Western Railroad Discussion > Orchard Supply Hardware (OSH) train calendars

Aren't coming this year, and probably won't ever happen again. Lowe's hardware bought OSH and this tradition has fallen off the table. Maybe (?) significant customer requests may change their minds but from what OSH employees say, it ain't happening.

Same goes for what was another OSH tradition; the Christmas OSH truck or auto (ERTL, usually 1/48 scale), or train car/set (Bachmann G scale).

(sigh...)

Be happy that Lowes brought them otherwise OSH would probably be in bankruptacy by now.
OSH is not calling the shots anymore, but at least they're still open.

PHall Wrote:
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> Be happy that Lowes brought them otherwise OSH
> would probably be in bankruptacy by now.
> OSH is not calling the shots anymore, but at least
> they're still open.

Someone e-mailed them directly and was told they would be coming out this year and our daughter who works for them was also told they would be coming out.
C.

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA

Source?

Mr. MRL


djansson Wrote:
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> Aren't coming this year, and probably won't ever
> happen again. Lowe's hardware bought OSH and this
> tradition has fallen off the table. Maybe (?)
> significant customer requests may change their
> minds but from what OSH employees say, it ain't
> happening.
>
> Same goes for what was another OSH tradition; the
> Christmas OSH truck or auto (ERTL, usually 1/48
> scale), or train car/set (Bachmann G scale).
>
> (sigh...)

At the SP convention in San Luis Obispo in October the OSH calender came up. This artist has had a number of his paintings used in the calender over the years and was not contacted for a 2015 calender. We will know the answer soon.

MrMRL Wrote:
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> Source?
>
> Mr. MRL
>
>
> djansson Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Aren't coming this year, and probably won't
> ever
> > happen again. Lowe's hardware bought OSH and
> this
> > tradition has fallen off the table. Maybe (?)
> > significant customer requests may change their
> > minds but from what OSH employees say, it ain't
> > happening.
> >
> > Same goes for what was another OSH tradition;
> the
> > Christmas OSH truck or auto (ERTL, usually 1/48
> > scale), or train car/set (Bachmann G scale).
> >
> > (sigh...)

I believe that the source who e-mailed them directly and asked was Brian Bergtold.

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA

The store manager at the Antelope, CA. OSH was my source.

I am not holding my breath.
They were better when Sears owned them than under Lowe's.

PHall Wrote:
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> Be happy that Lowes brought them otherwise OSH
> would probably be in bankruptacy by now.
> OSH is not calling the shots anymore, but at least
> they're still open.

That's too simplistic an explanation of why OSH had to file Chapter 11. It's off topic, so people ought to do their own research if they are curious, or don't even mention Lowes regarding OSH's situation.

Anyway, the blame seems to go to Sears who bought OSH in 1996 and forced OSH to issue debt to pay Sears a ~$400 million in dividends. Trying to expand its name by buying up financially-troubled Builders Emporium (based in SoCal) made the situation worse. Lowes came to the rescue after all that, but had OSH not been participant of crony capitalism, they might be in much better shape today.

Thank you Carol, for the potentially good news regarding the OSH calendar. I believe we had "sky is falling, no more OSH calendar" talk last year or year before, but the calendars were printed and everyone had a Merry Christmas.

Lowe's may have come to the rescue but in truth they saw OSH as having a very different
customer base, case in point why there are new and large Ace and True Value stores going
in right down the street from the big box guys.

Out

callum_out Wrote:
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> Lowe's may have come to the rescue but in truth
> they saw OSH as having a very different
> customer base, case in point why there are new and
> large Ace and True Value stores going
> in right down the street from the big box guys.
>
> Out

The why did they close the Burbank, CA store?

BobP Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> callum_out Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Lowe's may have come to the rescue but in truth
> > they saw OSH as having a very different
> > customer base, case in point why there are new
> and
> > large Ace and True Value stores going
> > in right down the street from the big box guys.
>
> >
> > Out
>
> The why did they close the Burbank, CA store?

Probably wasn't making it's numbers.