Toys 'R Us to Close All U.S. Stores

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I understand that places like Costco and Sam's Club have displaced them but those are more like wandering around the back of the warehouse and buying stuff by the pallet. Aka I'm going to buy a 6 month supply of TP, ketchup, baked beans and cat litter and fill up the minivan/pickup and I'll see you in another 6 months.

Sort of but that's also a bit of hyperbole with the minivan/pickup. Costco is also a primary food shopping destination for many families now; while some items are bulk quantities, many are not. We (and a parking lot of others....) go there about once a month for all consumables. Also get toner cartridges, software, and a very good deal on glasses and contacts.

[robert.]

Drift alert. In my area CVS. Is the number on food retailer.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

You've surrendered to the vagaries of on-line shopping, Murph, along with a vast number of other bleary-eyed Americans. Where's your zest for the thrill of the hunt, the rush of adrenaline at the sale-tables, the parking-lot wars, the tête-à-tête with the sales person, cashier, or, heaven help us, the crotchety old sole proprietor?

I'm sorely disappointed in you, mate...

Healey

It went away when my wife actually agreed that we had enough stuff (!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you believe?) Just about the only thing(s) we have replaced recently have been plastic food-leftovers-storage containers. Ours were getting a bit dubious looking, so I discarded them all and got all new ones, which, by the way ( ) I ordered from PCH, on-line. The visual tour thru the pictures was pleasant, though; perhaps not an "adventure" but enjoyable nonetheless.

I understand your "disappointment" in me, though, Healey. Maybe I'll go adventuring at my LHS and look at trains in-person. Oh wait, we have enough of them, too.
Life is complicated.

P.S. I did buy my latest car in-person, though. That counts, right? Love those showrooms! We like the fact that when we go to our favorite dealership, they know we did not come to mess around - to play, yes - but not to shovel BS.

[healey36]

Murph:

https://www.carvana.com/

Please move along...

Healey

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Murph:

https://www.carvana.com/

Please move along...

Healey

No way (although I did on-line research the GLE, a new model, before entering the dealership.)

[MurphOnMillerAve]

These shifts in the way America shops have impacted me in a very concrete way. My little business of Layout Refinements depended, at first (2005 - 2012), on my presenting myself and my work (fellow hobbyists, as prospective customers, seemed to want to meet me in-person as well as inspect my work first-hand) at the TCA Meet, twice a year, at York. As Jim Elster, of Scenic Express, said, I became a "recognizable 'brand' ." I would take an inventory of 40-44 Insta-Ramas to my booth in the Orange Hall (seen here, for the final time.)

It became apparent, by 2012, that customers, as well as clients, at one point, did not need to see me or my work in-person at the York Meet any further. They would e-mail me and ask what I had prepared for each upcoming show. I'd reply with photo attachments, and they would buy-out the entire inventory. It has been that way right up to this day. I am not going - not able, actually - to have my booth at next month's Meet because the inventory I had managed to prepare vanished to on-line orders and shipments. In fact, once I found I could trust the local UPS store to deliver my completed work without the slightest bit of damage, I had no trouble taking orders by e-mail and sending the work out. I've sent my delicate Insta-Ramas to as far away from me as Utah and Kansas.

I currently have a single, recently completed Insta-Rama prepared in the trainroom, right now, having sold every single other Insta-Rama I had been trying to amass as an inventory, for last October's TCA Meet, as well as for this April's. Technically, then, I have concluded, that I do not need the ""brick-n-mortar storefront" of a booth in the Orange Hall any further. I don't have to go through the traveling, moteling, schlepping, sitting for hours, and the waiting (for the final bell) any more. The people, I miss, and the interaction and socializing, yes; however, life changes, and I have changed with it; at least, in this regard.

I've adapted to the changes, as I see them, and am living happily ever after.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

These shifts in the way America shops have impacted me in a very concrete way. My little business of Layout Refinements depended, at first (2005 - 2012), on my presenting myself and my work (fellow hobbyists, as prospective customers, seemed to want to meet me in-person as well as inspect my work first-hand) at the TCA Meet, twice a year, at York. As Jim Elster, of Scenic Express, said, I became a "recognizable 'brand' ." I would take an inventory of 40-44 Insta-Ramas to my booth in the Orange Hall (seen here, for the final time.)

