I know this has been discussed/posted before, but for it to hit so hard at this time of year was surprising to me. I went to one of the “main” LHSs here to go buy some pre-after Thanksgiving HO goodies. I wanted to make sure I got there when the inventory was at its’ peak and selection at its’ best.
With anticipation my son and I walked to the very familiar aisles which we have done now for over 20 years(actually my son is only 13)–my Dad used to shop there and we would sometimes all 3 go together. After looking at the almost barren shelves I turned to the mgr(whom I’ve known for about 10 years now—he’s new to the shop) and asked him where the inventory is–I mean it’s Christmas(no offense meant to those who prefer Holidays) time. His response shocked me.
He said that there just aren’t that many customers for trains any more and he’s had to diversify into other areas. Almost all his train customers are gray haired and they are becoming much fewer in number. Acknowledging that my son was there, he said there aren’t any younger customers replacing the older ones who are no longer active in buying.
2.That most customers don’t want to spend much money per item and those who are willing to are rare and want a very specific item which makes stocking difficult.
So, when I suggested it sounds like he’s getting out of the train business, he said-no-we can order anything.
As I was driving back to my house I was thinking about my son and how he is growing up in a much different world. Wondering about the concepts of “self fulfilling prophecy”/“chicken or the egg” and how regardless of the philosophy and thoughts on this forum, the result is that there will be less opportunity for him to see new product first hand at what used to be a special time of the year and therefore he won’t continue to shop or buy models as a result.&
What you are seeing is very common. Our model railroad club held a 2 day ‘open house’ this past week-end. We had the best turnout of all time - the aisles were crowed all day. Most of the crowd was older and ‘gray’ - They had their grandchildren along to see the trains.
Most of our member are over 50(one is about 30). And half of our membership is retired. I will be retiring at the end of this year! There appears to be growing interest in trains, but the LHS we have really sells R/C stuff(airplanes/helicopters/trucks). We have not had a model train shop in town(100,000 population) for over 6 years.
I know this has been discussed/posted before, but for it to hit so hard at this time of year was surprising to me. I went to one of the “main” LHSs here to go buy some pre-after Thanksgiving HO goodies. I wanted to make sure I got there when the inventory was at its’ peak and selection at its’ best.
With anticipation my son and I walked to the very familiar aisles which we have done now for over 20 years(actually my son is only 13)–my Dad used to shop there and we would sometimes all 3 go together. After looking at the almost barren shelves I turned to the mgr(whom I’ve known for about 10 years now—he’s new to the shop) and asked him where the inventory is–I mean it’s Christmas(no offense meant to those who prefer Holidays) time. His response shocked me.
He said that there just aren’t that many customers for trains any more and he’s had to diversify into other areas. Almost all his train customers are gray haired and they are becoming much fewer in number. Acknowledging that my son was there, he said there aren’t any younger customers replacing the older ones who are no longer active in buying.
2.That most customers don’t want to spend much money per item and those who are willing to are rare and want a very specific item which makes stocking difficult.
So, when I suggested it sounds like he’s getting out of the train business, he said-no-we can order anything.
As I was driving back to my house I was thinking about my son and how he is growing up in a much different world. Wondering about the concepts of “self fulfilling prophecy”/“chicken or the egg” and how regardless of the philosophy and thoughts on this forum, the result is that there will be less opportunity for him to see new product first hand at what used to be a special time of the year and therefore he won’t continu
Yes, I’m growing gray, and most of the train items I buy are special orders. But, I do take advantage of my LHS for special orders, and I buy the small stuff there, too.
Young customers are used to doing their shopping online. I’m guessing that idea of ordering something from a store and then going there to pick it up seems a bit odd to them. I mean, why not have it shipped right to my house, right? And there’s the problem for the LHS. For me, I’m happy to save on the shipping charges, which would normally come out more than paying the sales tax. But, I feel that it’s part of my mission in life to help the LHS and other local shops.
Our local hobby shop plans to go out of business after Christmas. His isles are looking kinda thin. He has an elaborate layout, he will keep some of his trains, sell the rest, and leave the layout for the landlord to worry about.
He has lost interest in the whole thing, but then this guy never was running on all four. Sorry to see him go, but then I am not a big spender. And he does not stock subway trains. Sure he could order them, big news flash: SO CAN I. And I can get them for less than he can.
And that is the bottom line, more and more people are willing to buy on line, and they know what the real price really is.
