What’s the future of the local hobby shop?
Today there’s our host’s great video, audio and text descriptions of new products. The on-line retailers can way undercut hobby shop prices. I can get one-on-one advice from hundreds of colleagues on problems and stuff. Other than some old loyalties, there’s little reason for me to venture off to my favorite hobby shop any more.
Does anybody feel as bad about that as I do?
You need to hop on Route 3 South and drive down to Chelmsford, MA. Take 4 South past Chelmsford Center. About a mile south of the center is a strip mall on the left where you’ll find Maine Trains. (If you get to the school, you missed it.)
This place will restore your faith in the LHS. Well-stocked in HO, some N-scale as well. Gerry has an in-store layout (about 8x8 feet) and he’s a very knowledgeable modeller himself. Every week or two I e-mail in requests to order from Walthers, and things show up a few days later. I get the Walthers sale price, and he gives me a discount on anything that’s not already marked down.
www.mainetrains.com from your keyboard. He does Internet, too, but it’s a lot more fun to go to the shop.
The hobby shop will die by the owner hands or it will survive by the owners hand.If a hobby shop owner chooses to continue marching to the old drummer with poor stock with full MSRP he/she has doom their shop to failure.One the other hand if a hobby shop owner marches to the beat of the new drummer with Internet sales,good stock and discount prices then the shop will survive.
Its the hobby shop owners call…
My local hobby shop, Pioneer Valley Hobbies, carries trains in just about every scale. You might say they are a general hobby store as they carry many types of hobby products. They also have slot car stuff, a lot of RC stuff (boats, planes, cars). The RC plane stuff is nice for manual switch machines, bell cranks, plastic rod, etc. They have a slot car track, train layouts in four scales. Now to convince the owner to sell online.
Besides, it is a male thing to wander in a hobby shop.
I guess I am fortunate to have a well equipped shop nearby. A couple others in the club and I support the shop. We also buy off the 'Net and go to train shows and buy. In NE we do not have to go very far for shows, though gas prices will have an effect on this. We have a once a year show at the Big E which is huge and many hobby shops in NE are there.
rich
Thanks, MisterBeasley. I’ve heard about Maine Trains but never had the opportunity to pay 'em a visit.
There used to be a big place in Northampton, too. I’m originally from Ashfield, and my son and I used to visit there on occasion. Are they still in business?
The train shop in Northampton on State St sold out a number of years ago and was restarted as Pioneer Valley Hobbies in West Springfield, MA.
rich
I’d support one if I had one. I don’t like giving my money to Wally World but it’s all I got.[V]
Guys,I wish I could be full of good cheer and report how wonderful the 2 not so local shops are.First both shops require a 54 mile round trip…Once there its FULL MSRP and poor selection.
The nearest discount shop is the Train Station in Columbus and thats about 130 mile round trip for about 10% off-unless he has lowered his prices in the last 3 years-last trip was in November of 2004.
So,for me the best buys I can make is on the internet at 30-35% off.
LHS…Naw I don’t need 'em.
With the exception of one, I have very little reason to shop at the LHSs in The San Francisco Bay Area. Although conveniently located on bus or light rail lines, they never have the parts or knowledge I need. They offer to order it for me (if Walthers has it) but I can order the parts myself from other sources online without having to leave home - for a fraction of the price. The one exception is this LHS that is strictly model railroading. They are well stocked, cater to all scales, and sell at 10% to 20% less than MSRP.
With the high rents out here I am sure most of the remaining shops will close, the bay area is very expencive and in my part of town rents run $2000.00 + for a small space, hard to make that up. The only way I see hobby shops remaining is if they become someones hobby, i.e. they like the social aspect but as for making money, I don’t think so at least around here.
How lucky we are to have Little Choo Choo at Spencer, NC. They have full HO, N, and O gauge layouts, along with Thomas the Tank Engine and other items connected with trains, including books, videos, etc. The owners and staff are model railroaders and can discuss and answer any question you have.
I was just about order a bunch of things from Walthers when I came across the web site of a model train store (The Model Railway Post Office in West Milford) located about 30 miles from where I live in New Jersey. I have been very disappointed with many model stores in my area having some time free last Saturday, I decided to check them out. A good thing as it turned out. They had a big selection and were very friendly. I wound up buying a lot more stuff than I expected. I should state that I have no connection with them - just a happy customer 
I just wish they were a bit closer. A 60 mile round trip with current cost of gas means that I will have to think carefully before planning a trip. A couple of decades ago, I am sure that there were many more stores like this much closer.
