Since they are calling it a

Since they are calling it a transition sale, my guess is that they are going to move to a new location. ( I hope).

Visited once talk about train heaven. Walked in and didn't know where to start.  

Seen elsewhere

This is what I've heard through rumor control (so take it with salt unless you have high blood pressure):

Apparently their landlord dropped a "You've got 90 days to get out, I'm selling the building" notice on them. The area itself is going through gentrification, with related increases in rent as well. 

There are some jokes (I think they're jokes) online stating that, 1. it being Colorado, and 2. a very large building, it would be an ideal site for a pot grow facility. 

One email that went around indicated that they were optimistic they would find a new facility, they just didn't want to move everything. 

From their home page:

http://www.caboosehobbies.com/catalog/index_brief.php

@Tim S. in Iowa

I agree. As an Iowa boy myself I was overwhelmed visiting that store. I mean, you could literally spend a week in there and not see everything. It was so much to take in that I left without buying anything  That and the brick and mortar prices were pretty much MSRP.

Driline

Haven't seen any photos of your layout for a while. How is it coming?

I am guessing you are from the QC area? 

Caboose Hobbies

It's sad but, a lot of hobby shops are transitioning this way. Even if the landlord did not intend to sell the building the internet is killing our hobby shops.

Caboose Hobbies is going to transition to a warehouse format with a small walk-in store, but they will mostly sell thought their website. The people that I talk to say that they sell more through their website than they do in their store anyway.

The bad thing is that I normally need that $3.00 item and I will now have to order over the internet and pay $6.00 for shipping. But hobby stores can't survive on selling the $3.00 items.

So long Caboose, I will miss you, I have been walking through your store for the past 30+ years.

--Bill B.

We did the same. I owned a

We did the same. I owned a small hobby shop here in the UK although we only sold plastic scale kits. We did also specialise in DCC for a while. To keep the shop profitable (HA!) we had to sell at MRP and slowly lost most of our walk in trade to the internet. Our internet side kept us going for another couple of years (by selling at MRP with free delivery worldwide!) after we closed the physical shop but I eventually closed it down and retired (with a big sigh of relief).

We have now lost all of the model shops in our town (of 100,000 inhabitants!) except for a specialised model railway shop but as I model US outline (I am in the UK) they are not much use to me. I find that I can get most of the little things now on Ebay with little extra cost. I bought two yards of piano wire the other day. I needed to refit some Cobalt point motors and the current wire on each was too short. I got the wire delivered in 3 days for free at a cost of $3.00 all in. This compares to the $3.50 per length that I was quoted some time ago in my local hobby shop. 

Parking

One problem that Caboose has always had is parking. I live in the Springs and about once a mouth I need to go to Denver. I would have a list of things I needed since there is only two hobby stores in the Springs, one good one. I would need a calculator to give all of the times I would drive around the block hoping someone was getting ready to leave. No luck had to say see you the next time I come to Denver. There have been times when their was a line of cars blocking the road trying to do the same thing. Like most hobby stores of old the knowledge is what will really be missed. I do not mind paying MSL price if I need it and it is in stock but here again lots of times I would leave with nothing crossed off of my list, but I had several questions answered because the sales people where model railraoders and worked in the scale they sold items in. I read and read how are we going to get younger people into trains. I remember when I was a kid and just starting out the local hobby store was like the general stores of old. People would go there to buy a little but lots of talking about the hobby. Now every one wants people to join clubs, that take time and most do not have it look at most clubs it is the older people that have the time.

I think the parking is what stopped the Great Train Shows from coming to Denver. The Rocky Mountain show is really great and I make always try and go. They have the parking for the customers

Parking

I know what you mean about parking. I would park across the street and down a ways at the Sam's Club parking lot and risk my life crossing the street to Caboose.

There is a nice YouTube video of the store to give an idea on what is in there for those who have never been.

--Bill B.

Parking

We always take the light rail and get off a few blocks from Caboose.  First time I visited my wife had to drag me out of there!!  LOL

Maybe....

They'll move out in one of the retail developments popping up around the east side of town.  Then I can visit when I'm attending training in Aurora!

store front

I did get a little insider confirmation that Caboose will retain a brick and mortar store.

But if you have ever been downstairs at Caboose, there is a huge warehouse in the basement. So their primary goal is to find a warehouse so they can set up shop, and then they will open a brick and mortar store, probably not as big as the current one. Maybe in the Aurora area.

--Bill.

Talk and knowledge

How true.  In the very early 60s, I was getting started in  HOmodel trains.  A hobby shop in town, one of three, Parks Toy and Hobby was my favorite.  I got my first Athearn and MDC cars there.  One day as I was looking over the stack of rolling stock, Mr Parks asked if I had seen these yet.  He showed me some Kadee couplers installed on some Athearn cars and how they worked on a piece of track.   Wow!  I was mesmerized seeing that.  I got a pack and then slowly changed over what I had.  Sadly, a few years later he retired and closed and the other hobby outlets disappeared too.

That type of experience is what is missing from having no storefront hobby shops anymore.

I hope they survive

I have never been there, but they have been one of my go to places when I looking for model stuff.  

This actually maybe a good thing for the business.  Cities tend to not keep up with the needs of brick and mortar business.  The parking issue that has been discussed is just the tip of the iceberg.  By moving to a place that has a better environment for both sides of the business is likely to be good.

 Who knows if the walk-in side will be what it was.  A great business will adapt as the environment does or it won't be around long.

closing forever

C&H is deffinately gonna close forever!

Owners are retiring! 

http://www.9news.com/money/business/south-broadway-hobby-stores-owners-to-retire/300081075

Caboose Hobbies Transition Sale

The transition sale is going to be over and out.

RR

Caboose Hobbies has a new owner!