I have a visitor coming soon who is setting up an On30 layout. I am looking information on any hobby shops in Eastern Michigan (Detroit & north) that I can take him to that are worthwhile...
Thanks.
BILL
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P&D Hobbies, Grosbeck at 13 mile
Empire Hobbies, Just north of Big Beaver on Rochester rd (old costellos hardware)
there is also a new one on Woodward somewhere south of 696 I think called Rainy Day Hobbies, but I don't know anything about them.
P&D is the premier shop by far lots of models and parts and supplies. Has a stock of ON30 in house also.
Thanks!!! I wasn't sure whether P&D had much On30.... forgot about all the parts & bits they have....
Bill,
I would also consider
Great Lakes Hobby & Toy
- [Barely north of 19 Mile Road, on the east side of Van Dyke Ave.]
- Phone:(586) 254-1600Please call first and confirm that GLH has On30, but I believe that they do.
There is nothing much to speak of on the south side really.
And I'd call all to check on if/or what's available
The Whistle Stop on Harper N of 94 is 1st NE of the city.
A great store. Likely has something.
A bit west, but I think Rainy Day was the first place I saw an On30 maybe? Id call. The one on Woodward, I'd call a "scale shop". There was a custom built boxcar, I think the owner made, that was just incredible. Someone had also just come from a show, and was picking it up, or looking before hand. I really just remember checking it out, and drooling on my shoes.
The owner was always very nice, and hunted parts though I wanted PW, and that wasn't the shop focus. He even knew I was only on that side of town on occasion, and stayed a few minutes late to take care of me.
P&D staff was too involved with??? slot cars or rc cars ??? to wait on me, I left empty handed both times and don't even remember what the inside looks like.
Wild Bills N of P&D on Groesbeck,on the west side of the street. But I've never, ever caught him open
. My Grandfather did buy some things there many years ago
.
I think Great Lakes, and Whistle Stop are the largest, and they have the best hours.
A note on Great Lakes: They were using a very old cash register system that works well enough, but the date on the receipt, if cash is used, will be 10 or 20 years off!
Bachmann will require some hoop jumping phone calls, and contact with the owner/manager before they honor warranty work! I know this from first hand experience. It was all pleasant but time consuming "red tape"
.
It couldn't just be exchanged, last one.
The set wasn't even available till just months before it was bought. It broke within hours. And the price on the receipt was way too high for a last century set anyhow...
yep, Bachmann is nice to deal with, but still has the red tape. Nice friendly shiny red tape
I am pretty sure that Wild Bill's has little, or no On30, so, I would call first. Wild Bill's is a great hobby shop that has earned a very loyal following, particularly for Lionel, MTH, and other O Gauge.
Some MTH/LCT Tinplate, but not really a focus.
I'll be hitting Wild Bill's for my own purchases....
West, North West there are a few shops in the Livonia/Farmington area, but I haven't been to them. Nankin(?) hardware in Westland(?) might have something, though I heard they downsized the trains.
Tony's Mower shop, and a little shop in Plymouth are nice little shops, but I doubt they have On30.
If you do end up south of Detroit, Keck hardware "do it center" may carry some Bachmann On30 but it is a rather small train section.(west road, a few blocks west of Fort st. in Trenton).
