Model Railroading > Farewell "Franciscan Hobbies" !!

Today is the final day for "Franciscan Hobbies" on Ocean Avenue in San Francisco along the route of the K-Ingleside Line.. The store was discussed on here several days ago and I just wanted to say goodbye in a fitting way!
Bill Gunther started the business in 1946, the year I was born in Oakland. A lot of us at the Eastbay Model Engineers Society in Emeryville used to visit his shop on a Saturday morning after running trains at the Club the night before! I left them a voice mail on their phone line about 30-minutes ago thanking them for being there and wishing them the best. (415-584-3919)...

And as they always used to say: "TRY US" !!

KRK

Photo 1. John Gunther, Founder Bill Gunther's son...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/31/14 11:44 by KeyRouteKen.

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Unfortunate to see Hobby Shops closing. On the same note, Internet Sales have taken over by becomming warehouse type operations which bring advantages and disadvantages. One main disadvantage is the lack of personal interaction.

Javier Cervantes
Castle Rock , CO

Thanks Bill, John and crew at Franciscan for a lifetime of trains! Tom S. aka "Mario S." customer since 1959...

KeyRouteKen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Today is the final day for "Franciscan Hobbies" on
> Ocean Avenue in San Francisco along the route of
> the K-Ingleside Line.. The store was discussed on
> here several days ago and I just wanted to say
> goodbye in a fitting way!
> Bill Gunther started the business in 1946, the
> year I was born in Oakland. A lot of us at the
> Eastbay Model Engineers Society in Emeryville used
> to visit his shop on a Saturday morning after
> running trains at the Club the night before! I
> left them a voice mail on their phone line about
> 30-minutes ago thanking them for being there and
> wishing them the best. (415-584-3919)...
>
> And as they always used to say: "TRY US" !!
>
> KRK
>
> Photo 1. John Gunther, Founder Bill Gunther's
> son...


Well, he grew up from a punk, smart mouth kid

Well, Sir Wes-- It sounds like you must have known John pretty well, huh ..

KRK

KeyRouteKen Wrote:
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> Well, Sir Wes-- It sounds like you must have
> known John pretty well, huh ..
>
> KRK


Dealt with him too much

superchief73 Wrote:
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> Unfortunate to see Hobby Shops closing. On the
> same note, Internet Sales have taken over by
> becomming warehouse type operations which bring
> advantages and disadvantages. One main
> disadvantage is the lack of personal interaction.

You obviously have not tried M.B. Klein or
modeltrainstuff.com Outstanding web site,
great selection, great prices, and best of all,
fantastic customer service!!

cf7 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> superchief73 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Unfortunate to see Hobby Shops closing. On the
> > same note, Internet Sales have taken over by
> > becomming warehouse type operations which bring
> > advantages and disadvantages. One main
> > disadvantage is the lack of personal
> interaction.
>
> You obviously have not tried M.B. Klein or
> modeltrainstuff.com Outstanding web site,
> great selection, great prices, and best of all,
> fantastic customer service!!


I have tried those shops, and yes they are great places to shop.

Javier Cervantes
Castle Rock , CO

Amen to Klein. We have a new business here in Mojave, TNR Hobbies, which moved here from LA. They are mostly airplanes and cars, etc, and do 80% of their business online. I buy paint, etc, from them and my train stuff (that TNR doesn't carry) from Klein and N Scale Supply.
TNR employs several people here and do a booming business all over the world.
The world is changing...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

I remember taking the M line out from work to visit the shop once when I used to work in The City. Still have the cars I bought that day. Bummer to see another hobby shop close, especially one with that kind of history.

Nathan

cf7 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> superchief73 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Unfortunate to see Hobby Shops closing. On the
> > same note, Internet Sales have taken over by
> > becomming warehouse type operations which bring
> > advantages and disadvantages. One main
> > disadvantage is the lack of personal
> interaction.
>
> You obviously have not tried M.B. Klein or
> modeltrainstuff.com Outstanding web site,
> great selection, great prices, and best of all,
> fantastic customer service!!

And a pretty darn good "brick and mortar" store, to boot!

Tom's Trains in Wethersfield, CT. Is another one. Great Internet sales, and a great Brick and Mortar (no quotes - real brick and real mortar!) store.

It can be done, it can be done well, and it can be successful. Those who chose not to, well...

Arved Grass
Fleming Island, FL