocean City, I always make a point of stopping there before a couple of days at the beach. After all, its gotta rain sometime!!![:D]

[Anonymous]

M.B. Klein, Baltimore, MD;

Peach Creek Shops, Laurel, MD

[Mailman56701]

TPA Hobby, in Hollister, Missouri. Incredible place.

http://tpahobby.com/vrtour.htm

[jpmorrison]

i like caboose hobbies and mizells trains in denver also walthers in milw.

jeff

[Anonymous]

Caboose Hobbies in Denver. The biggest

[ARTHILL]

How about Gager's in Minneapolis?

[Anonymous]

Instead of the blues, let's honor the best. Mine are:

1.) Engine House Hobbies - Wichita, KS (Much like Caboose. Great people, great inventory).

2.) Christmas City Hobbies - Bethlehem, PA (out of business now. It was in the front of the Lehigh and Keystone Valley Model Railroad Club). Learned a lot from the club and the shop. Club is still booming. Check it out on the NMRA July tour.

3.) Discount Model Trains - Addison, TX (This was the mecca of modeling. Everything in the store 20% off. I worked there to help out for product in Summer of 1993. Loved Barbara, Bob, Jack and James who runs it now.

4.) Does anyone remember this one: Switchstand in Richmond Heights, MO. A St. Louis suburb? I remember buying an Athearn 40' AT&SF box car for $1.75 there in 1977 and having a two hour conversation with the guys who ran things.

5.) Woolworth - St. Louis, MO (Yes they had a giant model railroad department) Great stock and prices.

6.) Val's - St. Louis, MO (Val Dasho's shop - great place) Val turned me on to other brands of track than Atlas.

7.) Frank The Trainman - San Diego, CA - My first hobby shop as a kid growing up in San Diego. Used pieces of brass snap track for 5 cents.

8.) Reeds Hobby Shop - Escondido, CA - Visited there in 2002. I don't know if they are still in business up there. Great store.

9.) Trains and Lanes - Easton, PA - This place has 25 units of everything. If you want a 3 pack of NRM cabooses, they have it.

10.) J&D's Whistle Stop - Quakertown, PA - Great layout and nice store with decent inventory.

The weirdest - Fisher's in Effort, PA - They have an ad in MR that says operating layout. It's a circle of track. The place is a TV repair shop. A store in St. Louis on THE HILL another TV repair shop I called the horder. This guy had every Revell and Plasticville building in original boxes, new in stock in a room, not for sale. Oh and Tom's Trains here in Fresno. I can't tell what it is.