Model Railroading > Caboose Hobbies 2.0

A reliable source told me that the "Caboose Hobbies" brand name has been sold to a modest Denver O-scale repair service with an eye to expand. Part of the deal includes taking on CH's standing pre-orders. As to whether CH's pre-order discounts will still apply has not been announced.

i hope its true

I was in there today asking about pre-orders and was told the price would be honored.

Posted from Android

My friend in Denver informed  they announced yesterday they are closing the business due to ever increasing rent. No mention of being sold.  Blame is placed on the "pot heads" who are flooding the area and driving up housing prices. 

people like colorado for a variety of reasons, but retail and warehouse space is going at a premium, with a whole new industry

>  Blame is placed on the "pot heads" who are
> flooding the area

They'll love Chick-fil-A.  A 24/7/365 Cheetos store would be better . . .
Can't cure the munchies with a boxcar.

Ththe letter i got yesterday from ch. Says they are closeing. Pre orders will be honored by the manufacturer. But that is still in the works.

It's over folks. Done and dusted. Move on.

I would not leave a preorder with these folks or the new folks. 

The hobby has changed and so has bricks and mortar hobby shops. No money in it except for only a select few. If you want to make a million dollars in model railroading, then start with 2 million and invest it and u will be left with one million dollars.

Bruce

Last I looked Bruce you arent the site Admin. If we want to dicuss Caboose so be it. I pay my money for a subscription to this site. If you dont like the discussion  move on to another thread and dont worry about it.


                                            Regards, Dave Dane

With so much in flux, I decided to get information from another horse in the CH saga--Walthers. I called Walthers concerning whether it would honor CH pre-order list, and, if so, would it honor CH pre-order's prices? I was told by a Walthers person that: 1) It "will not give out info" [on its wholesale customers] and 2) Walther's "does not have a policy" [on matching the pre-order prices of dealers who go out of business.] The Walthers person said if retail customers want to see if a particular pre-order item is still available directly from Walthers, they can call. However, the price will be Walthers catalog price. I wonder what Horizon's policies are?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/18/16 12:39 by railwaybaron.

I just called Horizon Hobbies (Athearn and Roundhouse) and asked if it would honor CH pre-orders and was told by Customer Service it would not necessarily honor CH pre-orders if it goes out of business (they had not heard.) I was also told that CH customers could pre-order directly from Horizon, if the items are still available. The issue I have is that there are thousands of dollars in good faith pre-orders, but the the biggest manufacturers have so far not stepped up to protect the customers. If the companies I called didn't even know of CH situation, in a month when CH closes its doors, it may be too late for customers to re-pre-order their items from Walthers and Horizon--at any price.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/18/16 22:20 by railwaybaron.

grandeguy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Last I looked Bruce you arent the site Admin. If
> we want to dicuss Caboose so be it. I pay my money
> for a subscription to this site. If you dont like
> the discussion  move on to another thread and
> dont worry about it.
>
>
>                          
>                    Regards, Dave
> Dane

Absolutely Dave, I agree. I didn't care for Bruce's post either.

Regards, Todd Skaggs

OK, why would a distrubutor or importer be obligated to keep your pre-order? 

The order cut off for said items is long past, and trying to match up everyones preorder with what is coming in, sounds like a logistical nightmare.  

Importers may not be "obligated" to back-up CH pre-orders, but since buyers of top-end items and the hobby itself is flagging, it would make good business sense to accommodate them.

railwaybaron Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Importers may not be "obligated" to back-up CH
> pre-orders, but since buyers of top-end items and
> the hobby itself is flagging, it would make good
> business sense to accommodate them.

What are people going to do, boycot Athearn or Walthers? LOL.. 

 

Pre-orders - When you place a pre-order with an hobby shop it is between the hobby shop and you. The hobby shop tallies the pre-orders up and adds additional units for stock. No where is a pre-order between you and the distributor unless you order directly with them. The distributor is not obligated to provide you with a pre-order at any price since you are not its direct customer. This is basic business 101 folks and it won't change anytime soon.

If you paid for a pre-order and the order is not fulfilled the hobby shop is bound to provide you a refund, unless they are in bankruptcy (in which case you become a creditor once you prove you paid for the item) . Since these pre-orders have not been shipped yet and there is no proof that the items purchased have not been delivered to those who pre-ordered everyone is getting worked up over nothing. You have no legal recouse until the items have not been delivered.

Leason - Don't pay for a pre-order unless its from the distributor and even then I would be cautious. Case in point, I pre-ordered 2 Scale Trains SD40-2's directly from them only because I did not have to pay for them upfront. 

 

ts2100 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> grandeguy Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Last I looked Bruce you arent the site Admin.
> If
> > we want to dicuss Caboose so be it. I pay my
> money
> > for a subscription to this site. If you dont
> like
> > the discussion  move on to another thread and
> > dont worry about it.
> >
> >
> >
>                          
>
> >                    Regards,
> Dave
> > Dane
>
> Absolutely Dave, I agree. I didn't care for
> Bruce's post either.
>
> Regards, Todd Skaggs

Did I miss something in Bruce's post?  I see only his giving his points of view.  Open for rebuttal.  What I don't see is your reasoning Dave!  I subscribe too and all I see is you flaming Bruce.  Again, did I miss something?

Rob, a Satisfied CH customer since 1962!

There's a tone in Bruce's post that is dismissive of the entire conversation, I think that is what the critics are referring to.

It is hardly marijuana smokers that are responsible for Caboose Hobbies closure.  Denver has been gentrifying for several years now.  That stretch of Broadway used to be a low-rent district, home to thrift shops and used book stores.  It now features high end furniture stores, night clubs, and gourmet restaurants.  Hard to cite this alone as reason for CH closing - it would seem if the owners wanted to relocate to a strip center in the suburbs they could have easily found a lot of square footage at lower rent. 

As a young modeler in Salinas, California in the 1970s and 80s, I was introduced to the hobby by brick-and-mortar shops in my hometown, as well as in nearby Carmel, Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Jose.  As other posters have said, they serve a function as a place to meet and to share information.  One may argue that the hobby has "moved on," but clearly there are still active retail stores in other states and cities.  One would think there is enough model railroading in Denver and environs to support a dedicated model railroad retailer.