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Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2015 13:54:32 GMT -8
Allied Models is having a bankruptcy sale on September 9th, 2015 at 10:00 am. Everything will be auctioned off, trains, store fixtures, brass imports, including the "kitchen sink". You will be required to put down a $500.00 cash deposit to register for this auction.
www.VanHornAuctions.com |
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Post by Spikre on Aug 5, 2015 10:03:45 GMT -8
 the other nite while going thru a 1997 or so "Vintage Rails" mag, came across an AD for Allied Model Trains. the Ad said/claimed that Allied was the Largest All Train Store in the World. how the Mighty have Fallen ! at that time was the Ad being truthfull ? Spikre 
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Post by markfj on Aug 5, 2015 10:27:19 GMT -8
If there is a bright side to these hobby shops disappearing, it may be that more people will attend shows to see the products first hand. That and the current direct sales business model that manufacturing companies like ExactRail and Moloco use will continue to bring more products to market since distribution costs to retailers are gone.
I saw the announcement for this auction the other day and wasn’t too thrilled with the $500 deposit requirement. Sad to see them go, but times they are a changin.
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jwb
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Post by jwb on Aug 5, 2015 11:02:16 GMT -8
There's a pretty blunt discussion of the auction at www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?3,3807584 I think Allied usually qualified its "largest" claim by saying it was the largest built purposely as a train store. Caboose Hobbies, I think, is larger, but started as a supermarket. It was at its best in its last years on Pico Bl in Los Angeles and in the first years in the new building in Culver City. Its best sales guy was Maynard Priest, who had been there since 1975 but left in the late 90s because he felt that even then, Drucker wasn't sure about continuing. Maynard's departure may have been the key ingredient to its eventual demise. |
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Post by GP40P-2 on Aug 5, 2015 12:16:11 GMT -8
If there is a bright side to these hobby shops disappearing, it may be that more people will attend shows to see the products first hand. You are making an assumption that train shows are common across the country. Maybe on the coasts and in Chicago, but much of the country never gets a train show anywhere nearby. I live in the 12th largest metropolitan area, Phoenix/central Airzona, and besides some minor local shows, I can not think of the last time that there was a large train show in the area that would have actual vendor representatives (and the super discounted items that ya'all are aways bragging about  ). |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 5, 2015 13:28:26 GMT -8
There's a pretty blunt discussion of the auction at www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?3,3807584 I think Allied usually qualified its "largest" claim by saying it was the largest built purposely as a train store. Caboose Hobbies, I think, is larger, but started as a supermarket. It was at its best in its last years on Pico Bl in Los Angeles and in the first years in the new building in Culver City. Its best sales guy was Maynard Priest, who had been there since 1975 but left in the late 90s because he felt that even then, Drucker wasn't sure about continuing. Maynard's departure may have been the key ingredient to its eventual demise. When Maynard left, it's my understanding he left because of Drucker's treatment of him and the other employees. |
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Post by jwb on Aug 5, 2015 13:55:21 GMT -8
He told me that it was because Drucker was always spreading "fear, uncertainty, and doubt" among the employees over whether he'd continue with the store. He went to Reno to work for Dimi-Trains, then worked for the US Postal Service up there. I'm not too sure what happened to him, but I've heard reports he may no longer be alive -- any definite info would be appreciated. I liked him a lot.
