I would like to know where the largest train store in America is. And by that I mean squrare footage size loaded with Train stuff.
Caboose Hobbies in Denver?
Allied in Los Angeles?
Does Terminal Hobby Shop have a showroom?
Charles Ro Supply Company in Malden (MA) claim that they are “America’s largest train store.”:
http://www.charlesro.com/welcome_letter.htm
I’ve been there a couple of times and it is a big place. However, I have not been to other larger places around the country (or world) to compare.
Both M.B. Klein and Discount Trains Online have brick-and-mortar shops, too. Trainworld/Trainland has 2 shops, I think.
I have no idea of the size og other stores, but Nicholas Smith Trains near Philadelphia is pretty big. Unfortunately, the owner is sort of rude. He has a very poor attitude towards his customers. If they didn’t have such a good selection I wouldn’t shop there at all. As it is, I only buy there what I can’t find somewhere else.
Smitty
Guess this brings up the age old question of does size matter?
Give me a lightly stocked but extremely knowledgeable store any day over a wal-mart sized train store. In my experience here in the Raleigh,NC region the large store also has a large price, while the smaller stores have more internet prices.
Not anymore! They moved across the street this summer to a smaller location and have a smaller inventory as well…
The large Allied liquidated and closed down. The new Allied is much smaller. I think Caboose in Denver was bigger anyway,
Caboose Hobbies advertises as the largest in the world. And from my travels around the country (& Canada) visiting every hobby store I can find, none have held a candle to Caboose. Even Mizell’s here in Denver is larger (stocked shelf wise) than most I’ve seen.
Yup. My LHS is small, and he’s got an 8x8 layout in there, too. But, he also has a computer, which gives him all the resources of his distributers, meaning Walthers and Horizon/Athearn, among others. Each customer gets individual attention, too.
A small LHS can keep his prices low by reducing overhead, and ordering things when customers ask rather than maintaining a huge inventory. A big LHS needs to sell a lot of stuff to pay for the real estate.
I actually was there once. Nice big store. Big prices too [:)]
I always wondered what the heck you were doing in that pic - - - - now I know - - -Playing hopscotch!!! (Is there a liquor store or bar near there?)[:D]
Nice Pic John,I also wondered about that dance You were doing there…lol
Hey I went to Caboose Hobbies in the 80’s once…They pretty much weren’t much help to Me.I got the feeling that because I wasn’t buying a thousand dollar locomotive I was just a nusence to them,
[ yeah I know I spelt that wrong…nusence]
I went to Caboose Hobbies a couple of times when we first moved here, but I really didn’t care for their lack of customer service, and employees that weren’t very knowledgeable (plus I don’t get a discount there). I stick close to home at a smaller shop that can get me anything the larger stores have.
I could swear MisterBeasley was talking about my LHS here in Minneapolis. The owner, a retired electrical engineer, is a joy to work with. His shop is small and if he doesn’t have something he’ll order it online and you’ll have it within a day or two at prices that rival the Internet stores. And if you pay cash or by check he’ll discount it another 10%. Some of the old Soo Line and GN steam hoggers hang out there so it’s really a fun place to go, even if you don’t buy anything.
the goat 
I think that’s known as the Funky Chicken. [swg]
I’ve often wonderd if that’s a HAPPY HOO DOO DANCE as Canazar leaves the shop, because they had what he wanted and Momma gave him the family credit crad! LOL!
Ed
I think the worlds smallest train store is in Omaha, it so small if you threw a rubber ball everyone would get hit.