Wild Bills Trains....Out of Business

That's bad news. Wild Bill's was a world class train store.

Scott Smith

NOOOOO!!!!! 

That is really bad news! I know Elmer was having some health issues. 

I am going to miss that store.

The store is closing due to the illness of both Elmer and Burt. The store and Elmer's repair ability will really be missed.

Gosh, I was just on the phone with them a few weeks ago when I was scrounging up what little supply exists among dealers for MTH ScaleTrax #4 and #6 turnouts. Scary how quickly our landscape changes.

Even when I called MTH for assistance, we walked through a list of potential stores stocking ScaleTrax, and more than a few times the helpful rep would mention, "Well that store isn't in business anymore."    A bit scary when ya think about it.

David

Always helpful & friendly.  Helped me find some hard to find things.

Bit by bit we are moving to a very few LHS survivors and a bunch of mail order retailers. Sad for sure, but I suppose we will adapt. Visits to real bricks and mortar stores are such a fun experience and full of nostalgia for us older folks. 

Our general penchant for ordering from whomever has the lowest price on an item (no matter whether LHS or giant internet seller) is what has created this phenomenon. Too late for crying over it now. 

A great career in a wonderful hobby. I wish them all the best life has to offer.

Best Train shop in SE Michigan! Feel lost knowing the shop won't be there any more. Wishing all the best to Elmer and Bert, will talk with you soon guys!

Dave Warburton posted:

Bit by bit we are moving to a very few LHS survivors and a bunch of mail order retailers. Sad for sure, but I suppose we will adapt. Visits to real bricks and mortar stores are such a fun experience and full of nostalgia for us older folks. 

Our general penchant for ordering from whomever has the lowest price on an item (no matter whether LHS or giant internet seller) is what has created this phenomenon. Too late for crying over it now. 

I strongly disagree.  There were plenty of non-helpful bad attitude shops that have gone out of business.  I always tried local first.  The best one went out of business and the one that is left has an attitude problem......forcing me to buy on the net......Nothing to do with price for me......knowledge is worth money and not a problem for me to pay extra for it.  Everyone always blames it on people looking for the best price.  Not our fault that some businesses do not know how to talk to and deal with customers.

Please,  You do need to change the title of your post to add the store name.  This is a shocker to me and a lot of people won't bother to look but need to know about the loss of their favorite store.

Dennis

Gentlemen, If I knew how to change the title of my thread I would.  I loved this store and thought a lot of the guys that ran and owned it.  A sad day.

I figured it out, still trying to get use to the Forum.

Disappointing news.........  Bert just took my Lionel order about two weeks ago.

Gary

Too bad that they are gone.  I knew them when they first started their business selling trains at a flee market setting back in the early 90's on weekends and out of their vehicles.  They always had an in with Lionel that I wasn't able to quite figure out, as Bill had Lionel trains over runs etc that were VERY reasonably priced.    Some how he was able to acquire Lionel trains that no one else had.   Well I wish Burt and Elmer the very best.  Hopefully they will be able to enjoy a happy and healthy retirement.

I remember them having some high ticket items I was looking to purchase but they were not interested in shipping to Canada 

 Frustrating at the time

Al

A very sad day indeed. I always enjoyed stopping in and drooling over the newest cars and equipment they had. I was just there a week ago. I will miss this store very much. 

Sorry to hear this news for all you guys in Detroit. I visited them last fall during a business trip and it was an awesome shop that was full of activity even during the middle of a weekday. 

Sad news, indeed!

Elmer and Bert have my best wishes for a happy retirement. Many a rewarding purchase from the boys. Among my fondest Wild Bill's Trains memories are of the Lionel unveilings on Friday evenings when Dick Maddox and Bill Brasy would bring around Lionel's very latest and greatest to demo. Of course, this was when Lionel still had a strong presence in southeastern Michigan. Sic transit gloria mundi.

Bob

Wow! That is a shocker. I wish them well on their retirement. I wonder if P&d hobby up the street will pick up the slack?

Wow is right I was just planning to make a run up there from the downriver area. Glad I seen this, HAPPY RETIREMENT AND GOOD HEALTH.

trainroomgary posted:

Disappointing news.........  Bert just took my Lionel order about two weeks ago.

Gary

Might want to check on those pre-orders.  Sounds like they could possibly be long gone by the time that stuff shows up.  Hopefully they made arrangements with another dealer.

P&D won't get Elmer's customers. Prices there are beyond the cost of internet ordering. WE do have Great Lakes Hobbies that does discount. However with W.B. gone he might bump up his prices and he does not have a  repairman.

Gentlemen,

   Very bad news for our hobby, however we wish for both a happy and healthy retirement. 

Thanks for the great Train Shop Elmer & Bert!

PCRR/Dave

Never met them, but it's still sad to see something like that close. Too bad someone couldn't have taken over the store from them. Train shops here in Michigan are few and far between. On my side of the state there are hobby shops that carry a small inventory of trains and I do mean small nor do they know squat about trains. The only true train shop here is endanger of going out of business.