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Post by calzephyr on Aug 5, 2015 14:14:45 GMT -8
the other nite while going thru a 1997 or so "Vintage Rails" mag, came across an AD for Allied Model Trains. the Ad said/claimed that Allied was the Largest All Train Store in the World. how the Mighty have Fallen ! at that time was the Ad being truthfull ? Spikre A little history about Allied and the ad you saw. This is not the same Allied location and not the same owner. The original store building in the ad was leased to Sammy's Camera and the store name sold and moved to a small building in the next block just north of the large store mentioned as the Largest All Train Store in the World. It was not the largest all model train store, but might have been the largest build just for model trains. Allen started to sell area 56 village building in a side room that was closed off at first to the general public, but became open all of the time. That business probably generated more money than the trains. Who is really counting square feet or trains and the building now is used to sell cameras. Allen Drucker sold the name to a new buyer and according to him, became a landlord making more money leasing out that large store compared to running the train store. It never was a great store any longer after the move into a smaller building and the stock was much smaller also since the new owners probably did not have the cash to stock the store the way a large train store should be stocked and the smaller store was never that impressive compared to the original store with the full sized Southern Pacific GS4 painted on the side of the two story building. Larry |
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Post by Spikre on Aug 5, 2015 16:24:50 GMT -8
 Larry, have never been to California, guess that's my loss ? but have been to Denver, but not to Caboose Hobbies. and have been to Laramie on Amtrak, but too cold to railfan in January. which is further west, Denver or Laramie ? just was surprised by the Ad and its World's Largest Claim. interesting what turns up in printed material of the Past. Spikre 
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Post by grahamline on Aug 5, 2015 16:28:20 GMT -8
Have no idea of the comparable square footages but Hattons in Liverpool covers a bit of ground.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 5, 2015 16:32:29 GMT -8
He told me that it was because Drucker was always spreading "fear, uncertainty, and doubt" among the employees over whether he'd continue with the store. He went to Reno to work for Dimi-Trains, then worked for the US Postal Service up there. I'm not too sure what happened to him, but I've heard reports he may no longer be alive -- any definite info would be appreciated. I liked him a lot. Maynard was one of the reasons I still went to Allied. A friendly, nice person, sharp contrast to Allen. A friend talked with him after he started with the postal service. He told me Maynard really enjoyed doing rural deliveries. That was over 10 years ago.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 5, 2015 16:38:18 GMT -8
Larry, have never been to California, guess that's my loss ? but have been to Denver, but not to Caboose Hobbies. and have been to Laramie on Amtrak, but too cold to railfan in January. which is further west, Denver or Laramie ? just was surprised by the Ad and its World's Largest Claim. interesting what turns up in printed material of the Past. Spikre Maybe the worlds largest in terms of building height, but in terms of model train inventory, Caboose Hobbies had them beat. Drucker had a lot of non railroad stuff in the store, dept 56, model planes, etc. That's what wound up in the new store. I now wonder if the store was bought to fail. Made no sense how it was being run, no new stock, bare shelves, lots of old Lionel junk piling up. How the new store stayed in business this long with three employees and two, maybe three owners , is beyond me. |
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Post by BEDT26 on Aug 5, 2015 19:44:38 GMT -8
Comes to show that nothing last forever. :-(
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Post by edwardsutorik on Aug 5, 2015 21:10:39 GMT -8
Comes to show that nothing last forever. :-( Though it appears that competent management can stretch out the time line quite a bit. See, for example, Franciscan Hobbies. Ed |
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Post by mlehman on Aug 5, 2015 21:59:11 GMT -8
SNIP You will be required to put down a $500.00 cash deposit to register for this auction. Sounds pretty rich to get in if you were just looking to pick up a few old Blue Boxes... |
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Post by stottman on Aug 6, 2015 1:53:32 GMT -8
SNIP You will be required to put down a $500.00 cash deposit to register for this auction. Sounds pretty rich to get in if you were just looking to pick up a few old Blue Boxes... Blue boxes in a train store in a major Californian population area? Short of a dummy S12, undecorated, I have not seen one of those in over 10 years. Maybe longer. |
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Post by Brakie on Aug 6, 2015 3:04:38 GMT -8
Sounds pretty rich to get in if you were just looking to pick up a few old Blue Boxes... Blue boxes in a train store in a major Californian population area? Short of a dummy S12, undecorated, I have not seen one of those in over 10 years. Maybe longer. Even in my area BB kits is long gone and beginning to get scarce at smaller Train Shows however,the use market at train shows seems to have a lot of used BB cars and locomotives.. I suspect these may be from estates or from those that have quit the hobby for various reasons.. |
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Post by riogrande on Aug 6, 2015 3:18:58 GMT -8
Much adoo over little adoo? Maybe someone knows something I don't? I guess maybe it's one of those, if you don't know what all the fuss is about, it's moot.
