Chicagoland lionel stores

First, welcome to the Forum. This question about Chicago area train shops comes up a lot. You already mentioned Americas Best, and you can add Berwyns and Chicagoland Hobby. Americas Best is heavy into Lionel products, while Berwyns is more MTH.

I hope this helps.

Chicagoland used to have a lot of O scale, but now, in the last several years, is

tinplate.  They do have a fairly large selection at the back of the store.  Hill's in Park Ridge, which had a mix, closed, Des Plaines Hobby is mostly scale.   In the past I have visited others, some of which are closed.  I think I visited Berwyn's once but don't

remember much about it.  Have not visited America's Best.  Let us know what is

current and your opinion of them.

For being a mostly scale store, Des Plaines has more Lionel than your average hobby shop. Mostly high end locos, and some post war.

We have been to Berwyns and they had very little. I over heard them telling another customer that between the Weaton shop and ebay they had pretty much given up on Lionel.  

Chicagoland Hobby had one counter of Lionel.  Nothing promising.

Americans Best has a large space of prewar and lot's of current.  Every time we go there we find something we didn't see before.  They will work with the price too.  

There is a interesting shop in Lowell, Indiana called spikes. You have to call to see if it's open (usually Saturdays).  They aren't a dealer (LIonel) but a collector with connections!!

Just my opinion, but I don't think any of the hobby shops in the entire Chicago area "stock" any of the newest Lionel locomotives. I know for a fact that Berwyn's will order anything a customer desires, but tends to only "stock" what will "sell in the Chicago area quickly", i.e. Burlington, Milwaukee Road, C&NW, Rock Island, Illinois Central, or UP.

If you would come up to Milwaukee, stop by and say hi to Jack and Matt at  Sommerfelds, this would be the place to stop for O gauge trains! Friendly place and large assortment of new and used items!

http://www.sommerfelds.com/

You mentioned South side Trains. Tom is a great guy to talk to but he is more into N and HO gauge trains! 

http://www.southsidetrains.com/

Try Walt's Hobbies in Crest Hill. Smaller store with a nice display case in the back.

To the east New York Central Trains in Mishawaka (South Bend) is a pretty good store with a decent selection. Expect to pay full retail. There is also Rupel's in Elkhart with a good selection. If your going that far make time for a visit to the New York Central Museum in Elkhart.

NOT SURE WHAT HE IS CURRENTLY CARRYING BUT TRY  MR MUFFIN IN INDIANAPOLIS. HE IS ALSO A FORUM SPONSOR AND IS IN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING A HECK OF A LAYOUT IN THE STROE

So you are in "the Region" (of Northwest Indiana) in Winter? I admire you.

Berwyn's is a nice visit but they are mainly MTH. Chicagoland Toy and Hobby has definitely run down their stock since Christmas so there is not as much as usual on the shelves or in the showcases.

However, if you are prepared to go far afield I'd recommend New York Central trains (referred to above) or way down south, in Carmel, IN, Mr Muffin's Trains, who have just proved to me that LHS service is NOT gone.

Of course, you could do what all right-thinking railfans do and visit the Burlington Zephyr in the Museum of Science and Industry.

Americas Best in Itasca, IL, ABSOLUTLY carries (AND DISPLAYS and DEMOS) all the current Lionel, Williams, as well as a fair amount of MTH and a little Atlas.

I have been to most of the larger stores across this country and can tell you in almost all cases, the larger the web presence, the more disappointed I was with the B&M store.

The only store to come close to Americas Best in terms of  out-of-box display items was Mizells in Colorado.

Charlie

Mizells, sadly, has closed.

When I lived in Chicago,  Berwyn's & Chicagoland Hobby were my 2 go to stores. I also made many trips to the Dupage fairgrounds show

Last time we dropped into town, Des Plaines Hobbies actually had Milwaukee Road 4-8-4's in the display case, and the cars. Many other nice steam and diesel engines too, freight and 18" passenger cars along with some postwar stuff. America's Best had a nice selection and the staff is very nice as well. Did not make it to Chicagoland nor Berwyn's, both would make a nice stop. To paraphrase Forrest Gump, "You never know what you'll find until you go there." Make a vacation of it and hit the MofS&I as well!

Chicago is still blessed with many fine hobby shops.  But just like everything else, they are a changing.  America's Best does by far the best job with Lionel.  Berwyn is an all around good shop with great owner and staff.  They specialize in MTH and Atlas.  Walt's has become a very good shop and is getting better all the time.  Chicago Land has greatly reduced their inventory of O gauge.  Des Plaines is still a great shop for 2-rail and scratch building supplies.

Just my two cents worth.

Art

We were in Indy last weekend, but we didn't stop at Mr Muffins.  We started at Train express and brought some things and asked if there was any other shops in the town that had O Guage, and they didn't want to answer.....  We wil add Mr Muffins to the list. 

When I was a kid my Dad would go to Trost in the city, wish there was a place like that!!

We are looking for Lionel #626, 629,2242,2368,2379,2554,2553,2321red, 2358, 2028.  My better half is looking for buildings and operating access.  

When I was a kid my Dad would go to Trost in the city, wish there was a place like that!

Actually, Americas Best in Itasca,IL and to a lesser extent Berwyn Hobbies are very much like Trost was.

