Despatch Junction to Reopen

This is wonderful news, Richard. Thanks for the update.

I'll have to give him a call....thanks Richard!

 

Alan

That is very good news.

 

Art

That is great news to hear. Stan had put his life, heart, & soul into making Despatch Junction into the fantastic train store it was. I had heard that he had a storage building full of train products so this is a great way for him and his loyal employees and customers to continue to see each other. I was hoping once he got over the shock of losing the store and contents in the fire that maybe he would reopen.  If Stan is checking out the forum we're glad you're going to be back in business.

Maybe he should start a KickStarter project.

 

good deal!!

Went by Sunday on way back from calling hours for an aunt of mine. 97, God Bless Her, down Route 153 and from the corner I could see 2 dump trucks parked just outside the fence so they may start clearing the onsite remains today. Going back up for funeral & burial today so if I get a chance to see any progress today I'll post tonight. Glad to see they plan to reopen!

That pile of rubble will be there for a few more weeks. The contractor is a friend of mine and has to deal with the village idiots, I mean bureaucrats.

 First they want a certificate of condemnation. Then they want the contractor to verify there is no lead or asbestos in the rubble.

 

 

Virtually impossible to do that don't you think Rich? What is the likelyhood that the insurance company is going to foot the bill for asbestos and lead abatement.

 

Pete

He has definitely had a change of heart then.

 

The day after the fire he was adamant that he was NOT going to rebuild.

 

Heard he had a storage building full of stuff that never got to the store, probably decided he needed a way to sell the stuff besides the internet and started missing the friends and customers. Takes a few days to get over the shock of losing everything. Got to love the horsecrap of government.  Building was probably too old to have any asbestos except the furnace and heating pipes & the only lead they might find if it didn't burn up in the fire would be on the train cars. Government should had been more concerned with what the big industries dumped all those years ago into the lakes & landfills. B.S!

Asbestos was commonly used in plaster and you can bet there was lead in the paint.

 

That's good to hear that he decided to reboot and have another go at it.  Got to give him credit in the face of such a huge loss.

Any update on Despatch's reopening plans?  Drove by yesterday and still see the debris there...

Is is likely to be awhile, First he needs a permit to clean up the mess from the village idiots, then he needs to deal with the EPA to dispose of the debris. and along the way he has to work with the insurance company and contractors. All this before he can begin thinking of building a new structure. If it were me, I would just retire, but Stan still wants to reopen.

Thanks for the update keep us posted

Just went by today, glad to see Stan wants to reopen bad enough to put up with the village idiots, EPA, insurance companies,  and every other jerk along the way just to get it cleaned up, then he has to start round 2 with everyone to rebuild.  I'm sure he misses all his friends and customers as much as we miss Stan and his fellow employees.   Only major well stocked other  O Gauge train store in Rochester area at all is in Alton ( East of Sodus ) Gardner, The Train Doctor aka Gargraves Train Track Manufacturer on Ridge Road off Routes 104 and or 88,  East from both roads. I highly recommend them too. Wide variety of everything we need for our layouts. Look for sign by road then drive up driveway,  it sits back off the road. Worth the trip there.

I is a bit of a drive from Rochester, especially if you live on the wast side, but well worth the trip.

Don Roder purchased the company from the Gardner family in the mid ‘60s. Don is along in years and pretty much retired. His sons Mike and Tom run the days to day operations and they are real gentlemen.

Hi all, my dad, Curt used to work for Stan & my mom, Shirley has been trying to contact him.  We are in Arizona now & he should have her phone number.  Can someone ask him to call her?  If he doesn't have her number, I can supply it.

Was in Rochester area yesterday and made a trip by, still the same so must still be waiting for the city hall politics to get done, nothing had been cleaned up yet and the 2 dump trucks are still parked outside the fenced off area. hope Stan and his employees are doing okay during this time, I'm sure they will feel better when progress gets started even with cleaning up the area. hopefully they are working on the plans for the replacement store during this difficult time waiting for clearance to proceed.

I remember Curt. Put your e-mail address in your profile and I will send Stan's phone No. to you

Thank you, Richard.  It is there.

Despatch Junction.  As everyone should remember it.

Any update?  Drove by the other day and saw the rubbles been cleared out...

Glad to hear it's been cleaned up. Maybe the government red tape with the village, town, & county has finally started to get cleaned up too so Stan can move ahead to get the rebuilding of Despatch Junction started. We miss you guys.

 

I haven't spoken with Stan in a while, but as far as I know he is moving forward

Too funny.  Look what happens the same day I post my question.  This is great news.

 

http://www.democratandchronicl...-rochester/15770319/

The contractor that cleaned up the mess is a friend of mine. I had lunch with him today and he told me Stan is moving forward with his plans. But the village idiots (Zoning Board) can't get their s**t together and approve his plans.

Wow, three months just to allow cleanup?  Depressing. Does the township/city/whatever continue to assess taxes in the meantime?

 

Hope things start looking up from here on!

 

 

 

 

Its all cleaned up, but the morons at the town hall just want to protect their fiefdom.

Wow, the news that Stan is rebuilding - per today's Rochester Democrat & Chronicle as linked above - is a very pleasant, but clearly an unexpected surprise. I am very happy for Stan, Frank, Don, and am sure that all the people who have gone there over the years will support the new venture.   This is a tremendous success story for train operators, collectors, and the East Rochester area.  Way to go Stan! 

I have news from Stan Slade the owner of Despatch Junction, He decided to build a larger building than originally planed, The building plans have been approved by the village and the working drawings will be finished by the end of the week or the middle of next.  Ground braking will be within a few weeks. The building will be a replica of a Victorian station.

That is great news!  Stan sure has the love of trains to go through everything he has to plan to reopen with a larger store than planned and glad to see that the politics have finally been resolved. Stan, God Bless You and yes, your customers will be waiting & be back!

 

It looks like someone in Victor, NY, has acquired some salvage from the fire:

 

 

 

There's lots more, too.

 

 

I would buy the damaged American Flyer sign shown on the pile of image #1 in link... --   http://www.democratandchronicl...-rochester/15770319/

Does anyone know approx timeline for the reopening. I heard on the news he was approved for building. My dad and I went there several times and I recently acquired his old o gauge trains  and would gladly return to the store  for future purchases