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Post by valenciajim on Aug 6, 2015 5:49:42 GMT -8
Wow, based on the last time I was in the store, I did not see much inventory, let alone anything that I really would want to buy.
At its peak, Allied was certainly one of the largest and well stocked stores in the country. While the floor space was not comparable to Caboose Hobbies, it was as well stocked.
I remember about fifteen years ago stopping in the store and there was Gary Coleman chewing out the store people with many expletives because they sold something he had put away on layaway. Apparently he never picked up the merchandise and after a while they decided to sell the stuff. Anyway that was what I got from hearing the yelling.
The Train Crossing in Costa Mesa had a large number of Blue Box and Roundhouse kits the last time I was there. That was a couple of year ago. The Roundhouse in North Hollywood also has about three dozen Blue Box kits. Speaking of the Roundhouse, I spoke with the owner last week and he is trying to sell the store. I think the end is near for that store as well.
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Post by mlehman on Aug 6, 2015 9:10:52 GMT -8
Sounds pretty rich to get in if you were just looking to pick up a few old Blue Boxes... Blue boxes in a train store in a major Californian population area? Short of a dummy S12, undecorated, I have not seen one of those in over 10 years. Maybe longer. Yeah, I was really wanting that non-existent irony emoji when I wrote that. Just in case there was any confusion put that between [irony] [/irony] But as other have noted, those Blue Boxes are still out there. It wouldn't surprise me though if the stock of them is refreshed from time to time by estate sales...or bankruptcy sales.  |
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Post by valenciajim on Aug 6, 2015 10:18:04 GMT -8
I was reading up on the bankruptcy auction and they are not going to auction off individual items. Instead items will be bundled together and the bidders bid on the bundles. The idea is to raise cash ASAP for the creditors so their claims can be discharged in bankruptcy. Typically the buyers are resellers or wholesalers who will unbundle the stuff and sell them as individual items. That is why a $500 deposit is required, to ensure that only serious buyers are bidding. So I don't think hobbyists looking to pick up some items they want will be part of the auction. Instead it would be owners of other hobby shops, e-bay sellers, etc. My guess is that there may be as much money in the fixtures as in the inventory, given how little inventory was on hand the last time I was there.
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Post by mlehman on Aug 6, 2015 10:53:09 GMT -8
Auctions and bankruptcies can be strange things. I think the idea here is to minimize the costs of the aution process, but I suspect it will limit the return. Never the experience anyone else has noted here, it still sounds like what's left is an aged, picked-over inventory. That's not going to generate much interest. Selling in big batches means buyers will have to buy a lot of stuff they don't have a strong interest in to get the stuff they want. They could probably do better hiring some kid to list it on ebay  That would take longer though. I'm guessing that the $500 deposit is credited against the purchase of successful bids and lost if no bids. Or do non-winning-bidders get their deposit back? |
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Post by valenciajim on Aug 6, 2015 11:24:19 GMT -8
The deposits are returned from what I read. This is a court mandated process. The idea is to get things settled as soon as possible and move on. Also, if one of the creditors is the principal owner or somehow related to the creditor, he might not care what he pays for the inventory he wants. From what I heard on line, the principal owner pulled the plug to get rid of a troublesome minority owner. So this may be a way to get rid of the furniture and fixtures, discharge third party debt but retain control of the inventory that can be sold though the principal owner's other store at a higher price. This is the kind of stuff that Wall Street guys do all the time on larger deals. Of course I am merely speculating and I have no idea of all of the underlying dynamics. Bankruptcies and auctions as you say can be strange things. We will probably never know the whole story.
