Why hardware stores as a Lionel retailer?

@Transman posted:

OK Hiker

Is this better?

@Transman, Great shots.  My house would be the one with the black shudders, black door and white vinyl siding.  Looks like it's at least occupied in those shots.  Looked somewhat different back in the 50s.  The vinyl siding has replaced the window enclosed front porch and of course the black door is different.  I took a nice tumble down those front steps when I was four and busted my chin wide open.  I can still see the scar to this day, 70 years later.  I can remember back in the early 50s when we still had a coal furnace the coal truck opening that little front enclosure located directly under the porch window which was then a coal Shute and running the coal on a conveyor belt into our coal bin in the basement.

My dad always set up a great Lionel layout in our front room during Christmas time.  The layout consisted of an original Lionel display layout which he purchased from a hobby shop on Torresdale Avenue in 1948 along with an 027 Freight set headed up by a 1655 2-4-2 "Columbia" style steam locomotive.  We had that layout up for every Christmas season from 1948 to 1952 and my Dad would run the train for us every night just before we went to bed with all the lights off except the tree lights and the boulevard lights on the layout.   It was magical.  I can still smell the fragrance of the our real Christmas pine tree and the pungent odor of the ozone emitting from the engine's whistle tender.  I still have the complete freight set with its set box and individual component boxes.  The engine still runs great and the whistle tender still works but is just a tad raspy but it still sounds great to me.  Unfortunately, my Dad died in June of 1953 from wounds he received during WW II fighting in Europe.

When we moved to West Virginia in 1959 my Mom put that wonderful Lionel display layout in the trash because she could never figure out how to hook up the big KW transformer to get the trains to run.  She also thought it too large and unwiedly to transport to West Virginia where we would be living in a smaller home.   I'm not sure whether it was 4x8 or 4x6 but it was beautiful with white painted streets and green dyed sawdust.  I have gnashed  my teeth many times since over the loss of that layout.  The sentimental value alone would make it priceless.  Luckily I still have the old Lionel's and they are prominently displayed in my train room.  I still run them at Christmas.   Sorry to go on so but your photos helped crystalize some great memories.  Thank a million.  

Great Lionel marketing department. The Advance Catalogs offered small stores several packages of trains and dealer display layouts designed for the holiday selling season.

Yesterday I went to ACE Nakin Hardware & Hobby. Westland, Michigan. They are about 25 miles from my train room. They still do basic model train items but they are famous for RC trucks, boats & cars.

Gary

My great uncle owned a Hardware Store in Homer City. Him and my father ran it. I worked there from 1960 to 1973. Unfortunately, my great uncle died and he didn't leave it to nobody. The S and T Bank was put in charge of the store and after leaving my father run it for about two years, they decided to auction it off. They offered to my father but being 60 he didn't what to go out on a limb and borrowed the money. That store had everything but toys.

Roger, As far as I know Joe The Motorist Friend had outlets all over Pennsylvania - during the Christmas season it was the go-to place for trains in State College. I purchased several trains from them over the years (including my home-from-the-service celebration purchase of the MPC Milwaukee  passenger cars).

As some of us know back in the day Hardware stores, Banks, & small shops with full sized all glass windows would set up train displays before Christmas time...Not only would it hold the kids attention while the parents dragged us to the store but it would actually put most of us in the Christmas spirit!- I would love to see someone with a  Bank, a shop or store window bring back a display in their window & see the joy that it would bring to all- And put the hobby back where it belongs in our hearts, dreams, & minds!...So anyone wanna give it a try??

A train layout in any store window will attract a crowd.

Every time I see an empty store front I imagine a train layout in the window.

My Lionel Trains (1953 and 1954) came from Brea Hardware in my hometown of Brea, California.  My extended family gave me additional cars and accessories, mostly from department stores.

I recall seeing a Texas Special F3 A and B running in the window of the Firestone Tire store in Fullerton, California, around 1955.