Much of that see in person interaction is related to the specific demographic to which you were selling.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

These shifts in the way America shops have impacted me in a very concrete way. My little business of Layout Refinements depended, at first (2005 - 2012), on my presenting myself and my work (fellow hobbyists, as prospective customers, seemed to want to meet me in-person as well as inspect my work first-hand) at the TCA Meet, twice a year, at York. As Jim Elster, of Scenic Express, said, I became a "recognizable 'brand' ." I would take an inventory of 40-44 Insta-Ramas to my booth in the Orange Hall (seen here, for the final time.)

Much of that see in person interaction is related to the specific demographic to which you were selling.

Well, what I came to conclude was that purchasers of my work were taking them home to something very personal to them - their layouts. I theorized they wanted to know who went home with them, in however small a way.

There was another aspect to that personal presence factor @ York. Meeting me there, in the Orange Hall, and being able to inspect my work, motivated a representative of Lionel to commission me to work on their layout in NYC at FAO Schwarz. Also, big customers became clients, hiring me to go to their homes, literally, to work in-person on their layouts. It doesn't get more personal than that. And frankly, meeting the clients themselves caused me to want to travel hundreds of miles to homes, feeling safe, welcome, and treated properly and fairly.

To me, the whole thing was one great big privilege which amazed me.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

These shifts in the way America shops have impacted me in a very concrete way. My little business of Layout Refinements depended, at first (2005 - 2012), on my presenting myself and my work (fellow hobbyists, as prospective customers, seemed to want to meet me in-person as well as inspect my work first-hand) at the TCA Meet, twice a year, at York. As Jim Elster, of Scenic Express, said, I became a "recognizable 'brand' ." I would take an inventory of 40-44 Insta-Ramas to my booth in the Orange Hall (seen here, for the final time.)

Much of that see in person interaction is related to the specific demographic to which you were selling.

Well, what I came to conclude was that purchasers of my work were taking them home to something very personal to them - their layouts. I theorized they wanted to know who went home with them, in however small a way.

That fits that specific demographic well......

[chuck]

We don't have as many CostCo's as Sam's Club. People who have memberships seem to like CostCo. I just remember the warehouse "ambiance" of Sam's Club.

There is a fair amount of irony in that WalMart is actually based on a Michigan store called Meijer's (originally Meijer's Thrifty Acres) based in Grand Rapids. Mr. Walton was visiting relatives in SW Michigan and visited a Meijers and decided this was something that should be nationwide (Meijers only covers parts of the Great Lakes).

To be fair, I wish WalMart was a better copy. In the old days Meijers used to call itself a "Hypermarket" (since it was way more than a "Super" market. It was a general store on steroids. Good produce, good meat, usual dept store stuff and then a scaled down version of Home Depot, AutoZone, JoAnn fabrics, .....

PLUS the staff were pleasant, intelligent, and helpful. WalMart and Target have taken a toll on most of the Meijers. Nothing like they were in the 70's/80's

[Rufus T. Firefly]

..........the staff were pleasant, intelligent, and helpful.

If you can score 2 out of 3 today anywhere, you're doing good.

[robert.]

Murph, how will you meet new clients? Sometime down the road your current clients will not need anything. Then what? I have been through a lot of trade shows with dismal sales. Only to have people approach me 8 months later and say “ we saw you in Miami.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Murph, how will you meet new clients? Sometime down the road your current clients will not need anything. Then what? I have been through a lot of trade shows with dismal sales. Only to have people approach me 8 months later and say “ we saw you in Miami.

Thank you, Robert.
I am not sure how much further down the road I want to go, modeling. I'm not even sure what I would say if Lionel were to call again. Life has been changing for me.
daMurph

[Roy]

I am not sure how much further down the road I want to go, modeling. I'm not even sure what I would say if Lionel were to call again. Life has been changing for me.
daMurph

So, what do you think you want to do now?

[robert.]

I am not sure how much further down the road I want to go, modeling. I'm not even sure what I would say if Lionel were to call again. Life has been changing for me.
daMurph

So, what do you think you want to do now?

I wannabe a toys r us kid. Back where we started!