The hardware store mentioned in this tread was "Papenfaus" or something akin to that spelling. It was pronounced Papenfus. I seem to recall that it was in a small shopping area just off of Interstate 70 in the Independence area.
The Luther Perkins I'm talking about lived in Hamilton, MS... between Aberdeen and Columbus. He never mentioned anything to me about Johnny Cash.
Here is a link to the new hobby shop in Rock Hill, Mo. It's called " Train Town " http://traintownstl.com/lionel-postwar.html
I feel sorry for you guys in St Louis. I had been in two different shops there (which I found out were hostile to modelers) where the owners indicated that all they sold was Lionel or American Flyer equipment and did not sell any toy train stuff (HO, N). The general attitudes were very nasty.
Hey, Bob Wow!! You stirred a memory. My Dad and brother got most of their Lionel from a guy that had a shop in his basement on Fremont in Springfield, just down from where we lived. De-ja-vu all over again!!
You're correct. It was "Papenfus" Hardware at 40 Hwy and Chrysler. The older big fella rented out space in the back from the hardware store owner. I grew up a few blocks from there and spent many a day in the back of that hardware store as a kid. Technically it was Independence but Raytown and Kansas City were just down the street. I remember I painted some HO scale, MoPac locos for him to sell in his store when I was about 15. He paid me $25 a piece. I put a lot hours into those but it was so cool getting paid for something I loved doing. That's a funny story about Rod Stewart and Spotlight on Troost. It was quite a treat to get to go down there. I still remember all those brass locos in the glass counters.
It's actually a wonder that there any model railroaders left at all now. When I was a 10-11-12 year old kid (early to mid 50's), just about every train shop I was ever in was run by some sullen, curmudgeonly old fool that growled at any kid with questions about model trains. I was never treated with any civility at a hobby shop until I was a fully grown adult and this wasn't just one place. This was standard procedure in at least three shops in Springfield when I was a kid. Thankfully, a man that worked with my dad and had a big HO basement layout was kind enough to give me a little encouragement and a few tips or I would have been a stamp or coin collector! Good thing I loved trains! Tom G. PS: In the 1970's, I was in a train shop in the west end St. Louis subburbs (I forget where, I don't know the St.L. geography that well), but there was an older guy running the place and he did the same thing to a ten year old kid that I had experienced when I was that age. Deja vu. The guy ignored the kid for several minutes, then blew him off. I was looking at some books and magazines and then went over to the kid and showed him what he was looking for (a boxcar kit or some glue etc.). World's Greatest Hobby...
Tom's experience is why the mail order shops did so well. The guys who didn't like dealing with kids, or people in general, ran off their customers without knowing it. If the mail order guys didn't like you you couldn't tell. Yogi Berra allegedly said: when people stop coming to the ball park you can't make them stop. John Sanders
JUST AN FYI FOR ALL OF YOU OUT THERE, If you are in central Texas, 2 hobby shops that come to mind as far as painting supplies, detail parts, and knowledge of the railroad WE love, FRISCO, there is one here in San Antonio called Dibbles Hobbies, Now yes I have had mixed feelings toward this hobbyshop because I have been made to feel (more than likely unintentionally) like a criminal for modeling FRISCO in a Non FRISCO town, but Mike who is always up front, and always reworking everyones trains to make them run like clocks, is an avid modeler as well as a knowledgebale person when it comes to OUR railroad, he reminds me a lot of a man I respect for his knowledge of the FRISCO and KATY and that is John Chambers who is a member and wealth of information on this site!!! The second Hobby shop is in Austin and is KINGS HOBBYS 8810 Lamar!!1 Most if not all of his detail parts are on clearance, but he has wall after wall and bin after bin of treasures just waiting to be discovered. I found about 25 FRISCO COONSKIN Headlight Brackets for steam engines, and brought home a box and I am talking a BOX of detail parts and BB kits as well as various other items for a whopping $12.00 USD. He also gives Military discounts even on the clearance items if you are a veteran. KINGS and DIBBLES may not be growing in size, but, they do keep what the modeler wants on hand which to me is a first rate part of any business. These guys are great. OH and both know me and BOTH keep as much FRISCO on hand to satisfy my wants and needs of seeing our beloved railroad in their stores.
