ANNOUNCING...MENARDS...NEW FORUM SPONSOR!

Welcome. Nice products.

I think that's fantastic. I've bought quite a number of items from them.

Welcome to the forum and thank you for sponsoring it.

Menard's, welcome and thank you for your sponsorship here.  Regrettably, you aren't close to the Atlanta area so I don't get to visit your stores to take advantage of your O gauge offerings in person as many on the forum do.

Welcome to the forum MENARDS, and thanks for sponsoring this for us.

 

Also, great job Alan.

Great news!  While one is not local to my TX home, we travel to Kansas regularly and always stop in the Salina store.

WELCOME ABOARD, JOHN!

 

Menards is a large REGIONAL chain so not everyone here will have a local menards store to visit. However, they have an excellent web site where products can be ordered on line. Click on their ad and you'll go right to their O gauge products page.

Welcome Menards!

 franktrain

I have purchased a few of their flatcars and boxcars along with a couple buildings. Always good to have additional O Gauge suppliers in the hobby.

Rich,

 

Alan Arnold is kicking butt...that man deserves a raise!  

Oh yeah! to tie in with Spence and Richs' comments.....welcome Menards!

  Never heard of them until a few years ago I was taking my elderly uncle to a Menards near Chicago.   His mistake was he showed me the trains for sale............

   I probably took too long looking but even he was starting to enjoy the offerings

 

Can you purchase all of the O gauge items on line?

 

I remember trying to make a purchase and seeing a message that you could only purchase the item in the store.

 

Doesn't do me any good.

 

But thanks for being a forum sponsor!

 

Bill

 

I know you can order from online, but I like to wait for Nov 1, when our local Menards sets up several shelves of goodies and at reasonable prices.  That way I can look/see up close cars and buildings.  I have bought Menards/Woodland Scenic buildings but either position them or paint over Menards references to make them generic, though I have nothing against Menards, as their merchandise is top line (I think, your mileage may vary).

Menards   - Welcome to the Forum and becoming a sponsor of the best Model/toy train forum anywhere.  I like what I've seen of your well priced products, but the shipping to CANADA puts them out of my price range.

I hope someday I can visit a store and purchase from you there.

All the best here and to your future business.  I have read nothing but good things about your firm.

I tried searching for trains on their web site and came up with dusters and cleaners.  They certainly do know my layout's needs, but if they carry trains, they keep them well-hidden.

Well Robert....I don't know how you searched but even if you don't use the banner link or index link here on the forum, it was easy to find "trains" on their website.  All I did is Google "Menards", clicked on the link and then typed in "trains" in their search box at the home page...viola'...went directly to the trains!...

 

Alan

Glad to see the Menard's has become "part of the family".  They've been dabbling in 3rail trains stuff for several years and I know that at least several of the family are fellow train guys.  Not related, but perhaps most of us are aware that Paul Menard is prominent in NASCAR's Sprint Cup stock car series and Lionel is involved in that sport through it's stock car model series.

 

Some of their new train stuff has really been nice and priced reasonably, too.

 

Paul Fischer

Great to see Menards in the mix now.  Thank you!

 

Alan you are underpaid sir....

Well done Alan! You've landed the big one.   While I don't buy trains from Menards, about 25% of my house and 90% of my layout were purchased from them.

Alan, I see the issue.  I went to www.menards.com and entered "trains" in the search box.  But then there immediately popped up a window with the listing "O gauge train stuff" in it, and I clicked on that.  If I closed the window and then clicked on the search button after the box in which I had entered trains, the trains came up.  Thanks.

 

You're doing quite well at your job.  Congrats.

Welcome Aboard

Hello MENARDS® & Cheers from Michigan. I use your Livonia Store.

  Click artwork to enlarge.

Menards Hired my son to work in there whearhouse in Plano, Ill a couple of years ago.

I have purchased a couple of train related items from them recently and love them. They have a Menards 3 towns away. so they are somewhat local.  Plus They keep offering new items almost every few months. Which gives me time to save some Money. So I would like to welcome John & Menards to the Forum.

Welcome to the OGR Forum. We're the largest and best O-Gauge Forum in the US of A. We are also the friendliest .

 

Please come to my town, please! We need a LHS just like you .

Great to have the undisputed O gauge price leader as a forum sponsor. Menards has put forward a program that proves that model trains can be enjoyed by everyone. It  will great to see how the line expands in 2015. A big welcome aboard.

Glad to welcome Menards as well. They are in the planning for a new store here in Springfield, MO. I have purchased from them and especially enjoy their line of structures.

Welcome to the forum and thank you for very much for your support.

 

i was very pleasently surprised when I "discovered" you a couple of years ago.  As others have already mentioned, you make some really nice 0-gauge items for a good price.

 

The only downside to your operations is that your stores are just a tad far from Atlanta. 

 

Ed

 

PS - You know I think the south would be a very nice place to build some stores.

Welcome Menards and thanks for being a sponsor.  It is great to be able to purchase everything you need to build a layout, save money, and also have trains available.  Way to go Menards.

