Posts: 720
Threads: 53
Joined: Dec 2008
I try to buy everything but engines from my LHS. Unfortunately, my LHS of choice (we have at least 5), is located in Kentucky and we're likely going to be moving north of our outerbelt (30 miles away). Still, it is a small sacrifice to get there compared to what many of you do...so I won't complain. I will have an LHS I don't care for about 8 miles to the north and another I'm lukewarm about 10 miles to the south.
Michael
My primary goal is a large Oahu Railway layout in On3
My secondary interests are modeling the Denver, South Park, & Pacific in On3 and NKP in HO
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://thesouthparkline.blogspot.com/">http://thesouthparkline.blogspot.com/</a><!-- m -->
Posts: 3,262
Threads: 115
Joined: Dec 2008
Kevin,My closest hobby shop is a 52 mile round trip and 90% he doesn't have what I need.
Here's my solution..I make a large list of the needed items have the shop to order them and I go get 'em when he calls.
Of course having a vice for chili dogs I usually eat lunch at Coney Island or Skyline Chili. 
That alone makes the trip worthwhile.
Larry
Engineman
Summerset Ry
Make Safety your first thought, Not your last! Safety First!
Posts: 2,964
Threads: 158
Joined: Dec 2008
Well, it looks like I found all the items I wanted at the online store with the lower prices, anyway! My issue was that they had one crucial item listed under a different title (they pluralized it)  Anyway, I think I will try my LHS tomorrow and see if I can give him some business, but if he doesn't have any of the items I need, I'll just order online.
--
Kevin
Check out my Shapeways creations!
3-d printed items in HO/HOn3 and more!
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://www.shapeways.com/shops/kevin-s-model-train-detail-parts">https://www.shapeways.com/shops/kevin-s ... tail-parts</a><!-- m -->
Posts: 720
Threads: 53
Joined: Dec 2008
Good resolution, Kevin!
Michael
My primary goal is a large Oahu Railway layout in On3
My secondary interests are modeling the Denver, South Park, & Pacific in On3 and NKP in HO
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://thesouthparkline.blogspot.com/">http://thesouthparkline.blogspot.com/</a><!-- m -->
Posts: 240
Threads: 24
Joined: Apr 2010
We have a few hobby shops in Grand Rapids, MI -- one of them is a small shop that carries new and used items. It is like going into a swap meet when you go into his store -- take some time and look around and you are bound to find some treasures. Fantastic prices on everything, and one never knows what used stock he will have. His rotation of stock is good, and I have found out of production items for unbelievable prices! You may have to dig a little bit as he has a lot of stuff to go through. The owner is friendly, the store is clean -- this is what a hobby shop should be like. I rate it as my #1 fave hobby shop.
Chuck
Detroit Connecting
We are your
inner-city connection.
Posts: 128
Threads: 12
Joined: Dec 2008
Prairie Trains Wrote:Charlie B Wrote:My closest hobby shop is a 40 mile round trip, and figuring the cost at $.40 a mile that is $16 dollars to go there and find out they don't have what I need anyway.
Must be nice, being so close to a hobby shop. My closest hobby shop is 600 mile round trip.
Isn't there one is Sakatoon or Regina?
Posts: 122
Threads: 5
Joined: Mar 2011
Must be nice, being so close to a hobby shop. My closest hobby shop is 600 mile round trip.[/quote]
Isn't there one is Sakatoon or Regina?[/quote]
All they carry is cheep starter train sets and snap track.
Robert
Modeling the Canadian National prairie region in 1959.
Posts: 2,269
Threads: 181
Joined: Dec 2008
Service from an LHS: I was in the 'Springs Saturday and called to find out if the LHS was going to be open. The owner told me he was just closing up, but if I needed something he would stay open for me.
That is SERVICE.
Posts: 11,797
Threads: 573
Joined: Nov 2008
MountainMan Wrote:Service from an LHS: I was in the 'Springs Saturday and called to find out if the LHS was going to be open. The owner told me he was just closing up, but if I needed something he would stay open for me.
That is SERVICE. Which one are you talking about? Obviously, it isn't the Hobby Bench on Bell Rd. 
Don (ezdays) Day
Board administrator and
founder of the CANYON STATE RAILROAD
Posts: 2,269
Threads: 181
Joined: Dec 2008
ezdays Wrote:MountainMan Wrote:Service from an LHS: I was in the 'Springs Saturday and called to find out if the LHS was going to be open. The owner told me he was just closing up, but if I needed something he would stay open for me.
That is SERVICE. Which one are you talking about? Obviously, it isn't the Hobby Bench on Bell Rd.
In Colorado Springs? Never heard of that one. Colorado railroad Supply, off of Garden of the Gods.
Posts: 11,797
Threads: 573
Joined: Nov 2008
MountainMan Wrote:ezdays Wrote:Which one are you talking about? Obviously, it isn't the Hobby Bench on Bell Rd.
In Colorado Springs? Never heard of that one. Colorado railroad Supply, off of Garden of the Gods. opps, sorry, I thought that it was Kevin posting that... We both live in the Phoenix area. I guess I need to get my glasses checked (my eyes are good, it's my glasses that can't see good)  hock:
Don (ezdays) Day
Board administrator and
founder of the CANYON STATE RAILROAD
Posts: 1,682
Threads: 101
Joined: Dec 2011
nachoman Wrote:I wish there was an online hobby shop that sold everything and also had reasonable prices. Right now, I need just a few items. But, the store that has a good price on the one item does not carry the other items. And the store that carries all the items charges ten bucks more for one of the items than the other stores I have looked in. So, I either have to pay multiple shipping charges, or buy from the one store that carries all items and pay the ridiculously higher price for that one item. 
I've read everybody experience, I must state the complete opposite. Looks like up there in La Belle Province, good hobby shops aren't legion. The remaining one is an utter eyesore. I wish there was a real hobby shop with normal price policy in my area (I mean, prices that aren't somewhere between 200 and 300% MRSP)... Most things I get are bought online, it's cheaper (with shipping) than buying local and I have a real choice (if you aren't interested in Rapido coaches or cheap Life-Like/Model Power cars, that parody of LHS isn't your place). BTW, if you're interested you can buy a Model Power car for 29$... Obviously repackaged used, and damaged blue box Athearn cars sold as brand new (sounds illegal to me) for well over 20$. I've lost faith in hobby shops a long time ago, most I've known were run by the most despecable individuals I've ever encountered in business. They openly bitched their customers, practiced gross pricing policies and had little customer services to offer. When asked for advices, they only tried to make you feel miserable in front of others, just like if they had access to pure sapience! Ordering stuff from them was long and rarely they got everything. I've waited months for things I could have got in a matter of days online. No, I do not regret these fellows and smile everytime one goes under. I feel no compassion as they cheated me when I was a teenager and probably many more. Sorry for the rant... Though I must admit in my younger years, there was a nice hobby shop that carried a lot of stuff and was decent. However, Internet back in 1996 really sparked my passion again when I was browsing manufacturer's websites.
Matt... strangely out of himself! 
|
