Support Your LOCAL hobby shop?

[Yampa Bob]

I know what the major problem is, but being a patriot I can't describe it on the board.  However, if I mention the word "productivity" you might get the gist of my feelings.

I'm sure other members will silently agree.

[lmackattack]

I think Im on the same page with you Robert

what was that old bumper sticker? "support America" where did that ever go?......china?

[jward]

i have a somewhat different take on the local hobby shop. i have friends who have tried to keep afloat running a local shop......

first of all, regarding prices. the big boys, trainworld, mb kleins and their ilk, are selling their stuff for less than the wholesale price my friend can get that item for. how do you compete with that?

another thing to consider. most people will buy their major purchases online, yet when they need locomotive parts or screws or some other thing the big boys refuse to stock they turn to the local dealer they snubbed for the big stuff. you can't make a living selling spare parts. also, if you ever want to install signals on your layout, just try mail ordering them. any dealer who sells them online is probebly not going to discount them enough to cover shipping.....

i try to support those dealers who will have what i need, or order it for me.....

[lmackattack]

im guilty of buying locos online for cost savings. I own about 25 locos and I think about 7 of them I found online. If I recall I bought my first BLI mike at the LHS for around $200 2 weeks later I found one online for $120! that was hard to swallow!
But...I do buy all my decoders,track,rolling stock,buildings,paint,small items from the LHS. Over all I spend alot more at the LHS than online. I would like to ask the LHS for a small price brake on locos but I also feel cheep doing so. If the LHS has a loco for $200 and online they sell the same for $150shipped . I have a hard time buying the same for $50 more. If the LHS could get it down to a $25 gap Im fine with that. We all like to get a good deal but I also want to support the local guy as thats where I will go when I need 90% of my trains. I still buy athearn and accurail cars kits as they are mostly made in the USA.

I like to think I still support this country in many ways

[OkieRick]

The train store I purchased my first loco from after getting back in the HO habbit - excuse me, I mean hobby is owned by one man & his wife.  They are also open only part time Tue, Thurs and Fri then all day Saturday.  Their hook is they are a club first and vendor second.

He buys from Walthers and has a good stock.  The loco I purchased from him was a Proto 2000 Heritage Series 2-10-2 Heavy Steam Loco DCC and Sound.  It happened to be on sale at Walthers for $180.  He dropped his price to match Walthers.  I *believe* shops that buy from Walthers have this opportunity.  He for sure couldn't have withstood the price drop from $500 to $180.

I called two Tulsa 'hobby shops" asking about Atlas turnouts and motors - no one could tell me a thing except "I think we have what you want."

I'll buy at Erail when I can and other online stores when possible. http://www.erailhobbies.com/

Rick

[rallygsc]

Hello Everyone:

Sadly in my area one of my favorite hobby shops closed a few years back,
Wings and Things in Chesterton, IN.

so all that is left in my area in my opinion is 1 real hobby shop  G&G in Griffith, IN, Rocky, Larry and the gang are helpful and they go out of their way to help.

there's another hobby shop Called Valpo Pet and Hobby, that store is too overpriced on everything, and I am not saying this because of online prices and such, that place is nuts, I think it is because of it's proximity near the college

there is Hobby Shops in Laporte IN that are great, but that's almost 1hr drive so that's now too feasible with the gas prices at the moment,

so G&G being 20 min away, it's cool,

I admit I love to save money and yes I will shop online,  a brand new 2-8-4 by bachmann for $80.00 versus $105.00 plus tax, what would you do?.

a lot of us have fallen to the internet bug, and when a lot of us are strapped for cash, we try to get the best deals we can.

there's a hobbytown near me, that store sucks, I will never recommend it, and I always steer friends away from it, the owner caters more to model railroaders, but the problem is the fact the owner will not do special orders for people.

I have been screwed over a bunch of times there on special orders, because of it, I stopped shopping there,

I have asked the owner if he needed money down, he said no, so when the item was supposed to arrive he says "OH GREAT PLANES CANCELLED THE ORDER",

well when you go online to tower hobbies website, the item is available, hmmm,

I have heard the same complaint about hobby town from more than one person, this is the reason that store had to relocate 3 times in 5 years, no customers, can't afford the rent,

then you have Hobby Lobby, I do not consider this place a hobby shop, I consider it a bad version of wal mart, LOL.

I remember when I was a kid, there used to be a lot of hobby shops, I just hope the hobby shop is not a dying breed like the drive ins,

take care
George

[BestSnowman]

George-
I have to disagree with you about hobby lobby, while it doesn't seem to cater too much to model railroaders my local store has been extremely helpful to me, they offer great deals and carry a pretty good selection of bachmann products (except DCC engines, they have only one and its a long steam engine that would never fit on my 18" radius track) and their 40% off email coupons are great. I bought the digital commander that lists on this site for $290 for $120 plus taxes with a 40% coupon.

While its not a model railroader's haven it is very useful to those of us that would have to otherwise drive over 100 miles to the nearest train shop. Plus my wife is a scrapbooker so its a store we can both go too without being bored out of our minds.