Another LHS closing

It would be nice if o.p. of these kinds of threads would lists the cities these shops were in. For this thread it appears to be Cleveland, Ohio. Unfortunately I was never there but wish the owners well on their endeavors.

My apologies. I assumed that without a significant web presence, their closing would only be of interest to those who would recognize the name:

Parma Hobby 5275 Ridge Road Parma Ohio   Suburb of Cleveland  MTH dealer and repair station  This follows the closing of Grand Pacific RR last fall  That is 2 in the last year within a 5 minute drive from my home in Parma Ohio. I guess I have been spoiled.

Pete S

Lets not forget that a lot of these hobby shop closures are due to retirement and not poor sales or the economy. I do hope that this is the case with this one. The toy train industry is not dying, just changing.

Rod Miller

To be honest neither Parma or Grand Pacific had been very good train shops for a long time. I wish them the best.

Since I opened my store in early 2015 five in the area have closed their doors, I am in Twinsburg ohio between Cleveland and Akron.  True that all had their reasons for closing but it's sad that no one has picked them up as it takes a long time to get a following and if run correctly they are profitable enough to make a decent living out of one.

While I no longer frequently get to the Cleveland area, I still do for the O scale show and other train shows.  I think I had HEARD of the Parma shop, not the other one, nor of one in Twinsburg.  Certainly if wasting gas for a show, I am very willing to hit any hobby shop, at least once, that I know exists, on the trip.  If five have closed in the area, that is a lot that were very successful at hiding their candle under a bushel.   Years....DECADES!...ago, I spent a day hitting every shop in the area I could find advertised.

Grand Pacific Junction hobby shop in Middleburg heights Ohio closed recently because Mike the owner passed away. The lady that was his partner in the business and Mike's son decided to close after being in the business for over 25 years. They still had a lot of inventory left right before the shop closed and was selling it at quite a discount. Mike was a great guy and very knowledgeable. He helped me out a lot over the years when I was getting into O scale. He will be missed. He told me his son worked for the wheeling & Lake Erie and ran the coal train into downtown Cleveland. Mike's son was just too busy working for the railroad to keep the shop open and running.

Nick,

Sometimes it is just a natural  cycle.   The owner of Grand Pacific seemed in poor health and passed away last year.  Parma Hobby seemed to be losing its enthusiasm for the business.  They helped a great deal with some wiring questions and repaired some engines for me, but the inventory seemed to be going stale.

At any rate, as Clevelanders, we are still blessed with a good number of shops and I hope yours joins the ranks of the successful ones.  Look to visit soon.

Pete S

Gents, I'll be attending my Senior Class 50th reunion (St. John Cantius) in September. Haven't been back to Cleveland in at least 25yrs. . Grew up on the Southside. Great memories. Dad would take me to Hardware store on West 25th near the intersection of Clark Ave. first real memory of train shopping. But I digress. I'll probably stay Downtown as we are taking in an Indians game. I would like to hit a few train stores while in town. Any suggestions?  Thanks. 

Didn't Grand Pacific used to be on Columbia Road in Olmsted Falls?

Jim Berilla is still going at "The Trading Post" on Pearl Road in Old Brooklyn (Cleveland). He is always well stocked with O gauge trains. Check on his hours, though, as he is closed several days a week in the summer. 216-661-7300.

This is why local shops need to at least buy a little advertising box at the back of the OGR magazine.  I've long used this when traveling on business and will hit hobby shops if I have the time when I'm near one.

I was never aware of the existence of Grand Pacific Junction in Middleburg Heights but, would definitely have gone by when I'm in that area.  We have a company location in Strongsville and I always stay in Middleburg Heights when I'm up there.

Curt

Grand Pacific hobby shop had moved from Olmsted Falls a couple years back to the intersection of Bagley and Pearl roads into a little shop next to McDonald's. They went out of business right around the end of last year when Mike the owner passed. Most of the hobby shops in this area have closed in the last few years. Hobbytown USA went out of business a few years back and so did Hobby's etc. Strongsville hobby moved out to Elyria and now Parma hobby is closing soon also.

