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Post by harborbelt70 on May 1, 2023 0:08:23 GMT
I had a feeling that this was on the cards, and I may pay the store a last visit to see what is left in terms of parts. Berwyn’s Toy Trains is the other main LHS at the other end of the city and is a family-owned business that I think will go on.
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Post by curtis on May 1, 2023 0:29:19 GMT
Sad but the INTERNET is the ruling store now. Most small or older hobby shops that do NOT use the internet are dying out. We all tend to get older and it is harder to run a business and get good help!
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Post by atsda on May 1, 2023 2:25:33 GMT
It is indeed getting more difficult to find a hobby/ hardware/ electric-electronic supply store that you can visit in person. As For me, I like to browse, 'get my hands on' items, and interact with people in the store. I think you lose a lot by not having the in store experience. For the many reasons already mentioned on the forum, web sales seems to be the only remaining sales opportunity. Alfred
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Post by 4dogsinjersey on May 1, 2023 3:38:51 GMT
Actually, I purchased many items from Chicagoland Hobby, mainly through EBay. They always had fair prices and well described and properly working trains.
A great seller, who is looking to retire. Another big loss for all of us.
Tom
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Post by ptc2 on May 1, 2023 12:57:27 GMT
Been there many times when I lived in the Chicago area. Sorry to see them go.
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Post by harborbelt70 on May 1, 2023 13:01:28 GMT
Actually, I purchased many items from Chicagoland Hobby, mainly through EBay. They always had fair prices and well described and properly working trains. A great seller, who is looking to retire. Another big loss for all of us. Tom Yes, no matter how you look at it this is a sad loss. Many years ago I bought from him in-store; a couple of my fave engines and even one full set came from him, and as these were significant purchases for me he discounted them at the register. Although I preferred visits to their online options the online items were fairly priced. About a year ago the business was put up for sale but I didn't think there'd be any takers for a traditional bricks and mortar hobby shop in the current climate - COVID and the draconian city/state policy about access to retail outlets certainly would not have helped.
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Post by Country Joe on May 1, 2023 13:38:31 GMT
This is sad news but I understand wanting to retire. I wish him the very best.
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Post by dennym57 on May 1, 2023 14:34:29 GMT
I never got to visit the store when I was in the Chicagoland area.
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Post by BobS2056 on May 1, 2023 15:05:58 GMT
I also never got to visit the Chicagoland hobby store, I will have to go to see what I missed, I was at Berwyn's about a month ago, have been going there for a long time, great store and people.
Bob
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Post by keithl on May 1, 2023 18:04:45 GMT
Berwyn’s Toy Trains is the other main LHS at the other end of the city and is a family-owned business that I think will go on.America's Best Train Shop is also still around. It's as big (or bigger) than Berwyn's. America's Best is heavy on Lionel. Berwyn's is heavy on MTH.
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Post by harborbelt70 on May 2, 2023 18:08:09 GMT
On another forum someone has posted this:
"My own history with the store goes back to the 1960s, when, before Greg's father bought it, it was downtown on Randolph Street and was called Hobby Service & Supply. The store had a long run. Now we're down to two main O gauge shops in the Chicago area: Berwyn's and America's Best." This has already been noted but the other relatively local LHS is Des Plaines Hobbies, which is a very good online source for detail parts. I have never set foot in the store itself, however, or America's Best whose prices have always been relatively high.
The "Greg" is Greg Bosak, who I have met maybe 4 times going back to about 2002. He was always a pleasure to deal with. I'm sorry that so far he has not found anybody to buy the business, although that does not surprise me.
I still have a very clear memory from the 60s - early 70s of the downtown store Greg's father eventually bought and ran although way back then I only went there for detail parts that I could use on 1/24 scale model cars. Some of those parts I still have in a box. That store was always busy especially at lunchtime when other (and rather more experienced) hobbyists often came in to browse. Now I suppose they use an online browser - if they're still with us.
P.S.Not that it matters but on Greg's own account the downtown store was on Madison Street, not Randolph.
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Post by dlagrua on May 7, 2023 17:13:21 GMT
Our last local train shop closed about 3 years ago. The owner passed away his wife then ran the store. When she retired there was no one interested in taking over. in the end the audience was small and the rent was high, It was not a good business model. Today online buying is now the norm and cutthroat pricing has even made that a tough market.
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Post by keithl on May 8, 2023 1:42:33 GMT
On another forum someone has posted this:
"My own history with the store goes back to the 1960s, when, before Greg's father bought it, it was downtown on Randolph Street and was called Hobby Service & Supply. The store had a long run. Now we're down to two main O gauge shops in the Chicago area: Berwyn's and America's Best." This has already been noted but the other relatively local LHS is Des Plaines Hobbies, which is a very good online source for detail parts. I have never set foot in the store itself, however, or America's Best whose prices have always been relatively high.
Yes, there's Des Plaines, which is a great shop for model railroaders in HO, N, and S, but whose inventory of Lionel, MTH, etc., is so so; and there are a few other good hobby shops as well. However, as far as the "main O gauge shops," it's for some time been Berwyn's, America's Best, and Chicagoland.
The "Greg" is Greg Bosak, who I have met maybe 4 times going back to about 2002. He was always a pleasure to deal with. I'm sorry that so far he has not found anybody to buy the business, although that does not surprise me.
I still have a very clear memory from the 60s - early 70s of the downtown store Greg's father eventually bought and ran although way back then I only went there for detail parts that I could use on 1/24 scale model cars. Some of those parts I still have in a box. That store was always busy especially at lunchtime when other (and rather more experienced) hobbyists often came in to browse. Now I suppose they use an online browser - if they're still with us.
P.S.Not that it matters but on Greg's own account the downtown store was on Madison Street, not Randolph.
FWIW, the original incarnation of the store that became Chicagoland was on Randolph, on the north side of the street, on the second floor, above the Walgreens. The owner moved it to Madison shortly before he sold it to Greg's father. My history with the story goes back to the first location on Randolph.
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Post by harborbelt70 on May 8, 2023 10:57:24 GMT
P.S.Not that it matters but on Greg's own account the downtown store was on Madison Street, not Randolph.
FWIW, the original incarnation of the store that became Chicagoland was on Randolph, on the north side of the street, on the second floor, above the Walgreens. The owner moved it to Madison shortly before he sold it to Greg's father. My history with the story goes back to the first location on Randolph. Yes, now that you mention it, I remember having to pass under the L tracks to get to it, and it was above a Walgreens. So I think my original visits would have been in the 60s. It was a treasure cave for me, and it wasn’t until 20 odd years later that I went up to Northwest Highway to the newer premises.
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