I don’t know where you live, but around Northern Virginia hobby shops with trains have been closing a lot more than opening. In the last ten years, I can’t think of single new one, but I know several that closed.
If you want to get into the train hobby business, chapter one is how to set up a web site. Chapter two is how to sell at train shows.
Enjoy
Paul
Well, since this is really a hobby shop thread, I’d like to ask a question – “How many hobby shop owners really like the business they’re in?” I don’t mean in terms of profit/loss, but who really hate trains/sales/customers/etc? The reason I ask is I’ve been in hobby shops there were well stocked, well lighted, clean, had a friendly owner, etc and I bought from them. Even more that I would have on line because they had a shop I wanted to be in. Seems like other customers did too. On the other hand, I’ve visited a much larger number of shops where the stock was low, the store was cluttered and dirty, the owner really didn’t want you around like you were interrupting his day. Didn’t spend money in those shops and didn’t go back.
Now I know that there are many business issues to deal with, like inventory, rent, taxes, help, customer base, and so on. And all of these will play a part in a stores success or failure. But for the life of me, I cannot understand why anyone would go into a business and not at least clean the floors and dust the counters once in a while, nor why they would just sit behind the counter and growl at everyone who walked through the door. There’s a huge difference between a businesss failing vs failing to try.
It might be better if it was about How To GROW a Market.
Or, How To RESTORE a Market.
For those looking to make a go of the hobby industry, better than a book – we have a monthly magazine. Model Retailer isn’t sold in any store, but subscriptions are free to qualified hobby-store owners. Model Retailer offers profiles, surveys, advice, new product listings, industry trends, and more. If you’re in the business. check it out.
I think that the reason most hobby shops fail is that the owners forget (or never realized) that they’re running a business, which is all about sales and profits.
A lot of people want to open a train shop because they love trains… and then set up the shop THEY’D like to patronize… forgetting about everyone else’s taste and preference.
The number one killer of Hobby shops, though is low stock and unorganized stock.
The difference between the brick-and-mortar store and the internet store is NOT ONLY “overhead.”
The internet store sells “sight unseen,” so some can(?)/ may(?)/ do(?) sell merchandise they don’t actually have, and “stock” it only whenbthey’ve sold it.
Yesterday…
I’ve been into trains since, well always. I got into model planes at about eight years old. Whether it was trains or planes, I had two good hobby stores within a five mile bike ride that had a good stock of train and plane supplies. Now I have five good train only stores and a half dozen R/C only stores within an hours drive.
Like so many products, be it pet food or home electronics we are in to the specialty store era. I see nothing wrong with this. As an adult I prefer it this way. However as a kid??? Well I would not have discovered gas powered model airplanes if I hadn’t gone into the hobby shop for train supplies.
If you want to open a train store you can probably make a go of it provided you are prepared to move to a part of the country that will support such a store. Opening a store because there is a vacant shop down on the corner is a thing of the past. Also if you don’t include a good, user friendly website and online shopping you may as well forget it.
Brent[C):-)]
LOL
Ed, I think we were on topic. The OP was sarcastically suggesting a how to book on starting and operating a hobby shop. I think it is you who is taking us off topic.
Rich
Duh, that’s part of the definition of overhead.