A LHS Story--no sale

The_Old_Man · January 22, 2008, 10:54pm

Went on Monday to a San Diego county model railroad shop. It was my first visit. It has been in business for many years and is well known. I am a complete newbie and just built my first 4 x 8 table. I was looking at the model building–I am preparing to tackle my first model and I was very bad a model car building in my teens. I went to the owner/manager (?) and asked which one brand he would recommend for a beginner. He said, “those ones you were looking at.” I was looking at all the different brands–they had about 10 to 12 represented. He then said Atlas was OK.

Well I wound up with nothing. If he had got off his butt and come over with me he could have picked up a model and probably had sold it to me. Then I would have asked for suggestions for paint, glue and other tools. I probably would have spend $50 and he would have had a future customer. Instead I walked out with a $1.75 file and a $1.95 Xacto knife.

So what will happen? I start a thread asking for suggestions for beginning model kits–1900 town buildings and then order them on the internet. The LHS had the feel of one of those that is favored by those in the clique, but not inviting to the outsider. I realize that this is only a one time snap shot and perhaps it was a bad day, but it doesn’t look good for the future of LHSs.

CAZEPHYR · January 22, 2008, 11:11pm

Went on Monday to a San Diego county model railroad shop. It was my first visit. It has been in business for many years and is well known. I am a complete newbie and just built my first 4 x 8 table. I was looking at the model building–I am preparing to tackle my first model and I was very bad a model car building in my teens. I went to the owner/manager (?) and asked which one brand he would recommend for a beginner. He said, “those ones you were looking at.” I was looking at all the different brands–they had about 10 to 12 represented. He then said Atlas was OK.

Well I wound up with nothing. If he had got off his butt and come over with me he could have picked up a model and probably had sold it to me. Then I would have asked for suggestions for paint, glue and other tools. I probably would have spend $50 and he would have had a future customer. Instead I walked out with a $1.75 file and a $1.95 Xacto knife.

So what will happen? I start a thread asking for suggestions for beginning model kits–1900 town buildings and then order them on the internet. The LHS had the feel of one of those that is favored by those in the clique, but not inviting to the outsider. I realize that this is only a one time snap shot and perhaps it was a bad day, but it doesn’t look good for the future of LHSs.

That story could be told about many of the LHS accross the nation as many owners are near retirement and do not have show any excitement for the hobby. I have seen this in many small shops and I normally try to find something to purchase when I visit. Sometimes it is very hard to find any thing I need and they are not a big help in finding things. Contrast that against Caboose Hobbies which I visited last month in Denver. There you can get help and normally stand in line to pay on

steinjr · January 22, 2008, 11:32pm

Reminds me of a joke about an engineer, a physicist and a mathematician that are travelling on a train through Scotland. They look out the window and see a black sheep on a hillside.

The Engineer says : “In Scotland, sheep are black”.

The Physicist says : “In Scotland, at least some sheep are black”.

The Matematcian says: “In Scotland, there exists at least one sheep that is black at least on one side”.

Grin,
Stein

BlueHillsCPR · January 23, 2008, 12:36am

Went on Monday to a San Diego county model railroad shop. It was my first visit. It has been in business for many years and is well known. I am a complete newbie and just built my first 4 x 8 table. I was looking at the model building–I am preparing to tackle my first model and I was very bad a model car building in my teens. I went to the owner/manager (?) and asked which one brand he would recommend for a beginner. He said, “those ones you were looking at.” I was looking at all the different brands–they had about 10 to 12 represented. He then said Atlas was OK.

Well I wound up with nothing. If he had got off his butt and come over with me he could have picked up a model and probably had sold it to me. Then I would have asked for suggestions for paint, glue and other tools. I probably would have spend $50 and he would have had a future customer. Instead I walked out with a $1.75 file and a $1.95 Xacto knife.

So what will happen? I start a thread asking for suggestions for beginning model kits–1900 town buildings and then order them on the internet. The LHS had the feel of one of those that is favored by those in the clique, but not inviting to the outsider. I realize that this is only a one time snap shot and perhaps it was a bad day, but it doesn’t look good for the future of LHSs.

You spent too much! The LHS owner appears to be his own worst enemy in most shops these days.