A good hobby shop to go to is Al's train and hobby in down town Bedford Ohio. He has a nice selection, provides great service and is very knowledgeable. Al runs a nice little Mom and Pop hobby shop. I highly recommend it!

Stewart's hobby in down town Willoughby Ohio is a great little hobby shop also with a lot of variety in hobby needs. Depot train and hobby and the trading post are two other hobby shops on Cleveland's west side.

The stockyard is a nice train shop also about 45 minutes west of Cleveland for all your o scale needs.

This is most of the shops I know of in and around the greater Cleveland area.

Nicks is a great store. lots of new and old items. in twinsburg oh.  Tom SR.

Hobby House  12613 State Road North Royalton.   

Pete S

When traveling isn't it easier to check the zip code with Lionel or MTH as all their dealers starting with the nearest will pop up.    I do have a website for my store, Nick's Vintage Trains but most of my sales are walk in, I'm 99% O gauge Lionel.  I have about 2,000 square feet of Lionel display mostly vintage and NOS early/mid modern.  I don't even attempt to compete with internet stores and have only minimal new product.  If you are ever in the area stop in and look around it's like going to a train show in there and it changes daily.

Aaron's City Trains in Akron was a big one that closed earlier this year, I'm sure many of you knew of them as they did quite a bit on the Internet and he was a sponsor here.  Whistle Stop in Cuyahoga Falls closed last year as well as Hilltop in Akron however I believe Hilltop is back as a hobby store now.  Aarons was age/health, the other two were not. These are the other 3 that closed,  when added to the two mentioned above that's 5 gone in less than 18 months in the Akron/Cleveland market.

Maybe someday I'll open my own store in the Cleveland area...

Dave Warburton posted:

Didn't Grand Pacific used to be on Columbia Road in Olmsted Falls?

 

grand pacific was in two different stores in olmsted falls, seems to me they moved to strongsville for a short time, ended up at the middleburg heights,before finally closing up.it never was much of a train shop...i think i have 4 times more than i ever saw stocked in their store at any time...

Nick, did you hear the rumor there's a big one coming to the East Side of Cleveland soon?  Tom Sr.

Thanks for all the tips. I'm coming from Virginia so many of these are an easy stop. I used to travel Pearl Road often as a kid so I hope I can get to thr Trading Post b

PETE S posted:

Hobby House  12613 State Road North Royalton.   

Pete S

OK...I have to ask:  any relation Wally Jeffrey's Hobby House that used to be downtown, I believe at 800 Huron Road?

I've been at somewhat of a loss for a good, local hobby store in CLE ever since Tom Podojil of Warren's Model Trains passed away.  (Gosh - has it really been over ten years already?)

The nicest I've found since then is Stockyard Express in Oberlin.  Great place....just a little out of the way for me.  But, in some ways, that's a good thing.

It's been a while, but IIRC, the last time I was at the Trading Post was probably ten or eleven years ago.  I seem to remember a lot of MPC and Post War Stuff.....but not much on the newer side of the hobby.

Also, wasn't Parma Hobby the victim of a rather large burglary some years back?

Lastly, how many of us in this thread still hit the TCA show on Chevrolet Blvd in Parma?

Berk,

No relation to the old Hobby House on Huron as far as I know.  I have been there several times and watch several of his e bay items.  Parma Hobby was burgarlized some years ago.  The perps were caught but I believe much of the merchandise recovered was damaged.  

The Trading Post is closed SMTW during the summer.  Jim is a postwar guy. He does have modern Lionel and MTH. He has ordered new engines for me, handled warranty repairs and has a repair guy for electronics.  

The shop looks the same as 10 years ago, well maybe even 40 years ago. The inventory list is in his head, so if you don't see it, ask.  

Visit them all and decide which suits you the best. They are all different and reflect the character and interest of the owners, as well they should.

Pete S

bum posted:

Since I opened my store in early 2015 five in the area have closed their doors, I am in Twinsburg ohio between Cleveland and Akron.  True that all had their reasons for closing but it's sad that no one has picked them up as it takes a long time to get a following and if run correctly they are profitable enough to make a decent living out of one.

