Good hobby shop in Chicago

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Hi all,

I’m in the process of planning a honeymoon to the US, and one of our destinations will be in Chicago. My other half has agreed to let me visit one hobby shop during the visit, and I was wondering if there were any hobby stores you’d reccommend? Hopefully not too far from Michigan Avenue or the Navy Pier.

Cheers,

tbdanny

2

You’re really going to need to go out to the “burbs”.

Take the train out to Des Plaines and see Ron Sebastian’s shop (Des Plaines Hobbies) there on Lee Street. Also, you can see the first franchised Ray Kroc McDonalds in the US.

3

Des Plaines is indeed excellent. Lombard sometimes has great deals. Chicagoland Hobby has some good stuff and is actually in Chicago, not a suburb

This website http://www.chicagotraindealers.com/index.htm

has a useful list

http://www.chicagotraindealers.com/find.htm

Dave Nelson

4

I’m not telling you what to do but don’t buy a dang thing in Cook County if you can help it. The tax rate last time I looked was 10%. It might of gone up.

Hobby shops in Illinois are slim pickings. Your best bet would be to go to Wisconsin and visit WK Walthers in person

5

LOL

You are right about Cook County taxes, but I wouldn’t say that hobby shops in Illinois are “slim pickings”. There are a few more than that.

The suggestion to travel up to the Milwaukee area in Wisconsin for a visit to Walthers is a good one.

Also, if you have the time, visit the HO scale layout which features the downtown Chicago area at the Museum of Science and Industry.

And, lastly, get that new wife to loosen up and let you visit more than one hobby shop.

Rich

6

Hi!

Being a “born and raised” Chicago boy, I pretty much agree with the previous posts. I still get up there a bit and there are two hobby shops you might really enjoy - both not that far from O’Hara airport.

The first is the previously mentioned DesPlaines Hobbies in DesPlaines, and the second - which I assume is still operating - is Park Ridge Hobbies in (duh) Park Ridge (right across the street from the elevated tracks.

I sure agree with Richotrain about seeing the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry - with their rather new layout, some proto locos, and the historical U-505 German WWII submarine. That sub was the first captured foreign vessel since the war of 1812, and its story is remarkable.

Enjoy your visit, stay safe - and don’t forget to try an Italian beef sandwich (w/peppers) while in Chicago!

7

Des Plaines Hobbies is one of my regular stops as well as America’s Best Train, Toy & Hobby Shop
in Itasca.

8

http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/the-great-train-story/the-exhibit/

9

Actually Amtrak runs round trip trains often enough to Milw that you might seriously consider the trip.

The Walthers and Kalmbach tours would not be a waste of your time.

The Western and Nortwestern suburbs also have reasonable train service to make those trips without wasting an entire day. Google maps will help a lot in your trek.

Len S

10

tbdanny … Congratulations on getting married. … “Must see” in Chicago is the HO layout in Chicago Museum of Science and Industry and the Pioneer Zephyr in the same museum. … Also “must see” is the Illininois Railway Museum in Union, IL not very far west of Chicago. … Not hobby shops, but worth seeing.

11

What are your other stops in the US?