There’s certainly not much around me. A few “hobby” shops, but typically they don’t carry the supplies I like to buy.
I end up not supporting them. Rather than drive 30 minutes to the store only to find out they really don’t have what I need, I find it much easier to go on line to a place like Hobbylinc. They offer a lot of stuff that I like and are fairly quick to deliver. I don’t mind not driving in the traffic in this area.
Border crossing at Ogdensburg is usually a pleasure. Seldom do they even bother with any items under $200 these days…and there was word floating around that it would go up to $300 soon.
They only collect the GST, which includes the provincial tax (In Ontario).
Here in Ottawa, we are only about half an hour, on a 4 lane, to Ogdensburg. The bridge toll is not much. The bonus is that there is a restaurant in Ogdensburg, whose owner sells LS equipment…the meals there and bheer, are moderately priced…worth the short trip on their own. (The Freighthouse Restaurant)
You can have stuff sent to the UPS Store in Ogdensburg, and pick it up there, or in some cases, if you get to know the owner of the restaurant; he will accept mail delivery for you. Tim, the owner is a fine, kind gentleman.
Todd,
You avoided disappointment as Ro is not open Sundays!
The best large scale hobby shop in Pittsburgh, in my opinion, closed its door years ago. It was through deals there that I got the Bachmann Shay and Climax with sound. There is another one north of Pittsburgh, that had a decent selection the last time I was there. That was many years ago, because he is over list on most of what I was looking at.
When I was looking to get into HO many years ago, the one shop I dealt with so much that they knew me by name, refused to order an HOn3 Shay for me. The guy’s reasoning was that its such an oddball item that he will never sell it. Huh? I even offered to pay in advance for the thing, and he still refused to order it for me. From then on all I bought there were model airplanes, paint and glue. That store is also long gone now (any wonder?)
The other LHS I deal with is mostly a Lionel/HO/plastic kit store. He is a real nice guy, and he buys collections from folks. Because he buys collections, I have purchased a lot of second hand large scale items, some still new in the box. But, since he is selling stuff he bought from other people, its not like I can have him order a specific item for me.
Another LHS I sometimes visit does have some LGB items. But he has them priced like they are gold plated. He has a “new” boxcar there for over $100, that has been there so long the price tag has faded. I got the same boxcar for $40 once when I was on a road trip, NIB.
I would support a local hobby shop, and I have, but they have to treat me like I am a paying customer, and I am. I don’t want to pay too much for an item, I don’t want to be lied to, like I was at one shop, and I don’t want to be treated like I don’t know what I want. If I want an HOn3 Shay, then I want it and I will buy it, duh huh.
So, the sad fact is, in order to get the items I want, at a fair price, and not be treated like I am clueless as to what I want, I almost HAVE to shop online. I would really like to support local businesses, but they have to provide me a certain level of customer service,
I’m very fortunate. My local shop is rld hobbies. He is awesome.
I have another shop about an hour away called Chuck’s Depot, but he doesn’t deal in g scale. That being said, he is super helpful with any questions and I love getting to see the massive HO scale layout he’s built in his basement.
I have to “local” shops about an hour away. One is a private owned shop big into HO, N and plastic model kits. The other is a Hobby Town. Neither stock much large scale stuff. The one guy is nice and admits he has no market except for me and a couple other guys. Walthers is his supplier so he can’t touch online prices. The hobby town charges about 8,000% above list and the owner is a real tool bag. I don’t go there much unless I need emergency RC car parts. I buy most of my hobby supplies from Joann, Michael’s and Hobby Lobby. I buy my trains from reindeer pass, RLD, G scale junction and at the ECLSTS. eBay has been good to me too.
I get why the “local” guys have to charge more but they should get why I can’t afford it.
Terry
I have two near me, one they are so rude I won’t even go in there, The other on the Cape is part of Dept store- rather pricey, and seems to be phasing G out… Still has a nice Christmas display with LGB engines and Lemax and O scale buildings… Works for the kids thou!
Hi Phil , You speak of Snow’s on the Cape. They do have a nice display and lots of trains of several scales but they do get top dollar for them.
The other 2 stores you mentioned would one be in Rockland and the other in Duxbury? If so Iknow just what you are talking about. UGH
I cannot fault the guy that Steve Mckenzie talks about. If he sells a product that he feels is inferior, he owns it, so to speak. Yes, he may have an independent attitude, but if he is willing to forgo some business and still make a profit and be happy doing it, so be it.
Most people want to be lied to. They can’t handle;e the truth. Good honest business people usually end up out of business.
The closes G scale store is over 1.5 hours away. They have a great selection of G scale but way overpriced. Its hard to beat the internet today. I can look and buy from the comfort of my home, get deals and have it dropped off at my front door. Its hard to beat that. The only thing that lacks with internet buying is you cant physically touch the product. Im at a point in my life were I rather build what i need.
What concerns me is how many potential large scale customers have been turned away from the hobby because of bad or misleading advice because of a particular individuals own biases. Luckily the advice I have received from others in the hobby have proved to work for me. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but it is up to you to become educated in the hobby and find what works best for you. Watching my Annie and Climax as they roll around my layout is somewhat relaxing and the wonder on my little grandson’s face as he waits for the choo-choo to appear from behind the furnace make it all worthwhile. Sure the generic sound from the Climax may not be accurate but it sure works for me!
I still patronize our one-and-only train store for glues, paints, styrene, brass strips, etc. Way back when he was an LGB dealer, I bought a few items from him. I’ve also purchased a couple Bachmann locos. But no big purchases lately. He has basically gone out of the large scale business.
Dan, I am not sure about that. The largest hobby shop in the south hills (at the time) permanently lost me as a customer because they lied to me. Lewis Polk told me the truth when I asked him if he was ever going to produce the 4 foot diameter switches in stainless. He said “never”. I told him that I appreciated his honesty, and I did. I also told him that wasn’t the answer I wanted, because it wasn’t.
Steve, yes its best to seek out many opinions on a given subject. The one hobby shop tried to talk me out of upgrading my rolling stock to metal wheels. He gave reasons like the cost, no added benefit and so on and so forth. I knew what he was saying was bunk, because I saw how much metal wheels improved my N scale layout years before. So, he lost out on making money from me, by selling me a gross of metal wheels.
Our locals are few and far between, their deterent is the MSRP and no giving in; maybe ok for a rare item not found easily, every day items-no way.
I try to support my not-so-LHS,
Sadly the only Large Scale he gets in, are the trains that I provide for him on consignment.
I do pick through his used O scale & pick up odds & ends when I stop in.