 

You have a shop in Twinsburg?

Jonathan.  Yes, it is Nick's Vintage Trains, 8900 Darrow Road Unit H107 in the Town Center Plaza 82 & 91 Twinsburg.

Berkshire President posted:

 

Lastly, how many of us in this thread still hit the TCA show on Chevrolet Blvd in Parma?

i went in early 2016 for the first time in 8-10 years..... looked like the same trains and stuff from 10 years ago....it was almost all parts people,lionel pre-postwar,mpc era to 1990's.these people really live in the past. only 2-3 tables of preowned mth ,which is what i look for at a meet....

i went in early 2016 for the first time in 8-10 years..... looked like the same trains and stuff from 10 years ago....it was almost all parts people,lionel pre-postwar,mpc era to 1990's.these people really live in the past. only 2-3 tables of preowned mth ,which is what i look for at a meet....

LOL, that's what makes horse races. You've described a show I would love to attend.

bum posted:

When traveling isn't it easier to check the zip code with Lionel or MTH as all their dealers starting with the nearest will pop up.    I do have a website for my store, Nick's Vintage Trains but most of my sales are walk in, I'm 99% O gauge Lionel.  I have about 2,000 square feet of Lionel display mostly vintage and NOS early/mid modern.  I don't even attempt to compete with internet stores and have only minimal new product.  If you are ever in the area stop in and look around it's like going to a train show in there and it changes daily.

Aaron's City Trains in Akron was a big one that closed earlier this year, I'm sure many of you knew of them as they did quite a bit on the Internet and he was a sponsor here.  Whistle Stop in Cuyahoga Falls closed last year as well as Hilltop in Akron however I believe Hilltop is back as a hobby store now.  Aarons was age/health, the other two were not. These are the other 3 that closed,  when added to the two mentioned above that's 5 gone in less than 18 months in the Akron/Cleveland market.

I checked out your website. You have a very attractive store which looks "high end." Congrats! I hope you do well.

I lived in NE Ohio all my life until moving to SoCal 7 years ago to retire. Shopped at the Trading Post and Hobby House in downtown Cleveland. 

My maternal grandparents, however, are longtime "residents" of Twinsburg, Ohio. (At crown Hill Cemetery, that is.) They were the best grandparents a kid could ever have. May God bless their souls.

It is sad to see another Hobby shop go by the waste side.  A lot of times  the next generation is not there to take it over for family or just don't have an interest in the hobby.  There are few that have gone from generation to generation. We have seen at least 4 to 5 in our neck of the woods disappear because no one to take over for last generation.  We have lasted three generations for 77 years due to the fact that we enjoy the hobby personally and the 4th generation has started working in the store.  With the hopes to keep it going for at least another 50+ years. Time will tell weather there will be 5th to take over. Hopefully it will be around then.

Wish them luck with there retirement.  

Good news/bad news. Hilltop Hobby was open as of about 3 weeks ago. He's located across from the old Airdock. The bad news is that Trains-n-Things in North Canton closed about a year ago.

It's not just O gauge stores closing either. There are not any good N or HO shops in the Cleveland area anymore IMHO. The 3 best shops for O within a day trip  are Stockyard Express, Mr. Muffins, and Mercer Junction. Those are great shops.

I grew up in Warren, Ohio and we had 3 Trumbull Camera and hobby shops, Amers, Boardman Hobby, Trigg's Marine/TrainAmerica, The Great train store, Kraynaks, The underground RR shoppe, a shop in the basement of a house, a couple in Akron and Canton, and all of the ones mentioned in the Cleveland area. I spent my childhood visiting hobby shops in every town we went to. How things have changed...

I will miss Parma Hobby.  Best wishes to Sandy and Bob.

I have had to search online for the acrylic flat paints I use to paint the Preiser figures for my O-gauge passenger cars. I already miss the convenience of driving five minutes to Parma Hobby.