 

Art

My local Menard's...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't forget, you save big money when you shop Menard's.

Awesome news. Welcome aboard.

I googled Menards trains and it took me right to pages.  Found a plumbing supply that caught my eye and may be my Christmas gift for the newly developed real estate expansion of my layout.  As well as the Milwaukee Road engine house for the new yard.

@ Mill City:

Now that's different, a grand piano and escalators!

A big thank you to Menard's for becoming a sponsor!!  Although I have never seen one of their stores, I did buy one of the boxcars, and would like to buy some of their structures someday!

 

Thank you Alan!!

It's huge. They built this store on the site of an much older Menards. It went from 100,000 f2 to 236,000 f2. The property is such that they could only expand upwards, therefore the escalators and several glass enclosed elevators. Wheels on carts lock when entering the escalator, then unlocks upon exiting. The piano is a bit silly, but fun. I keep expecting to be approached by a cocktail waitress.

 

WOW, what a terrific connection for both Menards and OGR. Congratulations to Alan and to the good folks at Menards.

There is a brand new Menard's opening soon about 10 minutes from my house!! These are HUGE stores inside. The ultimate "big boy" store, tools & trains can not get any better than that. Thanks for sponsoring the forum Menard's

Great news!  Thanks so much for sponsoring the forum!

-Greg

 

JUST CLICK ON THEIR BANNER AD! (or their listing in the sponsor index!) It will take you directly to their O gauge trains page!

 

Welcome Aboard Menards!

Now we can all  SAVE BIG MONEY.

I always shop at Menards. I find it easy to find what I want. Plus with train stuff my wife thinks I'm buying fertilizer when really I'm getting cool train stuff.

Welcome Menards.  I've heard many good things about your stores from relatives that live in the mid-west.  I hope you can start the trek eastward.  In the meantime, there's always online ordering.

For those of you who want to navigate to Menards' O Gauge section without a direct link, all you have to remember is from the navigation pane, select [Home & Decor] - [Menards' Collectibles]. "O Gauge Train Stuff" is in its own pane on this page.

 

I don't live in their business footprint (I'm in NYC), but I have ordered three boxcars and the 24-flatcar case without incident. There might be isolated items that at some point in time are only available in-store, but I haven't ran into any.

 

 

 

---PCJ

Welcome Menards! I'm not in their market but I'm a big fan of the 27 car.

 

Brad

 a few of us in the club have ordered several cases of flat cars.

Welcome Menards! We are very excited to have you as a part of the OGR family!

A GREAT addition!! Lumber for the bench work, wire and switches for the electrical,  paint and other supplies!!!! Then pick up a box car or two!! Shows Menards commitment to the hobby......

 

PS congrats on the NASCAR win SAT.

Welcome aboard. Thank you for becoming a larger part of our OGR family with your increased presence.  Love the buildings!

 

Ed Boyle

Partner

Special Projects Editor

O Gauge Railroading magazine

To John Menard and family, thanks a lot for becoming both a print magazine and online Forum sponsor - we really appreciate it.  Keep those O gauge products coming, and good luck to Paul in the #27.

 

Alan, you did it again.  Keep up the great work!

welcome Menard!!!

Watch out shopping at Menard's. They sell Sprecher's soda pop.

 

I can't go back to that junk other companies make. Coke and Pepsi make carbonated beverage products, Sprecher's makes soda pop.

 

The grape soda is made from and tastes like grapes. Same for the orange. They have cream soda, ginger, root beer. Then if you are lucky you can find the seasonal blueberry and raspberry. Raspberry used to be called "Red Raven" but it has a new name, it might be as simple as "Raspberry".

 

Sprecher's also makes beer, but it is not sold at Menard's. Sprecher's has a restaurant in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

 

Maybe I can snag a picture of Menard's on the way home so people can see what it is like.

Yes, the soda is a problem. I was at Menards last Friday and picked up some root beer, hard to beat.

 

 

 

Menards is relatively new to my area and they're supposed to build a 2 level store fairly close to me - that should be interesting. I like Menards a lot and have placed several special orders with them and had better results than at the other 2 big box hardware stores. I dragged my wife in after the grand opening and she had low expectations based on their slightly cheesy tv ads. Her jaw dropped and I think we spent the next 2 hours in the store. She awarded bonus points for the Sprecher's.

 

I did notice that around the holidays they had Lionel sets which I thought was interesting. I didn't see any of the buildings or individual boxcars. They had some scenery.

 

I was just in there yesterday!

 

 

Our local Menard's is a great store, friendly people, clean, etc. They don't carry much of the train stuff, but I just choose ship to store from the website (free shipping that way, plus gives me an excuse to visit the store ).

Thank you Menards for becoming a forum sponsor.

Welcome Menards, and thank you for your support of the hobby! Painting the numbers on the cars in sequence is simple genius. None of the other manufacturers were smart enough to figure this one out! Kudos to you! Thanks again, Clifford

Thanks Menards! Layout-building supplies and trains in the same store - great stuff!

