As the home of two of the biggest RC hobby distributors, Horizon Hobby (Athearn) and Great Planes; are there any retail hobby shops that have a decent selection of trains in/near Champaign? I am going to the Purdue / Illinois football game that afternoon, and I may have some time to explore in the morning.
Ah, yes, the irony of massive wholesale infrastructure and very, very limited retail service.
There are no train-centric hobby shops.
The oldest full-lin hobby shop is Slot and Wing, off the south side of the Prospect Ave I-74 interchange and west on Blloomington Rd a couple of blocks. Selection has varied over the years. Recently, they have made more of an effort with trains, but I’m afraid the selection will likely disappoint coming from a town with Hawkins Rail and IIRC a couple of other options in or nearby. A large part of their inventory is scratch and dent that they get from their wholesale partners - it has to go somewhere – so sometimes you can find something you didn’t expect. They’ve had some deals like that for me over the years, like most of the ballast here came from busted bags of one color that accumlated and I picked up at a reasonable price.
Advantage Hobby is in the same area of town, but to to north of I-74 and near I-57 in the Interstate Research Park area. Problem is they are mainly a mail order op and you need to send in your order to get something pulled. There is some limited paint and general supply in the front counter that might work as a walkin, but not a browse for something neat environment. Here’s a link: http://www.advantagehobby.com/
There’s a Lionel shop around, plus the usual limited big box offerings (Hobby Lobby, Michaels, etc) but likely you have it better in Indiana.
Used to be a few more options years ago and there are a couple of basement “hobby shop” ops, but you’d have to know someone to find them. PM me if you want an email for one, although I’ve never dealt with him, many rely on him. I’m in narrowgauge, so my options are naturally a bit farther afield. If you’d like to visit my layout while in town, I’d be happy to host you for a visit late morning or after 3pm, just drop me a line.
This town could sure use a train store.
When I was stationed at Chunute AFB from 1966-68 in Rantoul, ILL. I remember a hobby shop near the Univ. of Ill sports stadium If I remember correctly. Can’t remember the name but I think it was there.
I was transferred before I got a chance to check it out. Am I right or wrong.
Dave
Thanks for the reply, Mike! While I am very aware of Hawkins, I am coming up from Texas; won’t have a chance to be in Lafayette when he is open.
Glad to hear the ole Slot and Wing is still open. I got some Hella good deals on shipyards down there many years ago.
David,
That’s a little before my time, got no idea, maybe check to see if they’re in the Hobby Shop Index in the rear of MR for those years?
Slot and Wing had a store RIGHT outside the main/north gate at Chanute when I arrived in Rantoul in 1975. With the drawdown there, they shifted the store to a branch they’d run as a second store IIRC for some years in Champaign before the end at Chanute. The buildings have been swept clear from that area and the intersection reconfigured since the closure. Since then S&W has moved about three times before landing at the present location a couple of years back.
tin can,
Well, that accounts for why you model the MKT and not the Monon[;)] I’ve from the south end of the Monon, but always preferred the look of black and gold on motive power.
It’s been a couple of decade probably since I went to Hawkins last, not since he moved to the new place. It is something to see if you get the chance. List price, but he has EVERYTHING and that list price stays the same, so may be a better deal after awhile…
I’ve got a monthly NMRA divisional meet at 1pm here in Urbana, but let me know if you want a visit anytime between 10am and just before 1pm. You will NOT be spending hours browsing our hobby shops, as you already know. Check out WPF if you’re wondering if worth dropping by[:-^]. Should be here after the game, too, but you may need to head to TX right after.
I’ve done several game weekend visits, so one more is just another day at the tracks…
Right now, drones are keeping them pretty busy. They also have a bow hunting suipply shop on premises now, probably to keep them all in wholesale arrrows (the owners are hunters without going too far OT). A new generation is also in charge, with some help from the previous. So I have my hopes that trains will make a bit of a comeback, but still seems a struggle. Competition is just a computer or smartphone away, but they seem to survive, which is more than you can say about many LHS.
Thanks for all the info. I did make it to Slot & Wing; had a very good visit with one of the owners. I did find enough train things to make it worth my while.
Game was a good one, and for a change, we won. Son played well, which is always a bonus. I actually headed over to WL so we could spend a little time together before heading home on Sunday morning.
Congrats on the victory. It was a great game, just didn’t go the home team’s way – but we’re used to that.
Good to hear your visit the S&W went well. The LHS is a tough biz and they manage to survive, which is more than you can say about many.