Going to be spending a few days in the Chicago area starting this week, and I may have some free time to visit a hobby shop or two. I know of Chicagoland, but are there any other good ones. We will be in the Palatine area. And Yes - I did try the search function - Didn't seem to provide any useful information. Thanks in Advance
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You have got to go here...
http://www.americasbesttrain.com/
It's on the south side of Ohare airport...
( I don't live in the area maybe one of the locals
can help. The web site has the location on it. )
Large selection, nice people...
I try to get there When I go to Chicago..
Try America's Best, which is in Itasca just off Irving Park Road. Not far from Palatine. Be aware of their summer hours. Here's the website:http://www.americasbesttrain.com/
Des Plains Hobbies is also great, especially if you like books and O Scale detail parts.
Berwyns, possibly the nicest and most organized in the Chicagoland area http://berwynstoytrains.com/train-room-tour.html
Chicagoland, and De Plaines are probably the closest to Palatine.
http://chicagolandtoysandhobbies.com/
http://www.desplaineshobbies.com/store/
Both are worth the trip.
When visiting the Wheaton show (once monthly before $4 gas, ah, the good old days), I would hit three shops in a roughly straight line on Touhy Ave. on both sides of 294, north of O'Hara, Hill's (now gone), Chicagoland, and then back to Des Plaines. Over time I hit others, some of which have vanished...new ones I do want to know about. Chicagoland used to have a lot more O SCALE..is now largely three rail. Des Plaines has moved to a different building (I think smaller) at the other end of the same mall. For an area that has/had? All Nation and has the March O scale meet, I don't find that much in O scale parts, etc. unless, I hope, I am missing them and the right locations.
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