It appears another mail order hobby shop has closed down. Joe Donato (TCA #12-66954)of Bryler Junction seems to have closed down. His site is still accessible but emails get returned as undeliverable. Phones go unanswered. Does anyone have an better information on reaching Joe? Thanks, Roger Huber
He used to sell a lot of stuff through the HOSwap and HOInterchange Yahoo groups. A couple months ago I believe that there was some comment on one of those groups about complaints received by the group owner that Joe shouldn’t be allowed to sell there because he was, for lack of a better term, a professional dealer rather than an indiividual wanting to sell only a couple of items.
I have noted that there have been no postings from him to either of those groups recently.
I did order some Floquil paint from him earlier this year, and waited what I felt to be a long time before it was received. And at that time I had sent him several e-mails asking the where abouts of my order, but never received a response. I did finally receive my order.
The interesting thing was that I had sent him a USPS money order. It is theoretically possible to track the status of one of them if you enter the MO number in one of the PO’s websites. The last time I checked, I saw that there was still not any indication that it had been cashed.
Bottom line is that I have no clue what is going on.
I’ve never heard of or dealt with Bryler Junction, but for what it’s worth their web site is still active if this is the one you’re asking about. Note that at the bottom of the site, though, that it is dated 2012.
I’ve seen posts in HOSwap, and possibly HOI that appeared to be professional dealers. There was one with such a long list of locomotives that it strained credulity. I realize a person with a large collection could advertised but it sure looked suspicious.
I had a couple good transactions with Joe. I ordered a LOT of Scalecoat paint from him around last December. I got a lot of emails from him telling me stories about looking for new sources for the paint. He finally told me he had contacted Weaver (maker of Scalecoat) and had become a dealer so I could get a better price. Several emails later after being told it had been shipped I still didn’t get my paint. Supposedly it was lost or damaged in shipment and he would ship out a replacement order right away. Then I got an email that, while out of town, his bedroom flooded so emails would be sporadic and answered when possible. That was July and since then nothing. No return phone calls, no return emails, Bryler Jct emails are returned as undeliverable. I guess he’s no longer in business due to the last 5 months of zero communications. I’ve even tried to contact him through his rabbitry business to no avail. I would appreciate if anyone has any other contact information for him. Roger Huber