Lester Perry Wrote:Now there is probably 60 mile between him and the nearest shop.
Wouldn't that be out of the state???
MasonJar Wrote:He's probably also very frustrated trying to sell "optional" items, given the way the economy is. When the bank is about to take your house, car or whatever, your wages are rolled back, or you don't have a job any more, hobbies are no longer the most important thing...
Spending is down in many sectors - I'll bet that hobbies of all kinds have taken a serious hit in the last 6 months.
Andrew
Andrew,
Sorry but,you can't blame everything on the economy since the current economy problems didn't happen overnight...There seems to have been a slow decline in the sale of detail parts,decals etc over the past few years.
Sounds like the shop stop stocking items that no longer sells in a RTR market..Many shops has drop car kits because very few buys 'em since their customers prefer RTR.I was told by a dealer friend today that his RTR sales is 10-1 over kits..
At the Train Show today 90% of the products was RTR and either at or near full MSRP-highest discount I saw was around 12% on some Lionel .Most HO average a 10% discount and most dealers seem to be doing a brisk business.
Another thing to take into consideration is detail items,paint,decals etc has a low markup so why bother to stock those items that may collect dust?
My song of woe is a common thing like the MT1015 Micro Train couplers was out of stock and the owner had to order a restock..This is a universal coupler.
No wonder many has given up on their hobby shops.
Brakie Wrote:MasonJar Wrote:He's probably also very frustrated trying to sell "optional" items, given the way the economy is. When the bank is about to take your house, car or whatever, your wages are rolled back, or you don't have a job any more, hobbies are no longer the most important thing...
Spending is down in many sectors - I'll bet that hobbies of all kinds have taken a serious hit in the last 6 months.
Andrew
Andrew,
Sorry but,you can't blame everything on the economy since the current economy problems didn't happen overnight...There seems to have been a slow decline in the sale of detail parts,decals etc over the past few years.
Sounds like the shop stop stocking items that no longer sells in a RTR market..Many shops has drop car kits because very few buys 'em since their customers prefer RTR.I was told by a dealer friend today that his RTR sales is 10-1 over kits..
At the Train Show today 90% of the products was RTR and either at or near full MSRP-highest discount I saw was around 12% on some Lionel .Most HO average a 10% discount and most dealers seem to be doing a brisk business.
Another thing to take into consideration is detail items,paint,decals etc has a low markup so why bother to stock those items that may collect dust?
My song of woe is a common thing like the MT1015 Micro Train couplers was out of stock and the owner had to order a restock..This is a universal coupler.
No wonder many has given up on their hobby shops.
Larry you have it correct , however in Robin and I's opinion we stock some detail items and supplies as they do not cost too much up front so sitting around may not be too much of an issue , at least for us.
Mike
nomad Wrote:Les, I am glad that is not me. 
If I had one that close, I would be going there all the time to hang out. And of course then I would see something I just gotta have. Loren
I have known him for years, casually. But since he started the shop I have gotten to know him a lot better. I have helped him with some things and he has helped me with stuff on my layout. I sometimes just stop in to talk.
Lester Perry Wrote:nomad Wrote:Les, I am glad that is not me. If I had one that close, I would be going there all the time to hang out. And of course then I would see something I just gotta have. Loren
I have known him for years, casually. But since he started the shop I have gotten to know him a lot better. I have helped him with some things and he has helped me with stuff on my layout. I sometimes just stop in to talk.
Les,I use to faithfully visit a shop like that years ago where the faithful would gather every Saturday morning have coffee and talk shop,share pictures etc..The newest items would be on the counter for our viewing.Needless to say old Walt got 90% of my hobby dollars back then..Walt even put some wooden kitchen chairs around a coal stove rescued from a PRR switch tenders shanty...Of course the stove was in workable condition but,pure cosmetic since his store had central air/heat..
I suspect those type of hobby shops is a relic of the past in today's business world.
Oh, the memories. I used to visit a local model railroad hobby shop like that back in the 70's. The owner was a telegrapher for the then BN on graveyard, so he was open in the late morning, early afternoon. He worked Stampede Pass at one time, and had some beautiful steam pictures from there during snow storms. At least one of them even made it into print in hardbound books. He had health issues, so he took an early quit and closed shop.