The big get bigger and the small wither up and blow away. If he does go out of business, I think that will leave only one hobby shop in the state, and they are located on the grounds of an airport, so guess what hobbies they are interested in.
Maybe because I am 71 now ,I have gottin’ use to things changing rapidly.We are in modeling golden age so just relax and enjoy it,besides nothin’ is forever.
No surprise. In Northern Virginia the few hobby shops with trains that are left mostly carry Lionel and other 3 rail lines. There may be a small HO and N section, but it’s apparent that Lionel pays the freight and at list price. But then the area is very affluent, while many people have little time for building stuff. Scratch building supplies are limited or non-existent. One owner told me he’s dropping paint because there’s no demand for it.
You’re certainly right on the first part of your comment – this has been discussed on these forums for several years, on an almost monthly basis, but there’s nothing we can do about it.
Around 1995 there were six hobby shops in Tucson, Arizona that carried or specialized in trains – today, there’s only one in an Ace Hardware store that also carries model aircraft, ships, R/C cars, and other items.
All of the others closed up over the years because the owners retired and no one would buy their shop. Owning a hobby shop today is an extremely risky business if you intend to sell only trains. I, too, have heard the comment, “We can order it for you” many times when I was looking for something they didn’t have in stock. Well, I can order it too, and probably get it faster and cheaper than through the LHS.
As others have also stated, getting younger people interested in trains seems to be a losing battle. Our local club has 20 members, but only one is a teenager – practically all the others are either retired or getting close to retirement.
We held an open house the weekend of 12-13 November. Many children visited with their parents or grandparents, but very few had ever seen a real train When asked if they had a train, the answer was nearly always, “Yes, a Thomas the Tank Engine set” from Brio (wooden toys) or Bachmann.
I know this has been discussed/posted before, but for it to hit so hard at this time of year was surprising to me. I went to one of the “main” LHSs here to go buy some pre-after Thanksgiving HO goodies. I wanted to make sure I got there when the inventory was at its’ peak and selection at its’ best.
With anticipation my son and I walked to the very familiar aisles which we have done now for over 20 years(actually my son is only 13)–my Dad used to shop there and we would sometimes all 3 go together. After looking at the almost barren shelves I turned to the mgr(whom I’ve known for about 10 years now—he’s new to the shop) and asked him where the inventory is–I mean it’s Christmas(no offense meant to those who prefer Holidays) time. His response shocked me.
He said that there just aren’t that many customers for trains any more and he’s had to diversify into other areas. Almost all his train customers are gray haired and they are becoming much fewer in number. Acknowledging that my son was there, he said there aren’t any younger customers replacing the older ones who are no longer active in buying.
2.That most customers don’t want to spend much money per item and those who are willing to are rare and want a very specific item which makes stocking difficult.
So, when I suggested it sounds like he’s getting out of the train business, he said-no-we can order anything.
As I was driving back to my house I was thinking about my son and how he is growing up in a much different world. Wondering about the concepts of “self fulfilling prophecy”/“chicken or the egg” and how regardless of the philosophy and thoughts on this forum, the result is that there
Interestingly my two teenagers tell me that their friends and them prefer to shop in person vs online. They like going to stores in groups, socializing and getting Lattes or other drinks whether in a mall or plaza. My daughter wants a pair of Uggs and wouldn’t let me buy them online, she wanted to go to the stores. I’m sure there are all different shopping types out there however.
I agree on helping the LHS!! Particularly since they’re the only place where you can go try out a loco and hear the actual sound, etc.
Guys,I think we are seeing the dawning of a new era…
I fully believe there are younger folks in the hobby like before but,these newer modelers are passing by the “old school things” like hobby shops,clubs ,magazines etc in favor of on line shopping, forums and videos.
There are hundreds of “how to” videos on you tube that covers every modeling need from spray painting to hand laying track.These are like “live” clinics that is available with few clicks of your mouse…
Guys,I find this exciting and in some ways a little sad since I am a dinosaur from another era and still like some of the old ways.
All I can say is if you were shocked, start getting used to what you saw because this kind of thing is getting to be more and more common. Learn to use the internet and find some good online suppliers. Complaining won’t do you much good other than the psychological process of venting, then you have to deal with reality and move on with life.
Jim,I fear what you say is becoming the norm for several reasons also I’ve notice a new trend(to me at least) one can no longer open the package to inspect the model and have it test ran.The reason quoted is" because of the fragile details" and “its factory sealed”…
So,and IMHO its like buying a pig in a poke even though you can see one side.