I have to ask - is there a train nut in Menards management?

I have recently purchased a few buildings for my nephew and they are nicely done and wll built.

Way to go Alan, and Welcome Menards!

 

Although Menards is 24 miles each way for us, we end up going there once a week. The other two similar but smaller stores are half that distance away, but it definitely is worth the extra miles to Menards.

 

Alex

Now if they started selling Sprecher's beer there, it would be perfect! 

 

How about the CEO?  

It's what every company needs, I tell ya!

Glad to hear Menard's is a sponsor.  All the 1 by 4s for our benchwork came from there. Nick

I was just at one in Minnesota that is closing to make way for a double decker one as shown in the pictures.  Everything in the store was 30% off to get ready for the demolition.  I got 3 of the buildings.

 

Menard's is pretty great. 

And they sell some groceries too, so I can tell my wife I'll pick up a gallon of milk and browse the trains & tools while I'm there. 

Welcome Menards! Please come to Oklahoma!!!!!!!!

Welcome aboard, this is one sponsor that wont have to wait long for my order.

---

So great to have them on board and promoting the o gauge hobby with their train sets and buildings.  Thanks for sponsoring the forum!

 

Hi Frisco Tim,

 

You are absolutely right. Some items should start appearing in stores closer to the holiday season. Unfortunately, it's hard to predict what train stuff will be available when that time comes.

Hi Bill,

 

Unfortunately when quantities are limited, as is the case with some of our buildings and train cars, the only remaining stock is located in our stores. We are truly sorry for the trouble this may have caused you.

 

If you encounter this message again, just let us know and we can look into it. We might even be able to ship one directly to you from our store!

Welcome Menards!  I love the store just built within the last year or so in Cincinnati.  The prices are great, and the store is always clean! 

 

For those of you who have never seen the "center escalator" concept in their store (see the first photo in Mill City's post above), the moving ramp that goes up to the second floor is wonderful.  Even if you have a heavy shopping cart, when you push the cart on to the ramp, the shopping carts have wheels that have an automatic brake that locks when cart starts going up or down the ramp. 

Hey guys please stop with the "how great Menards is" posts.  Living here in Atlanta we are stuck with the well known big box stores. Having a Menards here would be fantastic.

 

But since there is little or no chance we'll ever have a Menards here these posts are like being a kid in front of a toy store but not being able to go in (trust me I know how that feels.) 

 

Ed

Ed,

It's hard to predict the future but you are right, it may be several years until we branch that far into the south. On a brighter note, all of our products are available online!

 

I read your post and I couldn't resist giving you a very sneak peek of one of one of our upcoming buildings. I can't give you specifics or more details but it will be releasing in the next few months, so stay tuned!

 

Mark the Menards Train guy, what a wonderful start to Menards' forum sponsorship.  Your active participation is great; and, I'm down for the building with the trains for sale window.

I appreciate that you might consider expanding into the south one day.  But just as an FYI, I have gotten old enough now to where I don't buy green bananas anymore so please don't put off your possible southern expansion too long. ��

 

Ed

I am so excited about Menards participation with O Gauge Railroading. We have had Menards in Indiana for almost 20 years now and every stitch of lumber that has built my last three layouts was purchased there. 

 

I also feel that Menards entering the O gauge market is a very important step. With the kind of resources and buying power that Menards has, I think this will spur some competition within the market, especially in the starter set arena. The flat car deal that they offered in late 2014 is a great example of these resources being used to deliver a product at a great price. Take notice folks, there is a new game in town and it's called Menards. 

Welcome

Folks, 

 

Don't stress if their is no store in the immediate area where you live - None hear in Northern NJ but I have the Internet to view and purchase items.

 

Thank you for becoming a sponsor. If you want your cash register to ring, please be sure to post any news on all new products coming out this year. Also, please be sure to post any monthly "O" Gauge specials that you may be having this year. 

Thank you. 

Where in Northern NJ are you located?? I am as well !!

PSU1980,

 

Thanks for helping us spread the word!

We could use a few of their stores in Pennsylvania. I don't think we have any.

Yep...we need a Menards in Mountain Home Arkansas....  Right now we have a large Lowes and Home Depot.  Folks from all over south central Missouri and north central Arkansas shop in our city so the trade area is quite large!  A Menards would do quite well here!!

 

Alan

I just picked up a couple of your buildings including the Seed & Feed.  I'm very happy with them and look forward to more in the future!

 

I do appreciate your sponsorship, thanks. 

 

Oh, and like others I would like to see some stores in upstate NY.  I've been to the store in Madison, WI and I really enjoyed shopping there.

Welcome Menards to the forum.  I have always been partial to your products as your flagship store is from my home state of Wisconsin.  Unfortunately, you don't have any stores in Arkansas where I now live but I always stop in your stores when I am attending train shows in the Kansas City area and have bought several of your toy train products online.  Great stores, good service.

 

Bob Nelson

Don't know if it's me or not, but I went to the Menards website, typed in "train stuff" and it told me that it could not find that topic.  What am I doing wrong?