The closest one is 'I Love Toy Trains-The Store' in Michigan City, IN. For me that's a 100 mile round trip. There are two in Grand Rapids still a 100 mile round trip, one is a hobby shop like I mentioned that a small carries a small amount of trains, but are not real train people and the other I have heard good things about, but he's not a young guy and could retire at any point.

Elmer and Bert

May God bless you both.  thank you for a great 16 years of memories and friend ship  

Sorry to hear...

Thanks very much Elmer and Bert for all the help you have provided me of the many years.  I remember all of you with all the fun we had looking at new catalogs and getting all the great new trains that arrived.  I will miss you both and the store...  Take care!

We will (local guys at least) be talking about Wild Bills for a long time.  I think everyone knew we had a one of a kind train store right here in the Detroit area.

Thanks for the memories.

That is a great shot Charlie. What happened to all that product?  There was tons of stuff on the shelves and in the attic and in storage...

Question for the locals... with Burt and Elmer being the store's recent principals, who was "Wild Bill"?

Rocky Mountaineer posted:

Gosh, I was just on the phone with them a few weeks ago when I was scrounging up what little supply exists among dealers for MTH ScaleTrax #4 and #6 turnouts. Scary how quickly our landscape changes.

Even when I called MTH for assistance, we walked through a list of potential stores stocking ScaleTrax, and more than a few times the helpful rep would mention, "Well that store isn't in business anymore."    A bit scary when ya think about it.

David

Ready to Roll in Miami specializes in MTH.   Try them for ScaleTrax.   I know it's hard to find #4 and #6 switches but they have other switches there plus plenty of sectional and 30in straights 

Rocky Mountaineer posted:

Question for the locals... with Burt and Elmer being the store's recent principals, who was "Wild Bill"?

Bill, aka wild Bill was the original part owner who previously worked at Lionel in Chesterfield.  He began selling Lionel trains at a weekend local flea market before teaming up with Elmer and opening the current location.  He was a guy with a great love for trains and a great personality who made the shop the draw it became .

Joe

Vinny26 posted:

Rocky Mountaineer posted:

Gosh, I was just on the phone with them a few weeks ago when I was scrounging up what little supply exists among dealers for MTH ScaleTrax #4 and #6 turnouts. Scary how quickly our landscape changes.

Even when I called MTH for assistance, we walked through a list of potential stores stocking ScaleTrax, and more than a few times the helpful rep would mention, "Well that store isn't in business anymore."    A bit scary when ya think about it.

David

Ready to Roll in Miami specializes in MTH.   Try them for ScaleTrax.   I know it's hard to find #4 and #6 switches but they have other switches there plus plenty of sectional and 30in straights 

Thanks Vinny.  I did call RTR a few weeks ago, and grabbed a #4 that they had remaining in stock.  I think it was their last one.

JC642 posted:

Rocky Mountaineer posted:

Question for the locals... with Burt and Elmer being the store's recent principals, who was "Wild Bill"?

Bill, aka wild Bill was the original part owner who previously worked at Lionel in Chesterfield.  He began selling Lionel trains at a weekend local flea market before teaming up with Elmer and opening the current location.  He was a guy with a great love for trains and a great personality who made the shop the draw it became .

Joe

Thanks Joe.  Always interesting to hear the trivia behind such famous train shops.

Here are pictures from a memorable day at the store back in 2005.

All the best to Elmer and Bert.  A couple of years ago, it was my pleasure to just drop in the store unannounced while on a business trip.  We always like to visit the stores that carry our product.  I found the Mega-Steam display and inquired of Bert, "Is this stuff any good?"  The response was priceless!  Both Elmer and Bert had great customer service skills and train knowledge that comes with a real passion for the hobby!  Your friendship and business will be missed.

Jeb

Jim 1939 posted:

P&D won't get Elmer's customers. Prices there are beyond the cost of internet ordering. WE do have Great Lakes Hobbies that does discount. However with W.B. gone he might bump up his prices and he does not have a  repairman.

I had visited Wild Bill’s shop when I first got into the hobby, when I lived in S.E. MI, around 10 years ago. But they only had 3-rail items. P&D was just a few miles south, along the same road. P&D carried a lot of 2-rail models & so I never went back to Wild Bill’s.

I agree that P&D prices are higher than some other online dealers but I become interested in many models after I see them at train shows & on these forums & by that time, 2-rail models with their limited availability are long sold out at other dealers & I am grateful for P&D Hobby for carrying them, even if it means paying the full price.

These are just my opinion,

Thanks,

Naveen Rajan

WBT was not the ordinary train shop, it was a social center for train nuts 

I'm very sad to see this store closed.  Of the several LHS in my area this one was my favorite.  I did not always have the best experiences there, but prefer WBT to any of the others.  There is something to be said for a shop that specializes in 3 rail O gauge, and none of the other stores around me have the right feel to them.  Guess I'll be purchasing from online retailers from now on.  Shame to see WBT go.  

JGL