If you use Trost as a measuring post, you will very much like Americas Best. Also, Tony, the owner of Americas Best, did work for the before mentioned Hills Hobbies, so much of his hobby retailing has its roots in some of the more respected shops that Chicago has had.

Charlie

Art & Charlie pretty well summed this up. having lived in the area for many years, it was always nice to have a local train store. This is one of the shortcomings living up in the north country.

I still find that Americas best has many items that not even the giants do not carry. When we did the renovation project last year, Tony had the hard to find items.

I have been to Americas Best 4 times and each time I had to ask for a credit increase on my credit card!!!!!  Tony is a great guy.  

I have dealt with Tony since 1996. Always enjoyed talking trains with him and his take on the direction of our hobby. He has always been helpful to me. Add to the list at Americas Best is Howie who you should meet when you go there the next time. I miss the times we spent hours just talking trains.

And don't forget the monthly show at the DuPage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton.  I have found so many of the different items on my wish lists there over the years and usually at a substantial discount. 

Art

Having grown up in Chicago I always felt the hobby died a bit here when Hill's closed their doors. Then Mike passed and his shop closed as well.

Having covered the states of PA and NY I am quite envious of the shops you guys have out east!!

Jeff:

Trust me, you have it "good" compared to other parts of the country. We live in the EAST and our closest dealer is 2 1/2 hours away. That's a five hour round trip.

There a few shops the size of those found in the Chicagoland area in all of New England. I traveled professionally for many years and have been in every State, every Province of Canada, and many States in Mexico. When I say you have it good, it is from personal observation.

We went to Du Page a couple of weeks ago, but it was one of many blizzard day and the attendance was down. I learned to ask Tony (american Best) if he has something, lot's of items in the warehouse.

I wish someone had a list of the top ten or twenty dealers. We are always up for a road or plane trip!!  Preferable a place with no snow!!!

How are you defining dealers?  Your question could identify a few internet sellers with very small store front operations.  Seems like you are looking for dealers to visit and shop, right?

Chuck

Mike Hill has "passed"??????  I have never seen any notification in any of the publications. Mike and his family run the Chicago O Scale March Meet, and of course Mike is always there. This year the "March Meet" will be held at the Westin Lombard, Yorktown Center, from March 14 thru March 16 (set-up is Friday the 14th).

Hi Chuck

You can only see pictures on the internet, sometimes you have to see it in real life. We use the internet a lot.  We use ebay and google searches.  The more we see the more we want.  

Hi John

What is the interchange track?  Links?

No the Mike that ran Trains and Toys in Niles. Sorry, but I didn't know his last name.

I think Jeff may have been referring to Mike Moore from Trains of Cars of Yesterday in Morton Grove.

So many Hobby shops have closed their doors. Here in Valparaiso ,Indiana we had a great Hobby Shop .which carried Lionel, WBB, MTH, and HO and G-Scale. It is in the process of selling its inventory and will close its doors in a couple months. In just a few days of announcing its closing and giving 40 t0 50% off, the train stuff evaporated off the shelves!!!

Whenever I head to Chicago I will occasionally stop by ChicagoLand Toy and Hobby he has a fairly nice collection of O-Gauge.

The best is down in Fort Lauderdale, Florida where Rick has a HUGE inventory of Lionel, WBB, MTH and some others. Very large collection of G-Scale and lots of accessories he also has consignment stuff and great pricing.

Every time I go down there I end up shipping back to Indiana a bunch of items or carry some back on the plane with me.

Next time you happen to be there look the place up

211 East Oakland Pk Blvd

Ft Lauderdale, Fl 33334

1-954-564-2440

or

1-888-462-2948

We were at Valpo a month ago and two weeks ago and found some good deals and things that are to find. Wish we had gone there sooner.  Is it because the owners are reaching retirement age??  Or is it the internet and ebay?

Out of curiosity, what type of boats do you like. Mine was made in your home State.

Yours must be a Rinker???  We have a Rinker 310 on Lake Michigan and at home a pontoon and a mastercraft.  Thus the boat name

No, it is a JC made in North Webster.

in valpo joe and sharon have decided to retire do some traveling and help out their family. i will miss them. it is a great hobby shop VERY train friendly. In Valpo we had a another great just train store just on the edge of town off a farm Samuelsons it was in that store I got back into the hobby.     my wife and I had just moved into town in 1997 for Christmas 1998 I bought a G-Scale Aristocraft set for around the Christmas Tree. As our family grew I got back into O-Gauge dug up my Dad''s stuff Max cleaned and oiled everything and we have never looked back. Sadly Max decided to close up a few years ago BUT he runs a huge Garden  RR Club on his property.

The only Hobby Shop left in Northwest Indiana is the I Love Toy TRains in New Buffalo Michigan just across the Indiana border just off Lake Michigan, it's a great little place.             across the street is a great ice cream place been around since WW2. Also on the edge of town is a restored Train depot with a model layout of the PereMarquette RR history, just outside is the remains of the old 3 engine roundhouse where the "roundtable" used to be its filled with water and the gese swim in it. There's a small museam with some RR cars and a huge coal tower.

My favorite boats are sail boats. My Uncle has a Morgan 33 footer which we go out on Lake Michigan weather permitting. My other Uncle has a 28 footer in St. Joseph Michigan. I love sailing it's a great relaxing way to spend the day