Support Your LOCAL hobby shop?

[Yampa Bob]

Jeff,
How far are you from Denver?  If you visit the store, check out the detail parts section.  They have so much stuff they have sliding sections to hold it all.

If you want to see it all, plan to spend the day, or overnight. We like shopping in the summer, so we can shop until closing and still drive back in daylight.  Access is easy, at 5th and Broadway, with lots of free parking.

Plan another day stayover if you want to visit the railroad museum and Georgetown Loop.

Oh yeah, take lots of money.   

[Daylight4449]

I am very fortunate to have Caboose Hobbies, which I believe is the nation's largest train store, only 200 miles away.  I visit them about once a month, and the store is always packed with customers.  They are open 7 days a week.

If I need something in a hurry, I call in the morning, the item is usually here the next day.

lucky, I have one great hobby shop I love but it closes early and being closed on sunday (It is in my home, bergan county N.J.) it is nearly impossale to go to. It is 15 miles away and I love going there

[lirrman]

I think many of you are overlooking the real problem.  While working in Richmond, IN a while ago I visited a brand new hobby shop in the downtown area.  We talked about a new steam locomotive I was interested in  but the owner said he won't even carry it in stock.  Why?  because his "wholesale" price from the distributor was HIGHER than what the mail order places were selling it for.  The problem is not the hobby shops but the manufacturers who have different price structures for different customers. This puts the locals guys at a distinct disadvantage.  If all retailers paid the same price for their products they could compete with mail order.  Bachmann is guilty of this.  Just look a Trainworlds prices in Model Railroader and the banner on top of the page: "Bachmann's Top Dealer".  I plead guilty of using mail order when I can buy a new Bachmann American Freedom GS4 for $100 less than the local hobby shop.  Sales tax and shipping can't make up that much difference and waiting is not a problem.  I have to wait for the week-end to go to the hoibby shop anyway so if I order on a Monday I usually have it by the week-end or following Monday.  The mail order guys have quick shipping down to a science.

[Pacific Northern]

I simply can not afford to support the local hobby shop on a regular basis.  Unless it is during one of the few special sales that occur on a very irregular basis.

The price on the stock is basically the Walthers suggested price plus anywhere from 25% to 50%.

[kevin2083]

Both hobby shops around me are supplied by Horizon hobby, which tends not to have the best prices. I still make the 62 mile round trip to one of them about once a week, but the other has lost my business because most of the people there make it seem like I'm wasting their time by coming in there and not buying the most expensive R/C hellicopter. Driving really isn't a problem for me. I usually end up driving around 1000 miles a week. I can't order online without a credit card, so local is my only option.

[NelsOn-30]

An example:

I purchased a Bachman locomotive from a dealer in the USA while on a vacation.

The same locomotive in a British Columbia LHS, after factoring in taxes and exchange rate, would have cost 299% more.

Other LHS's were 10% less, best price I could find locally.

I did avoid shipping charges, brokerage fees, and Canadian duty and taxes by importing under a travel exemption,

My choice becomes; buy 1 locally or 2 to 3 while on a trip?

[Santa Fe buff]

I like our local hobby shops. The two we have are:

Hobby Lobby (More like a store)
http://www.hobbylobby.com/

They have thousands of sales everyday. I can't go there one day (unless it's a day they're closed) when I don't find something Model Trains with some sort of percentage off. They carry a bunch of train sets, and a most of them are Bachmann. They have tons of products from these manufactures:

• Bachmann
• Woodland Scenics
• Kalmbach Publishing
• Model Power (uh!)

and...

• Tons of Lionel!

They also have a weekly 40% off coupon on anything not on sale.

Hobbies R 4 U (A Small Hobby Shop with trains, airplanes, R/C, car kits, paints, and new HO scale stuff.)
http://hobbiesr4u.com/

They have seasonal sales. Overall, they sell MSRP. Sometimes small things (Couplers, turf, cork, etc.) are a dollar or two less. For Christmas time, they have some very good sales. I think I got a Bachmann Meteor set for about $50.00. I go there because they carry the small parts and tools (and standard track) I'm looking for. They changed a lot, and they have a LOT of N scale track and stuff. Plus a lot of other things ranging from G Gauge track to N scale track. I think they're the only local hobby shop out here that provides computer access so you can order your train/part through the computer. They'll call you when it comes in to Hobbies R 4 U.

