# Hobby shop prices - discussion continued



## Mister Bill (Jan 30, 2014)

Building on the earlier post, at least your hobby shop stocks things at a price, and you can choose to buy it or not.

Dibble's Hobbies in San Antonio and King's in Austin do not bother with inventory. They have a store full of empty shelves. That way, they don't have to wait on you.

If you want something, they can order it for you.

How is your area?

Bill


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Wonder why they would even bother then? Overhead without inventory? Sounds like a very different business model.....


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## Mister Bill (Jan 30, 2014)

They say they blame it on sporadic foreign production and imports. 

I am not in their shoes.

They probably have a point.

Bill


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## Prewar Pappy (Jul 26, 2015)

*LHS= Vanishing Species*

Over the years my hometown LHS has spiraled downhill. These past fifteen years all the focus is on radio-controlled toys. Their full-time train guy is only at the store ten hours each week. They're no longer a Lionel Service Center or able to take care of MTH products.

My next major player is Western Depot and it's two and one half hours north. They carry almost everything and sell products throughout the U.S.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

All older technologies and concepts are subject to replacement by the newer and better. Like living creatures, they either evolve or die. Brick and mortar retail is no different.

And as another example, as I sit here typing, an 11.2kW solar panel installation is being installed on my roof. Now kiss my hairy rear end, Eversource!


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## HO-Railways (Aug 20, 2015)

At least you still have one. The only "hobby shop" I have is a Hobby Lobby (not much in the way of model trains).


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## BobS (Jun 18, 2015)

Around here, Hobby Lobby is more of a craft store, no trains or trains related stuff at all. Pretty neat stuff, for sure, but not if you're looking for trains. 

We're still fortunate enough, in the GREATER Pittsburgh AREA to have a few great stores that stock lots and lots of stuff, at pretty fair prices.


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## mikek (Dec 29, 2013)

Luckily, I have two well stocked hobby shops within 5 miles or so. I don't complain about their prices because I always get my money's worth in advice. RC toys are much more popular now, but thankfully trains still have some fans. Sure wish there was a club though, it would be nice to have other fans to sit around and talk to, share the trains with.


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## cj5v6 (Dec 8, 2014)

Prewar Pappy said:


> Over the years my hometown LHS has spiraled downhill. These past fifteen years all the focus is on radio-controlled toys. Their full-time train guy is only at the store ten hours each week. They're no longer a Lionel Service Center or able to take care of MTH products.
> 
> My next major player is Western Depot and it's two and one half hours north. They carry almost everything and sell products throughout the U.S.


Prewar Pappy, You might want to try Rogers Railroad in Lodi Ca. They have a great selection and pretty ok prices. Have Lionel and deal with MTH stuff. Roger and Nancy are very helpful. 
Lodi would seem to me to be closer to you than Western Depot in Yuba City. 
Thx, Jim


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

I have a great LHS about 3-1/5 miles from me.
Shameless plug: http://randysroundhouse.com/
He has a decent selection, and what he doesn't have he can order, all at a good price. Anytime I go in (which isn't as often as I'd like, thanks budget) he always greets me by name. He has my business!:smilie_daumenpos:

HobbyTown, USA has it's headquarters here in Lincoln. Maybe because it was founded here?
The only outlet with any train stuff is WAY in southeast Lincoln, and the MR stuff is just a corner of the store. The rest is RC vehicles and gaming miniatures. Some plastic models as well.


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

In SE Pennsylvania, we are blessed with several well stocked train stores (Henning’s, Nicholas Smith, Bussinger’s just to name a few).


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

flyboy2610 said:


> HobbyTown, USA has it's headquarters here in Lincoln. Maybe because it was founded here?


Google says it was founded there in 1980.......


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## RonthePirate (Sep 9, 2015)

Arrr, it's bone-dry for hobby stores here in NW Arizona. All the kids like off-road, all the adults like whiskey, the ones in between cook meth (Slight exaggeration there) 
Very few hobby-oriented people here. Much less model railroaders.

The closest to a real big boys' train store is Henderson, Nevada.
That's where _The Train Engineer_ is. It's a pretty complete store. He likes Lionel, so he can't be bad.
The website isn't the best, though. It's one of those that, if you're not familiar with what the model number looked like, you won't know what he has for sale.


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## DavefromMD (Jul 25, 2013)

Here in the Baltimore area we have the best of both worlds. M. B. Klein (Modeltrainstuff.com is their online store) has a large inventory and cheap prices. Their warehouse is at the back of the store and whatever is available online can be had in the store in addition to what is on the shelves at the store. All at probably the best prices you will find.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

DavefromMD said:


> Here in the Baltimore area we have the best of both worlds. M. B. Klein (Modeltrainstuff.com is their online store) has a large inventory and cheap prices. Their warehouse is at the back of the store and whatever is available online can be had in the store in addition to what is on the shelves at the store. All at probably the best prices you will find.


I'm jealous. Do you have a spare bedroom? Well two, really, one for me and one for my layout.


