Model Railroading > HO scale grocery store

I will be starting a small HO scale layout sometime this year, something for me and my daughter to do. I am not a modeler, so I am not expecting great things out of this. I have some ideas what I want to do. Just a basic main street type scene, not much industry. Most of the structures I want are fairly easy to find, except one, a modern grocery store. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen one on any layout. Promotex makes HO scale Safeway tractor trailers, and with a Safeway down the street from us, I figured I would try and model one. First off, are there any models out there that could be used as a grocery store, and if not, what would be a good way to make my own? Thanks in advance.

Chris Bogley
Bowie, MD

Chris:

A lot of these kinds of buildings are simple with flat asphalt tops, a public entrance way in the front and a loading area in the rear. I would think the most you'd have to do is add a public entrance in the front with signs. And also they would probably have some heavy duty cooling equipment on the roof or the ground. Make sure to include ample parking. <G>

I'd look through a Walthers catalog to find something that would be adaptable if you don't want to do it from scratch.

The signs would probably really make this model.

One of the reason I want to put one in, is my years of working in the grocery industry as a grocery manager, so I plan on putting a lot of detail, especially in the rear where the loading area is. Walthers has a lot of detail parts, such as palletts, etc that can be used.

Chris Bogley
Bowie, MD

Summit Customs has some goodies http://www.summit-customcuts.com/products/stripmallbdbuilding.html

Also a digital camera and a printer makes it easier to reproduce the Safeway lettering and logo.

What era are you planning to model? When I grew up during the 1970s, most supermarkets were modest in size (better for scale modelling) and had large windows in front in which there were usually paper signs pasted advertising a given week's price specials. By the mid-1980s, though, most supermarkets were much bigger and windows had been all but eliminated as advertising switched to printed flyers instead of window signs. The newer style of supermarket tended to be out on the edge of town, too, rather than in the town center. The older supermarkets often were converted into large drugstores or dollar stores.

If your aim is just to model a generic "downtown" scene with a supermarket, of course, era may not be of concern to you. But I'd suggest that a downtown market is likely to be the older style, with windows and minimal parking, rather than a "modern" store. On the HO layout my dad built when I was a kid, he included a ready-built 7-Eleven store that could fit your bill, but I don't remember who produced it and whether that model can still be found anywhere; I'm not sure where the one that was on that layout is still in the family or not (my brother would have it if it is).

I'll be modeling an older grocery store, around late 70's early 80's, so perhaps not that modern. As others have pointed out, the stores were smaller, spaces were tighter, etc. Just an easier fit to a small HO layout.

Chris Bogley
Bowie, MD

Safeways of that era had the big bowed roof with glass fronts. I don't think it would be too hard to scratchbuild one.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v320/Vexorg/Sledgehammer/IMG_0850.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2108/2324504383_66dcf62c46_o.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sedanman/2718299645/
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3275/2719121058_858a7bc25d.jpg
http://mcmleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/webcontent-020.jpg
http://mcmleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/webcontent-018.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/95/248044895_1a2342da9b.jpg

Newer stores are much more complicated;
http://www.jgpierson.com/images/scsafe1.JPG

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

How about the City Classics West End Market Walthers p/n 195-114?

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/195-114

CR4122 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How about the City Classics West End Market
> Walthers p/n 195-114?
>
> http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/195-114

IMHO, that is one of the best kits available right now, for price value, parts fit, and quality.


The only others that come close are a kit from Faller:
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/272-130339
and it is also available built-up:
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/272-193339

Model Power does a similar, cheaper version of the Faller assembled version:
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/490-621

That one from Model Power is almost what I had in mind, would just need to buy one of the loading dock kits that I've seen in Walthers for the rear.

Chris Bogley
Bowie, MD

Thinking about it, you could get that unique Safeway arch by using part of a curved plastic jug cut down to your own desired size for your roof. then find some clear plastic for the window front. It would be an interesting scratch building project to get a signature building. Since there are so many Safeways it wouldn't have to be exact.