Local Phoenix train store closing
#1
Just got an email from the owner of An Affair With Trains (AAWT), saying that they are going to close their store after the holidays, but still maintain their Internet presence. The store was one of just a few in Phoenix, and was really an overcrowded hole in the wall for years. The current owner purchased it, I'm not sure but maybe ten years ago. They moved to an industrial site in North Phoenix which I thought was a bit weird since they had the store in the back and you had to walk though offices to get to it. Well, I guess they though it wasn't the best either and finally moved to a shopping center a few miles to the west about a year ago. I used to go to the original place, but when they moved, I was probably there two, maybe three times and actually bought something once. 2285_ I hadn't planned on going to their new place until I settle down, I'm not in the market for anything train related right now. I have a mental list that I'll pursue as soon as I can, but I guess that will be too late for stopping by AAWT.
Don (ezdays) Day
Board administrator and
founder of the CANYON STATE RAILROAD
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#2
The local hobby shop here (about five minutes drive for me) closed at the end of August this year, and now the only one nearby is about a 45 minute drive away.  My other "local" hobbyshop is English's Model Railroad Supply, in Montoursville, Pennsylvania.....a bit more of a drive.

Wayne
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#3
Wow. This was one of my favorite places way back in it's original location. I went to the North Phoenix location a few times, but the drive was not convenient for me based on where I live now. Sad to hear they are closing. Not sure what is left in this city now?
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#4
(11-11-2018, 12:10 AM)nachoman Wrote: Wow.  This was one of my favorite places way back in it's original location.  I went to the North Phoenix location a few times, but the drive was not convenient for me based on where I live now.  Sad to hear they are closing.  Not sure what is left in this city now?

Well, not much if you're into trains as a hobby. There's the Hobby Bench chain, about five of them, and a few others in Tempe and Apache Junction that I think carry a full line of trains. Beyond that, we're on the short end of the brick and mortar stores.

Yeah, the original store was a mess, but it was neat to go there. When they moved across from the Deer Valley Airport, it was a long drive to get there, and a disappointment once you did. They are still about a 20 mile drive for me where they are now, but then again, a lot closer than going out to Apache Junction or Tempe. There was that shop on Bell Rd near the I-17 that was a lot closer, but it only stayed in business for a short time. It's getting harder and harder to shop local anymore....
Don (ezdays) Day
Board administrator and
founder of the CANYON STATE RAILROAD
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#5
The closest hobby shop to me is in the next county (about 40 minutes one way) and only carries a little HO stuff. Most of the business is Warhammer stuff and RC cars and planes. Haven't been back in years.
Mike

Sent from my pocket calculator using two tin cans and a string
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#6
Its not just train stores....all local retail is dying. Even big box sores. We wind up buying lots of kids stuff on amazon because stores dont carry it anymore. Frustrating to go to target to buy shoes for your kids and to find they stock nothing in their size. I do go to hobby bench from time to time but mostly buy paint or scratchbuilding supplies. Its actually a decent store.
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#7
(11-11-2018, 08:39 AM)nachoman Wrote: Its not just train stores....all local retail is dying.  Even big box sores.   We wind up buying lots of kids stuff on amazon because stores dont carry it anymore.  Frustrating to go to target to buy shoes for your kids and to find they stock nothing in their size.   I do go to hobby bench from time to time but mostly buy paint or scratchbuilding supplies.  Its actually a decent store.
Yup, go to Walmart and see if you can find shoes like they used to sell, but slowly got down to what was left in the warehouse, odd sizes, no decent color choice if you did find a pair that fit.  And I'm talking adult, men and women. Go to Costco and try to buy something you bought a while back and liked, but is no longer stocked. Big box stores are closing in record numbers, some completely.

There is an animated movie, Wall-e (a cleanup robot), about how earth became inhabitable. It was run by one company, B&N, stores, banks, transportation and government all the same company and so everyone left and lived on huge self-sufficient space ships, also owned by B&N. Is that a prediction of things to come?????? Eek
Don (ezdays) Day
Board administrator and
founder of the CANYON STATE RAILROAD
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#8
(11-11-2018, 06:32 PM)ezdays Wrote:
(11-11-2018, 08:39 AM)nachoman Wrote: Its not just train stores....all local retail is dying.  Even big box sores.   We wind up buying lots of kids stuff on amazon because stores dont carry it anymore.  Frustrating to go to target to buy shoes for your kids and to find they stock nothing in their size.   I do go to hobby bench from time to time but mostly buy paint or scratchbuilding supplies.  Its actually a decent store.
Yup, go to Walmart and see if you can find shoes like they used to sell, but slowly got down to what was left in the warehouse, odd sizes, no decent color choice if you did find a pair that fit.  And I'm talking adult, men and women. Go to Costco and try to buy something you bought a while back and liked, but is no longer stocked. Big box stores are closing in record numbers, some completely.

There is an animated movie, Wall-e (a cleanup robot), about how earth became inhabitable. It was run by one company, B&N, stores, banks, transportation and government all the same company and so everyone left and lived on huge self-sufficient space ships, also owned by B&N. Is that a prediction of things to come?????? Eek

Some day all that will be left wil be amazon and walmart...then again 100 years ago people may have feared that by 1930 all we would have was Sears and Wollworth ?
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#9
The closest hobby shop to me closed last year due to the owner retiring.. Now its a 100 mile round trip to a bicycle shop that carries trains or a 130 round trip to Columbus..
With my health and all its the internet hobby shops for me.

Off topic.

I can now order my groceries on line from Kroger and picked them up at the  time of my choosing. Who would have thought this would be possible 25 years ago?
Larry
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Summerset Ry

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#10
(11-13-2018, 10:58 AM)Brakie Wrote: The closest hobby shop to me closed last year due to the owner retiring.. Now its a 100 mile round trip to a bicycle shop that carries trains or a 130 round trip to Columbus..
With my health and all its the internet hobby shops for me.

Off topic.

I can now order my groceries on line from Kroger and picked them up at the  time of my choosing. Who would have thought this would be possible 25 years ago?

Hmm.  Is that shop called Don's and does that shop also sell lawnmowers?  If so, that place was right down the street from my grandparents house.  My brother and I used to walk there when we stayed with them.
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#11
Kevin, Its A & B Hobbies & Cycles on Washington Street.. I never been there but, I'm told they have a decent stock of trains.
Larry
Engineman

Summerset Ry

Make Safety your first thought, Not your last!  Safety First!
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#12
I'm still lucky enough that my closest store is a 20 minute walk, but then my basement and workshop has so much stuff I rarely need anything.
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