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Post by calzephyr on Aug 6, 2015 12:26:42 GMT -8
Larry, have never been to California, guess that's my loss ? but have been to Denver, but not to Caboose Hobbies. and have been to Laramie on Amtrak, but too cold to railfan in January. which is further west, Denver or Laramie ? just was surprised by the Ad and its World's Largest Claim. interesting what turns up in printed material of the Past. Spikre Laramie is farther west by close to 75 miles or so and is way north of Denver. Laramie is west of Cheyenne and Cheyenne is 100 miles north of Denver. Laramie can be very cold in the winter months and the wind never seems to be still. You have not missed that much in California. We now have 24 fires burning around the state and the smoke has been in the air recently. I am looking to move out of state when and if we can find a nice place that has fairly good weather. The mild weather is what I really like about California but the regulations are really causing businesses to leave the state. I live in California but I visit Caboose Hobbies fairly often since one of our vendors is located just northwest of Denver. Caboose hobbies used to be stocked with brass, both old and new, but now their stock is mostly consignment brass. You can still reserve brass with them, but you hardly ever see new brass on their shelves. Their regular plastic stock is usually excellent and it is a larger store in my opinion than the Allied store was in its prime. Allied was built as a train store originally and that is the largest so called claim that Allen used in his ad. His prices on brass were list price and could be higher on rare items. I purchased some bargains there but would never have recommended the store to a new person just starting out in model railroading. Larry |
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Post by mlehman on Aug 6, 2015 13:38:15 GMT -8
SNIP Caboose hobbies used to be stocked with brass, both old and new, but now their stock is mostly consignment brass. You can still reserve brass with them, but you hardly ever see new brass on their shelves. SNIP Part of that is no doubt a closer attention to inventory control in tough times. People who buy brass new reserve it for the most part, so the days of buying it for stock, except for perhaps a few certain sellers, are pretty much over. But a large part of the reduction is because there just isn't that much new brass being delivered. But brass doesn't go away, lots out there. I expect people will continue to find a pretty darn good collection of brass there in comparison to any but the dedicated brass dealers out there. Reduced from "the good ol' days" to be sure, but still a good place to check if you're looking for an item among the selection of consignments. |
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Post by valenciajim on Aug 6, 2015 13:50:29 GMT -8
Larry, I hear you about CA business climate. Also we don't have basements here. Nevertheless, I have not found another place with our weather.
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Post by calzephyr on Aug 6, 2015 14:04:08 GMT -8
Larry, I hear you about CA business climate. Also we don't have basements here. Nevertheless, I have not found another place with our weather. Jim True, the weather over all is next to impossible to beat. I lived in Canyon Country many years ago before moving back to Northridge and then to Simi Valley for several years. All of the places I moved to became larger every year and finally, the freeways were just parking lots that did not charge for parking. One of the last times I visited the LA area, I stopped by Allied after the store was sold and relocated to the bankrupt place. The 405 was next to impossible to use as a highway and I finally made it east to downtown and up to the Original Whistle Stop. I had forgot how bad the commute could be, but this was at high noon. Basements are scare for sure, but there are some around. Most Tri Levels can have a basement or walkout but I prefer clubs for the most part. Two months ago, I ran the Bakersfield club layout. It is in a 40'by 100' room and a lot of run for sure. The only problem was the temperature was 102 in Bakersfield and the third story layout room was not air conditioned, but a swamp cooler did help some. I listed two years past videos from that club to give you an idea of the layout. larry |
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Post by valenciajim on Aug 6, 2015 16:59:26 GMT -8
Larry
Traffic in SoCal has gotten considerably worse over the past several years. The freeway widening project (especially the 405) did not help much. I grew up in the hills of Studio City and our hillside home had a basement. My Dad and I built a 16' X 32' Lionel layout which lasted for many years. I built a second story on my house so I could have what my wife affectionately calls my train room.
I retired two months ago and contemplated moving for tax reasons, etc. The problem was we did not find anywhere we wanted to live. I only venture south from Santa Clarita once or twice a week and that has significantly improved my quality of life.
Jim
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Post by The Ferro Kid on Aug 6, 2015 18:16:56 GMT -8
Much adoo over little adoo? Maybe someone knows something I don't? I guess maybe it's one of those, if you don't know what all the fuss is about, it's moot. Yup -- it's running neck-and-neck with horn-hook couplers ... |
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Post by riogrande on Aug 7, 2015 4:43:34 GMT -8
As much as I miss California (I mostly lived in the Davis/Sacramento area, I don't know where I would build a layout. As Jim mentioned, basements are rare. I only remember visiting one house in Sacramento with a basement that I can remember - an older house. So as much as I miss California - the thought of where I could have a layout is something that is of concern if I ever do think about moving back - which might be possible in a few years.
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