Des Plaines Hobbies — Attraction in Maine Township

I'm an advanced beginner HO scale modeler on a very limited budget. I also used to work for a customer service training company. Here's my experience with this store: I was traveling in from out of town so I had a limited amount of time. They seem to have a good selection of O & HO scale trains. I didn't look for S or N scale. They do have high end HO scale locomotives but the thing that I was there for was their used items; and they had a range of them from Walthers to Tyco. Out of the pile, I got an Athearn 50' boxcar new-in-box for $4.50 and another used Athearn boxcar without box but in very good condition for $5. I even bought a Mantua '50 states' boxcar, which I normally wouldn't buy, for $2. I would have bought more but I had limited space in my carryon bag. I don't know who the two men were there working but while there I observed them interact with two different customers. The first was a mom with her son. He had just gotten back from Space Camp and wanted to start building plastic models. Both men were very patient with them and took a good amount of time to ask questions and make suggestions. The second person was a man that just needed a bottle of paint. The younger of the two employees took the time to make sure as best as possible that the man was getting the exact paint type & color that he needed. After these two customers, it was my turn and I talked with the two employees a bit. Collectively they said that while every customer that comes in may not make a large purchase (or one at all); but every customer has the potential to be a lifelong customer and treating them fairly and with respect is how a niche business survives. I can't speak to the negative reviews where appraisals or repairs went South; or issues with other employees (and quite often, there really are two sides to a dispute). But typically, model train shops are staffed by a grumpy old guy that wants to tell you his politics or what's wrong with 'these kids today'. Neither of these two employees fit that description. I will most definitely return to this store the next time that I'm in...

Outstanding Customer Experience!! - I have to write to tell you about the great folks at Des Plaines Hobbies! Today, I took a locomotive into the store today because I had a new N Scale Locomotive that was missing a tender axle from one of the wheel sets. I didn't realize it at the time, but there are SEVERAL different sizes of these tiny wheel sets which have to be determined by a caliper measurement! The good folks at Des Plaines Hobby told me about this and introduced me to Lyle. Lyle was super patient with me and explained all the technicalities to me, and actually helped me pick out the correct wheel set and then assisted with installation and testing!

Soon enough the Locomotive was running again good as new! I was SO impressed that they would take the time and go to all this effort for what would seem like a minimal purchase. But for me, it established that they care about their customers which is something I believe today is rare.

Again, I can't say enough good about the great people working at Des Plaines Hobby.

Super Helpful and Super Friendly!

I will be back again for sure! Many thanks once again to Lyle!

All...

One of the last few surviving owner operated Hobby Stores catering to RR and plastic kit sets, has a decent display diorama for nostalgia buffs of the 1950s, when kits were the rage. Has a decent collection of paints which is probably the reason people still stop by instead of shop by Amazon. Glad to see a few last stores standing but worried when it will join Venture Hobbies, Al's of Elmhurst, Tom Thumb of Evanston, and was there a Stanton's hobby shop on Milwaukee and Hobby Models on Devon and Western? Hobby Stores in the afterlife. Children today don't have the attention span to complete anything that spans beyond a cartoon short, which is why they need to see what kids of the 1950s played with. Stop by soon before...