To think we went from having no hobbies shops, to having these when I really got going into my hobby!

Josh

[Daylight4449]

I once saw a hobby shop with no trains  They just sold rc car parts.

[Santa Fe buff]

That's probably because they specialize in the R/C hobby. Not all hobby shops have anything trains or trains at all.

Josh

[richG]

There is an excellent LHS about fifteen miles from me. They handle all kinds of hobby stuff. They had to close off the section for slot cars because of not enough interest. I cannot always get there but I can call and they order the Walther's part number I require and hold it for me.
They also give our local model railroad club a nice discount.

http://www.insiderpages.com/b/3715386570

Rich

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

Jeff,
How far are you from Denver?

I'm in Philadelphia.

If you visit the store, check out the detail parts section.  They have so much stuff they have sliding sections to hold it all.

If you want to see it all, plan to spend the day, or overnight. We like shopping in the summer, so we can shop until closing and still drive back in daylight.  Access is easy, at 5th and Broadway, with lots of free parking.

Plan another day stayover if you want to visit the railroad museum and Georgetown Loop.

Oh yeah, take lots of money.   

Detail parts and decals are two of the items I have most difficulty finding. As for bringing lots of money, that's why they made credit cards. 

Jeff

[danmerkel]

Just curious what others think.

Perhaps this is a stretch, but does anyone else see a similarity between this issue and the whole concept of oursourcing jobs to other countries?  The Internet/online hobby shops often have much lower or no overhead since they don't have a "bricks & mortar" store.  They often are "second jobs" so their owners don't really need to earn a living wage OR they are located in an area where the cost of living is less.  And people who patronize them often find that some day, there are no longer any local hobby shops in their area.

Outsourced jobs tend to go to areas where labor is cheaper/cost of living is lower (considerably), they are often located in countries where the government subsidizes benefits making their overhead lower and... yep, that arrangement typically ends up costing us jobs.

Maybe it's a stretch but you have to admit that it is at least similar.

I look at it this way... if I see an item that I want, I decide if I want to pay the shop owner's existing price.  If I want it bad enough, I pay it.  If not, it stays on the shelf.  I won't offer him less for a reason that most people haven't thought of.  How would you feel if your employer allowed someone else to do your job for a few dollars less?  And you know darn well that there are people out there who would, especially in this time of a tough economy.

Support your local hobby shop?  ABSOLUTELY!

dlm

[SteamGene]

Our local hobby shops are drying up.  I've bought from them when they were open, but the closest one now is 20 miles away.  One is a chain with all MSRP, and no great selection of what I need, and the other is mostly plastic airplanes.  I used to go to the Naval Base hobby shop, but after 9/11 they redid the roads on base and getting to it makes me think I'm trying to avoid torpedoes.  One other gives a discount to NMRA members, but only if you pay cash - maybe check. 
Gene

[boomertom]

I  am in complete agreement with Gene. We have very limited access to any railroad oriented hobby shops even though Norfolk Southern is headquarted here.

Most of us are forced into mail order by circumstances rather than choice.
As I am on the opposite side of the tunnel ftom Gene I can get to a hobby shop a little closer, but HO is very limited at this shop.

Tom

[grumpy]

Every time we purchase a model loco rolling stock or accessories we enforce the continuance of jobs lost to foreign companies. Turn your loco over and it will say made in China . There used to be made in Italy or made in Yugoslavia or even made in US. The decision to make a certain loco is made in China based primarily on the possible profit. If they can take an old mold and ressurect it  (2-10-4 ) the possibilities of profit are greater.
I believe in support your local hobby shop but if they don't have what I want at the price I can afford to pay then I must go elsewhere'.
Don