Ventura Hobbies — Local services in Ventura

Do yourself a favor and avoid anything service related with this establishment. I'm all for supporting hobby shops. There are few enough places where hobbiests can go to learn, share and expand their hobbying interests. Unfortunately Ventura hobbies as represented by its proprietor Vernon Morseman, only hurts hobbiest.

I purchased rare $430 model steam locomotive from Vern with a "professionally installed sound, speed and light function controller". I discovered that the system was not completely installed and requested that the installer make all the advertised functions work. After 3 week delay, I was told that the train was broken and that it would need to be sent to the manufacturer for repair. The store would not pay for the repairs since he had no proof that the train was in working order when it was received. "It was my word versus yours" as he put it. He also refused to pay for the return shipping of the model to me as previously promised when the train was dropped off. He wanted my cc number to pay for the return shipping. Having no further confidence in dealing with Ventura Hobbies, I ended up having to send someone 90 miles one way to pick it up for me. I was left with a broken out of production $430 item to sort out repairs for directly with the manufacture. It's taken several months and the unit is still not fully operable since the manufacture no longer makes the necessary parts.

Sob story aside, that's the level of service and commitment you can expect for premium priced purchase in excess of $400. Imagine the treatment you'll get when you take your child in with questions on their model or school project after you've already made...

I tried to like this shop as model shops have become very rare and I want to support a local business vs online. I've been in several times alone and with my son who is a model fanatic, and knows Lionel trains. I get the feeling he doesn't like kids in shop despite his genuine interest in half of whats in the store. The guy is always condescending with his responses and last few times he tried to upsell me on extra paint and such. The first time I feel for it and he rang me up at the register and my eyes almost fell out. There's also some connection to an alt right radio station that I can't figure out but this shop might as well have a gimp in the basement. I can't bring myself to shop here anymore despite my son wanting me to. I also found out that he's excluded from the model train show that comes to the fairgrounds. Oh well. Burbank has a good train store to visit when you...

Hello there Mr Vern, you are literally the most toxic person I’ve met in the modeling community. I’d give your shop zero stars if I could. Before spouting off like an expert you think yourself to be, why don’t you have enough respect for a fellow hobbyist to not be a complete a-hole. Just because things were done certain ways in the 70’s for model making, doesn’t mean it’s gospel. I’d rather drive an hour to an LA hobby shop than go here again. To anyone even remotely interested in shopping at this place, save gas and just shop online. The Amazon robots are nicer. This guy doesn’t deserve your cash (because asking to pay by card is just too much…get with this century Vern). Also, I know antique stores with more light, less dust, that smell better than...