New Gas Station from Menard's and Woodland Scenics

It looks good!!!! I hope they will do it as a kit someday....

It maybe new for Menards, But Woodland Scenics offered their version of this model last season.

Woodland Scenic's MSRP is $159.99.  Menard's seems like a very good deal.  Thanks for posting this Garfield.

Another nice product from them.

Agreed. The Menards model is $50. better. My point was that it's not a new design as suggested. I was fortunate to acquire this model from Mr. Muffin last fall at a very reasonable price. Thanks Steve.

Woodland Scenics does offer the kit version.

Very nice detail.  Should work well for those whose layouts depict the 30's, 40's, or 50's.  

50s for sure, but nothing earlier. The chairs, coolers, ice machine and a lot of other details wouldn't be seen until well after WW2 was over. I bought the WS version of this last year and had to spend a lot of time removing stuff from it that wouldn't have existed in my 1943 layout timeframe.

I was thinking of the gas pumps.  Didn't really click on the other stuff, although the fridge looks like a prewar one.  I'm using the 70's timeframe so it wasn't suitable for me.

Menard's is certainly now a player in our O-Gauge hobby. They price their products to sell.

Since I usually change the signs on the buildings anyway, I can save on the Menard's versions of these buildings.  Menard's also saves me money on most of my layout construction supplies. 

Art

It is a really nice building.  Here is what I did with mine.  The Menards one will be nice both because of the price and it will be nice to have one just a tad different.

You save big money when you shop Menards.

I've heard that some where.

Art

But does the "big money" fit in standard vending machines?

Looks like a cool service station.

One thing to note:

In prior models, the Woodland Scenic version has lighting the Menards version lacks.

However, many see this as opportunity to use LED lighting in it vs the standard lights.

Last year's Menard's models also had lighting.  The first year they did not.

Art

It's a shame that this stuff isn't out in their stores yet. I visited Menard's for the first time Monday when I was in Owensboro, Kentucky. Their buildings are only out during the Christmas season. One of the employees offered to show me what was left upstairs from last year. They had one of their floor models that was missing parts that he said they would sell for $99.00. I told him it didn't have all the parts--he replied that building will never be offered again. $99.00 complete and used maybe.  $99.00 used with parts missing--I don't think so. They are nice stores.

Scott Smith

Ugh, talk about frustrating.  I JUST ordered the Ethyl's Gas last week.  I did get it for about this same price after you factor in tax for buying it at Menard's, but still.  I'm going to look at both to see what differences there are before deciding if I'll get the Menard's one instead and resell the Ethyl's.

I was wondering if Menard's was going to keep with the tradition of offering some of the Woodland Scenics buildings release in the same year.  So I wonder if we'll still see the IGA market or the Irish pub.  The IGA market may be too similar to the General store from a few years ago for them to release that this year.  And with the Camraderie Bar last year, having another bar so soon might not be in the cards either.  Will be interesting to see if they release another Woodland Scenics building yet this fall.

Either way, I really like the gas station and it will be a great seller with all of the detail.

This Menards building has LED lighting with adjustable levels.

Menards must be satisfied with the sales of these buildings to continue the offerings.

FYI this model has the LED lighting but does not come with a transformer.  I don't know if the WS version comes with the transformer or not.  It is n big deal since it runs on 16-20 VAC.

I think one of the Menard higher ups must be in to O gauge.  This layout was too fancy to be built for just a commercial.

Is there any change of OGR doing an article on that layout?  I would love to know how his highway works.  Those are non motorized 1/43 scale cars and trucks seen diving on that highway. 

Nice layout, but that model of a Menards store with the customers coming out and turning around and going back in looks to me to be a customer service nightmare if every customers returns everything they buy! And then buy the same stuff again only to return it again! LOL

Wouldn't mind having one of those Menard Classic Cars they showed in the video.

This would be great for any portable or seasonal train layout since you can put it back in the original box for protection, providing you save the original box.

Andrew

I wonder how the in-store and online sales compare.  In so many of the states that Menards are in, trains are not exactly the most popular hobby and many areas people don't have the cash for a $100 model building.  But maybe there are enough hidden hobbyists to still sell a few of them in each store.  I have a feeling that their online sales probably are much more.  Even with the shipping costs, they are still cheaper than the Woodland Scenics versions.

I wonder how the in-store and online sales compare.  In so many of the states that Menards are in, trains are not exactly the most popular hobby and many areas people don't have the cash for a $100 model building.  But maybe there are enough hidden hobbyists to still sell a few of them in each store.  I have a feeling that their online sales probably are much more.  Even with the shipping costs, they are still cheaper than the Woodland Scenics versions.

I'm live in the southern Wisconsin and can tell you that the three stores in Madison can not keep them in stock when they do finally get them on the shelves after the Halloween surge is over.

I'm guessing they do pretty well or they wouldn't keep doing it.

Milwrd