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## Chet (Aug 15, 2014)

I have no hobby shops whatsoever in my area. Haven't for years. There is one in Billings, 150 miles away, and I do stop in when I am in the area to see if just by chance thay might have something I need. 99% of the time, they don't. I get the old "well, we can special order it for you" routine from them Right, pay full retail and have a 300 mile round trip to get it. 

My layout was pretty much at a standstill for a number of years until online retailers came on the scene. In the late 70's I did have a dealership with Walthers, Con Cor and a few other suppliers and was helping a number of modelers in the state and a model railroad club, as well as myself and a local friend, but then a recession hit and I got laid off and had to let the dealership go. 

We travel quite a lot and I will always do a search for any hobby shops in that area we may be visiting, or along the route we'll be traveling. They are becoming fewer and fewer. A few years back while we were attending a national bowling tournament in Reno, NV I was on the hunt for a hobby shop. Reno is a fairly good size town. No such animal. (Sorry Magic, I feel your pain). 

Now I get most everything on line. MB Klein is probably my number one place to shop, but I do deal with a number of other suppliers. 

he one thing I really miss is seeing the product I am interested in in person, handling it and if necessary test run a locomotive so I can see how it runs. 

If you have a decent hobby shop near by, consider yourself very lucky.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Club*



mikek said:


> Luckily, I have two well stocked hobby shops within 5 miles or so. I don't complain about their prices because I always get my money's worth in advice. RC toys are much more popular now, but thankfully trains still have some fans. Sure wish there was a club though, it would be nice to have other fans to sit around and talk to, share the trains with.


 mikek;
I'm a bit surprised to hear that you can't find a train club in a big city like Atlanta.
Guess that mean old General Sherman destroyed all the railroads, except yours.:laugh:
I'm very fortunate to have multiple clubs in N, HO, and O scales and a good train store here in San Diego. I don't know how long the train store will survive though, as business is way down.
I give them all mine, but that's not enough to keep them going.

The other end of "service" in local hobby shops is a place called "Hobby People."
The last time, and I mean the very last time, I was there, the two clerks were quite annoyed that a mere customer would interrupt their B.S.ing with each other merely to buy something! One of these bozos literally grabbed the money from my hand and rang up the sale without a word to me. I had only gone to this dump because they were the only local shop that stocked my favorite(Tamiya) paint. Every bottle I've bought since has been ordered through the good shop(Reeds Trains). It's well worth waiting a few days to get decent service. As for "Hobby People" the apes employed there are not likely hobbyists;
and somewhat doubtful as being people! In any case there will be ten feet of solid pack ice over hell before I ever go back there! This is one LHS that deserves to fail. 

Traction Fan


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## /6 matt (Jul 7, 2015)

Unless you count hobby lobby and hobby town, my closest hobby shop is about 35 miles away. It used to be a 45 mile drive before I moved last year. Anyways, its called the Train Shop in Marion, NC and the owners name is Randy, he is super awesome on his pricing. The store looks like an episode of American Pickers and there is all sorts of used treasures for awesome prices. His new inventory is regularly close to 50℅ below MSRP. There are some other things that are blatent ripoffs like the scale for weighing rolling stock that cost $40 but hey, he's gotta make money one way or another.

Kinda funny how the only real hobby shop in like 4 counties is just south of the Clinchfeild Loops


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Jacksonville, a market of over a million people now is down to
one hobby shop. There were several a few years back and in
various sections of this very large sprawling City. We do have
several Hobby Lobby and Michael's stores where you can buy modelling
supplies, but train items are available only at Hobby World. A couple
of local flea markets also have small train stores dealing mainly in
used gear.

Like most of you have discovered, remote control cars, planes, boats
and drones seems to be the major sector of the sales here.

I am concerned about that lone hobby shop. There is a sign in it's
window stating they are not closing but may be moving when they
sell their present building if they cannot work a suitable lease with
the buyer.

Don


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## MacDaddy55 (Aug 19, 2008)

*On Wisconsin!!*

Here in NE Wisconsin/ Green Bay area we have Engine house Services and GBT Trains(Lionel) that provide everything that a collector/Modeler would need for our hobby. In the Milwaukee area there is Jetco's Hiawatha Hobby in Waukesha, Sommerfeldts Trains & Hobby in Cudahay and Walthers Terminal Hobby(Home of Walthers) in Milwaukee. So we are not wanting for places to seek deals and meet people. Engine House is my favorite as they will bend over backwards to take care of loyal customers. Paul the owner say's he does more business with people from outside the Green Bay area or Transient customers than locals. But his shop operates as a business but is Fan Friendly...Old School!!:appl:


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## Ricky Tanner (Sep 19, 2015)

We've got the usual Michaels and Hobby Lobby and a single pathetic Hobbytown in the "Rock" that caters to "gamers" more than anything else. There's a small hobby shop nearby. But alas,it's run by one of those stereotypical grouchy/grumpy owners. The internet (MB Klein,Nicholas Smith,JusTrains,Charles Ro,Trainz,eBay) is my LHS.


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