Supplies like Grand Central Gems Lodge Pole Pines and Redwoods, Atlas O Signals and Bridges are all getting more difficult to find online.  The internet dealers from who I purchased early this year, have not re-stocked many months later, according to their websites. With so many specialty products for model railroading, it is difficult for a hobby store to have everything and from all manufacturers.

Haven't had a good train store in my REGION for, let's see... 20+ years?

As a result, I learned a long time ago how to exist online in regards to hobbies.

Sure, I miss having a good hobby shop in which to purchase, kibitz, et al... but as the saying goes: It is what it is.

If you lose your LHS you'll have to either deal with it and adapt, or, what, quit the hobby?

There are TONS of excellent online hobby stores.

Andre

You can add Falls Model Trains located in Cuyahoga Falls, Wings Hobby in Lakewood and Hobby Castle in Cleveland to the list as well. Knowing the Northern Ohio market, I'm sure disposable income is down after the 2008 recession hit.

Sounds like a lot of changes have taken place in the NE Ohio hobby industry, I appreciate the update as I now live out of state. I was a longtime resident of the Akron/Cleveland and familiar with a lot of these places. Back in '92 I worked as a salesman for a hobby distributor based out of Detroit. It was kind of tough asking for new business during the summer months with the area stores already having access to two Cleveland based hobby distributors.

Kids today, though there are exceptions, seem to steer towards digital technology, they desire instant gratification. Building airplanes, ships, designing model railroads might seem dated to them and opt for something more sophisticated. I wouldn't expect today's young generation to be interested in what their grandparents did in their free time.

I wonder if business is down at Trading Post as well. Jim was only closed on Sunday and Monday during the summer years ago.

Lenny,

Jim and the business are fine.  He has a lot of other interests and likes to drive one of his old Corvettes out to the islands over the weekend.  So it is either sit around the shop all day with almost no activity or an extra day or so on the island.   I usually take my repairs in during the summer. 

Pete S

jonnyspeed posted:

It's not just O gauge stores closing either. There are not any good N or HO shops in the Cleveland area anymore IMHO. The 3 best shops for O within a day trip  are Stockyard Express, Mr. Muffins, and Mercer Junction. Those are great shops.

I grew up in Warren, Ohio and we had 3 Trumbull Camera and hobby shops, Amers, Boardman Hobby, Trigg's Marine/TrainAmerica, The Great train store, Kraynaks, The underground RR shoppe, a shop in the basement of a house, a couple in Akron and Canton, and all of the ones mentioned in the Cleveland area. I spent my childhood visiting hobby shops in every town we went to. How things have changed...

Thanks John!

Well....since all of us NE Ohio guys are chatting, I have to ask:

Where do you take your locomotives in for repair work that you can't do yourself?

I have a Legacy Santa Fe Northern with a bad smoke unit.  (Shocker!)  It once went back to Lionel for repair and came back, worked for a little while, and then pooped out on me again.

Ormandys in Medina is technically listed as a registered service station that will make repairs.  I took the loco there last December or so.....and it was by far the worst LHS experience I've ever had in 30+ years of being in the hobby.  (And they kindly told me to go "elf" myself.)

Have you tried E & S Trains in Akron; well, Kenmore really? They're a Lionel authorized service station and I've had good luck with them. They're really about the only game left in the towns of Akron, Canto, and Massillon. They advertise in OGR, too.

Back in November both my Lionel Legacy NKP 765 and Pokar Express smoke units concked out. I ended up fixing them myself with new parts from Lionel. It was relatively simple to do once I figured it all out. Now they smoke better than ever. I also contact Lionel as to when they hold tech training. They put me on a list but I haven't heard anything since. 

Jim Brenner posted:

Have you tried E & S Trains in Akron; well, Kenmore really? They're a Lionel authorized service station and I've had good luck with them. They're really about the only game left in the towns of Akron, Canto, and Massillon. They advertise in OGR, too.

I'd put e&s right in the middle of the grumpy meter between  ormandys and glen uhl.....i live about 10 miles from ormandys  and have been in the store twice since it opened, if that tells you anything.....