I am seeing the same here in Flint. There is really only one LHS and they rarely change their stock and it’s always the highest price anywhere around. I only have a certain amount that I am willing to spend on a monthly basis and I try to stretch that as far as I can - so, I rarely buy any high ticket items there strictly because of pricing. That said, we do live in an entirely different world than we did 10-20 years ago. With the huge influx of electronic games, devices and toys it seems that the idea of ‘building’ something has long passed. People of all ages are opting for instant gratification and this doesn’t bode well for what some of us knew when we were younger. When was the last time you ever saw a televised advertisement for anything that had to do with trains? Today it’s the Kindle, the Nook, the latest plasma TV, the X-Box, the new Blu-ray player, the I-pad, the newest cell phone with the most apps - the list goes on and on.
I know this has been discussed/posted before, but for it to hit so hard at this time of year was surprising to me. I went to one of the “main” LHSs here to go buy some pre-after Thanksgiving HO goodies. I wanted to make sure I got there when the inventory was at its’ peak and selection at its’ best.
With anticipation my son and I walked to the very familiar aisles which we have done now for over 20 years(actually my son is only 13)–my Dad used to shop there and we would sometimes all 3 go together. After looking at the almost barren shelves I turned to the mgr(whom I’ve known for about 10 years now—he’s new to the shop) and asked him where the inventory is–I mean it’s Christmas(no offense meant to those who prefer Holidays) time. His response shocked me.
He said that there just aren’t that many customers for trains any more and he’s had to diversify into other areas. Almost all his train customers are gray haired and they are becoming much fewer in number. Acknowledging that my son was there, he said there aren’t any younger customers replacing the older ones who are no longer active in buying.
2.That most customers don’t want to spend much money per item and those who are willing to are rare and want a very specific item which makes stocking difficult.
So, when I suggested it sounds like he’s getting out of the train business, he said-no-we can order anything.
As I was driving back to my house I was thinking about my son and how he is growing up in a much different world. Wondering about the concepts of "self fu
Jim Bernier might recall the Gagers stores in downtown Mpls and at the malls in the suburban area or Woodcraft Hobby on Lake St. I found photos of their stores online and downloaded them for nostalgia. That’s about all many of us are left with in many parts of the country- memories of what used to be. Here in the Tampa-St Pete area, we lost the Happy Hobo last year and, except for 2 Hobbytown franchises, which cater to RC cars and planes mostly, the one train store left (H&R Trains) is all that’s really left. Perhaps more sophisticated virtual software might enable online sellers to replicate (vicariously) ones ability to walk up and down aisles and shelves stocked with Athearn BBs and walls filled with detail parts or endlessly full paint racks,etc. Then, when you want to look closely at something or add it to a shopping cart, you can " reach " for it, just like once, long ago. (Charlie brown sigh). Cedarwoodron
Its both sad and comedic that this same discussion thread exists in so many different industries. Shoes, clothes, automobiles (and parts)…welcome to the new world order…
I was just this morning reading a blog thread, that has grown very long, extoling the same problems, dilemmas and fear in the retail music instrument world. Commonality?:
Passion for the product and the community
Purchases with disposable income
Store ownership/management tends to come from the interest community and not bringing a strong business sense
Everything made in China (sic)
Loss of US manufacturing
Diminution of wholesale product distribution chains
I don’t believe there is an answer, or a magic pill to be found. As long as the commodities are value/price driven, this is how it will be.
In the music world, 100 years ago, the industry was up in arms over PIANO discounting and those dreaded mail order houses that would ship a piano (via rail) right to your home, killing the local dealer. Then came the “mass merchandiser” who really didn’t specialize in the product, but just sold things off the shelf. Then came (horrors!) the 800 number. Then the dreaded catalog and the cursed “www.”
Remember (I do) when MR would publish anyone’s 800 number? Then it was web urls, now the advertising in the back for LHS’ has gotten smaller and smaller, along with the calendar of events…(guess what…both are “local”).
Believe me, fellow ferroequinologists, if this connundrum cannot be solved in much bigger industries than our little hobby based field…then it may not be solvable…
Bums me out…
(ps. I used to work in a hobby shop for many years…and owned a retail music company)
Shopcat, It was that way when I had my Paintball Supply retail store in San Francisco during the 1990’s and early 2000’s. That is the reason I decided to get out while the getting was still good. It seems that many retail model train shop owners are doing the same.
Unless you were lucky enough to make the jump to the big time at the correct time, a small shop is now on the endangered list. The luck of the draw does apply.