05-19-2017, 11:54 AM
There are still three well-stocked railroad stores in the Milwaukee area, along with some of the chains. Thankfully, the best-run is about 1 mile from my house and has great service. I will typically (and blindly) make all my purchases there, unless I stumble upon a fantastic deal elsewhere (usually related to some type of close-outs). One of the other shops, which happens to be a few blocks from a layout I regularly operate, has great prices, but minimal selection. He does well turning over stock, though. The third specializes in toy trains, and I haven't been back since my initial visit, but those tinplate guys swear by it.
Too many people are getting wrapped up in the mystique that was Caboose Hobbies. I visited in June 2015, a "bucket list"-type trip, and the store was already clearly past its prime then. From what I understand, the new "Caboose" is the same in name only, and even then not exactly. It's a new location, with new stock, and new employees. What made the old store famous – brass consignments, books, and a generally overwhelming selection – just hasn't come back from what I hear. That's not to say that the new store isn't nice or won't serve the Denver modeling community's needs, but it's just no longer "Caboose Hobbies" of past fame.
Too many people are getting wrapped up in the mystique that was Caboose Hobbies. I visited in June 2015, a "bucket list"-type trip, and the store was already clearly past its prime then. From what I understand, the new "Caboose" is the same in name only, and even then not exactly. It's a new location, with new stock, and new employees. What made the old store famous – brass consignments, books, and a generally overwhelming selection – just hasn't come back from what I hear. That's not to say that the new store isn't nice or won't serve the Denver modeling community's needs, but it's just no longer "Caboose Hobbies" of past fame.