Shops in Denver

Caboose Hobbies is the only shop I know of on the whole front range that carries O narrow gauge. Custom Railway Supply in Colorado Springs used to have some, but didn't see anything in May, which was the last time I was there. 

Caboose Hobbies inventory in O is shrinking, but every time I'm there they are pretty busy, and do a pretty good on-line business as well. I think they'd carry it if the manufacturer's would make it, but that isn't happening at the moment. They're doing good business in other scales from what I can see. 

I sure noticed that about any O scale in Caboose, and the empty shelves,  to the extent I did not bother to stop there on my last trip through Denver.  There was a tiny little shop in Salida that specialized in narrow gauge, that I never found open the couple of times I stopped...would bet that is not still there.

  I think he is still there. Never open. You have to call the # on the door to get him to open his shop. I never bother.

When talking about how the shelves are getting empty at Caboose Hobbies... are you specifically referring to O scale product, or all products overall?

The last time I was there was the end of December. Shelves were full then, except for where they used to keep Atlas O. There were fewer O-scale building kits than years past, but that probably has more to do with O becoming a "box-to-layout" hobby. I was there for detail parts, and they had a good selection, but a lot of out of stock items from PSC. I'm inclined to believe that if it isn't selling, or has been there for a long time before selling, they aren't ordering it, or manufacturer's aren't making it anymore. 

3-rail O shelves were well stocked with Lionel, MTH, and Williams, along with consignments. Not much Atlas, but that's to be expected with Atlas's manufacturing problems. I was interested in some San Juan O narrow gauge cars they used to have, but those were gone. 

Their website is real-time inventory, so that's a good way of finding out ahead of time what they have or what they don't have. They also run a % off sale every holiday in store or online. 

My conclusion is they're doing ok. I think they're following the current trends in the hobby by only special ordering high $ items that might not sell, and keeping tighter control of their inventory. I don't work for them or have any inside information. I'm just guessing by the number of customers in the store, and observing what they're purchasing when I'm waiting in line to check out.