There really is nothing like actually seeing things in up close person when considering what to buy. Maybe model equipment manufacturers need an entirely new way to handle this - maybe they could sponsor showrooms in big urban centers where you could go to see stuff but not buy them - you can still order over the Internet.
It’s funny–I had this conversation with a dealer or two during the 80s, long before the internet became a viable source of sales. Even then, they couldn’t understand the problem. Back then (maybe it is still true), when a dealer ordered from Walthers, it could take weeks for that dealer to receive the item…and it would still be MSRP. Meanwhile, I could pick up a phone and make an order from any of a number of dealers who ran discount ads in MR and get the product faster.
The internet makes that process even easier.
Bottom line: you want my business at your LHS, you’d better have what I want in stock. Or what’s the point of my coming in?
Look, I wish life is as simple as that!
You want this and Joe Bloke wants that, there virtually millions of things aailable out there, who has a few million dollars lying around these days? I think you said that because you have never try running a business. The thing is, it’s impossible to know and to stock what everyone wants and all it take is 50 items that you ordered that no one wants to tie up your cashflow.
With all due respect, it’s NOT the owners that’s driving themseles out of business, it’s the poor attitude of the customers these days like yours. I am sorry but understand that I am not having a go at you but just pointing out the underlying problem these days. It’s getting too convenient and way to much choice and that’s hard to compete. HOWEVER, customers can still have respect for the poor shop owners and some degree of loyalty and PATIENCE but unfortunately those quality in a customer is hard to fi
As with any customer driven business that wants to stay in business, a LHS that is responsive by paying attention their customers’ wants and needs will succeed. In simple terms, it all comes back to placing the customer first. Businesses that have been around for a long time know this and drill it into their employees. Businesses that don’t live by this credo usually don’t exist for long. They also need to adapt to changing times.
I’m fortunate enough to live and work in an area that has easy access to a couple of top shelf stores that only deal in model railroading. They have plenty of product on hand and if you need something they don’t have, they know how get it quickly. The staff at both stores usually have the answers to my questions and if they don’t, they get them for me in short order. Owners who fail to educate their employees on the product or hire poorly suited employees usually see the results reflected in their bottom line.
It is almost imperative that any good hobby shop these days has a strong internet presence. They need to make their product readily available not only to the guy or gal across town, but also be able to sell to anyone with an interest in the hobby that has access to an internet connection and a credit card anywhere in the world. Not everyone lives within an easy drive We’ve probably all seen great LHS websites along with others that make you wonder why they even expend any effort effort to have a website at all.
[quote user=“Iceman_c27”]
Look, I wish life is as simple as that!
You want this and Joe Bloke wants that, there virtually millions of things aailable out there, who has a few million dollars lying around these days? I think you said that because you have never try running a business. The thing is, it’s impossible to know and to stock what everyone wants and all it take is 50 items that you ordered that no one wants to tie up your cashflow.
With all due respect, it’s NOT the owners that’s driving themseles out of business, it’s the poor attitude of the customers these days like yours. I am sorry but understand that I am not having a go at you but just pointing out the underlying problem these days. It’s getting too convenient and way to much choice and that’s hard to compete. HOWEVER, customers can still have respect for the poor shop owners and some degree of loyalty and PATIENCE but unfortunately those quality in
I love going to hobby shops. I always have since I was a kid. Shopping online is not the same (although I do from time to time). I always try to spend 1/2 my hobby money at the LHS just because I love going there and walking around for an hour.
Agree 100%, if you are going to be in business, you have to listen to what the market is telling you. Those who choose to be in the hobby business that can listen well and execute efficiently will reap the rewards.
“Respect” for a poor shop owner? Oh, no, you don’t.
The American economy is not built on pity. It is built on performance. My money goes to the place that gives me what I want, when I want it, for the price I want, and that is true of every transaction I make.
If the “poor shop owner” can’t meet those standards, then he loses.
That, my friend, is business. If the shop owner thinks otherwise, it explains why he’s in financial trouble.
And anyone who blames the customer for a business’ failure to survive and thrive has just exposed right there why his business is failing.