Loren
The second issue of Model Railroad Hobbyist came out yesterday for subscribers, two week wait for non-subscribers. I looked at it briefly this morning and Joe's editorial for this issue focuses on where the hobby is heading part one. An interesting point that he made that is probably appropriate to this discussion has to do with the recession's effects on the hobby. He suggested that the recession might actually increase the popularity of model trains and also increase sales! The jist of the argument is that it is less expensive to buy a craftsman type kit for $60.00 than it is to take a $3,000.00 trip to the Bahamas; and, while the trip last one week and it is over, the model will provide a week or more of fun and distraction from the current economic situation and then last the rest of your life on your model railroad. There is even a bright side for those who are out of work, in that most of us have kits lying around that are waiting to be built and are a good use of excess spare time while looking for jobs.
Russ Bellinis Wrote:The second issue of Model Railroad Hobbyist came out yesterday for subscribers, two week wait for non-subscribers. I looked at it briefly this morning and Joe's editorial for this issue focuses on where the hobby is heading part one. An interesting point that he made that is probably appropriate to this discussion has to do with the recession's effects on the hobby. He suggested that the recession might actually increase the popularity of model trains and also increase sales! The jist of the argument is that it is less expensive to buy a craftsman type kit for $60.00 than it is to take a $3,000.00 trip to the Bahamas; and, while the trip last one week and it is over, the model will provide a week or more of fun and distraction from the current economic situation and then last the rest of your life on your model railroad. There is even a bright side for those who are out of work, in that most of us have kits lying around that are waiting to be built and are a good use of excess spare time while looking for jobs.
Robin and I are in agreement with this theory. People who stay home usually look for something to do and for something material that will bring lasting enjoyment .
Mike & Robin
Brakie Wrote:Sounds like the shop stop stocking items that no longer sells in a RTR market..Many shops has drop car kits because very few buys 'em since their customers prefer RTR.I was told by a dealer friend today that his RTR sales is 10-1 over kits..
Well, that may be, but why the attitude change then? :?: :?
nomad Wrote:I asked the owner where they were and he looked like I had called him a dirty name. He sounded down right hostile and said " I don't stock that anymore, special order only with a $ 5.00 charge ". Then he tries to sell me Peco turnouts. He has always been friendly and helpful before, and no charge for special orders.
I wouldn't think that you'd want to turf any customers, even ones that might take a little convincing that RTR is the way of the future...
:mrgreen:
Andrew
I went to my LHS yesterday. His business, which by the way, is walk in, and regular customer based and no internet sales, is so good, he has to move to a bigger space. Of course, the recent closure of two other LHS's kinda helped. The new customers that came to him gave him the same story.....Stone cold.....No I'm not getting them or ordering them. Real bad customer service.
I visited the other two LHS's once...ONCE!
Andrew the way I see it is society in general wants it now. Look at the train sets now, they all have plastic ballast. My nephew has the plastic ballast and see's no problem with it. I feel and hope the economy is slowly coming back up. If not you might see the kits return because of cost. I am not able to assemble the kits with details any longer. So I will have to by RTR now.
Les
Andrew wrote:Well, that may be, but why the attitude change then?
-----------------------------
There could be many reasons to include financial problems.Then maybe he feels "cheated" because some of his customer buys the high dollar items at discount on line and buys low price items from him...We will never know the answer unless the gentleman comes forward and reveals his side.
Lester Perry Wrote:Andrew the way I see it is society in general wants it now. Look at the train sets now, they all have plastic ballast. My nephew has the plastic ballast and see's no problem with it. I feel and hope the economy is slowly coming back up. If not you might see the kits return because of cost. I am not able to assemble the kits with details any longer. So I will have to by RTR now.
Les
Les,I will be using a combination of Kato Unitrack and Atlas track on my N Scale layout..The Kato switches(turnouts) is top notch and simple to wire.
The only reason I won't be using all Unitrack is because a high ballast main line track doesn't look good in the yard or as a industrial siding.Even tho' many modelers use Unitrack in their yard and industrial siding I just can't bring myself to do that.
Fifer Wrote:It is very sad to see LHS's faltering but what the world needs now IS personal service . While we all can not stock everything we CAN at least be civil .
I still say " what ever happened to the Service in SERVICE STATION "
I still think it could make a comeback.
Mike
Mike, I agree 100% with you.
I can't stock everything, but I can order anything (well except for Athearn) and will if the customer wants it.
Fifer Wrote:I still say " what ever happened to the Service in SERVICE STATION "
I still think it could make a comeback.
Mike
Around here no one calls them service station. But there is one in my town that is full service. They pump it for you and will check under the hood for you , they have 2 service bays that always have a car in them. The only thing missing is the wooden cases of Pepsi in bottles. OH NO many of the guys on this have no idea what I am talking about.