HO scale Hobby Shops in the greater Toledo, Ohio, area... (Short Notice)

[danmerkel]

Good morning!

Mrs. M. suggested that we go “out” tomorrow and that our outing could include a visit to a train hobby shop in the greater Toledo area. Only problem is that I’m not aware of any. [:(] I live in Findlay, about an hour south, and I’m only aware of one in Mansfield (1:15 away), Columbus (2:00 away) or Ft. Wayne (2:00+ away).

Is anyone aware of anything else that is worth driving that far to visit?

Thanks!

dlm

[fmilhaupt]

Unless something new has opened up in the last three months, the only hobby shop left that carries train stuff in the Toledo area is Hobbytown USA in the Spring Meadows Shopping Center along Airport Highway, just west of US-23 in Holland.

It had a somewhat better selection of train stuff and tools than I usually expect from a Hobbytown when I stopped in last September, but I don’t really consider it a “destination” shop like I do a few shops an hour or so farther north.

In the last few years, the last of the train-focused shops in Toledo have all closed up. Back in the 1990s, it used to make for a nice day trip to drive down from Ann Arbor to visit Semaphore Hobbies, J&M Hobby (which at one time had a good brass dealer in the back, too) and Fallen Flagg’s (which later became Steve’s). All of 'em are gone, now. During its big franchising push, Rider’s Hobby made a stab at the Toledo market (though not with much train stuff), but that closed fairly recently, too.

If you go an hour or so north, Michigan Model Train Center in Pinckney is a worthwhile visit for HO and O gauge. Joe’s Hobbies in Farmington looks like it is going through some pretty rough times, but it hasn’t given up, and Merri-Seven Trains & Hobbies at Seven Mile and Merriman Roads in Livonia is packed with merchandise. I haven’t been to Great Lakes Hobby since they moved south to the Utica/Sterling Heights boundary, but it used to be a worthwhile trip. Pretty far from Toledo, though. Maybe 90 minutes north.

[danmerkel]

In the last few years, the last of the train-focused shops in Toledo have all closed up. Back in the 1990s, it used to make for a nice day trip to drive down from Ann Arbor to visit Semaphore Hobbies, J&M Hobby (which at one time had a good brass dealer in the back, too) and Fallen Flagg’s (which later became Steve’s). All of 'em are gone, now. During its big franchising push, Rider’s Hobby made a stab at the Toledo market (though not with much train stuff), but that closed fairly recently, too.

Yes, I know what you mean. I used to frequent The Semaphore and Steve’s on a typical trip to Toledo. Strange that an area so steeped in railroad lore has no real train shops to call their own.

Is that Merri-Seven shop worth a trip from about two hours out? I’d hate to drive up there and find a couple of shelves of HO scale merchandise.

Thanks for your reply.

dlm