I work part time at Ready to Roll in North Miami. There are no other stores in the state as well stocked and knowledgeable about our hobby. We do business all over the country as well as South America and Europe. Bill Lucas the owner had the wisdom to understand that foot traffic alone will not sustain his store. For that reason he decided to have a strong online presence. That decision boosted his sales. Of course there are still the regulars who come in all the time as well as first timers. When a new customer visits our store they are truly amazed by the inventory of trains as well as other products needed to expand their layouts. The trains are neatly displayed so the customer can really see them. Bill also doesn’t limit his inventory to O gauge. He has loaded the store with both HO and N gauge trains. He also stocks the store with all the items needed to expand your layout. When people call the store with questions related to the hobby or about new items he knows the answer, and if not will find out and call back. IMO, that’s what makes a store float or sink.
I have visited many stores over my lifetime and you can pretty much tell which ones will live and those that will fold. It’s essential to have a strong online presence, good inventory, and excellent customer skills to survive. Just my thoughts!
