Lombard Hobbies, Lombard, IL

[pedro]

www.lombardhobby.com
524 E. St. Charles Pl
Lombard, IL


Date of last visit: 11/22/20


A little late with this report, but recent mentions of Lombard elsewhere on TRW reminded me I need to get with it!


Lombard recently (2018) celebrated its 40th anniversary, but the last 4-5 years have seen them emerge as one of the powerhouses not only of Chicago shops, but in the mail-order world as well. The physical store has been remodeled, web site revamped, new “uniformed” staff hired, and stock levels have risen greatly. Lombard is now exclusively HO and N scale.

Not only is the selection of new products incredible, the prices are in line or better than any mail order house, and sale items are often priced incredibly low. N scale occupies one entire aisle, with HO filling the rest of the store. In many cases the HO stock is stacked to above eye level on the display cases.
<edited> Comment about lack of MTL stock stricken. My bad! MTL stock is indeed all newer ~2019+ releases.


The store is clean, well-lit, and well-organized. Some of the N scale stock is hard to see at the back of the aisle, but the staff will let you go behind the very long counter to get a better look.


Highly recommended above all other shops in Chicago if you only have time for one when visiting. Relatively close to O’Hare. It’s a bit of a hike from the Metra UP west line Lombard stop, but it can be done. UP and Metra trains are visible from the parking lot. The Great Western trail (CGW grade) goes across the street (and the exC&NW/UP) on an overpass right next to the store.


N scale wall:



HO wall:



HO engine cases:

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I now know what I'll be using all those accumulated Miles for...

Looks amazing.

[davefoxx]

I’ve had nothing but a positive experience in my dealings with Lombard Hobbies to date.  Those lucky people who get this place for a LHS.

DFF

[amato1969]

Ooh so nice!  Once mother nature stops the snow and ice, I need to head up I-88 and do some shopping there!

  Frank

[C855B]

Those shop pic take my breath away! One of these days we'll have to Amtrak north to check it out. Walking distance from the Metra station, too! Sweet!

[davefoxx]

HO engine cases:

I'm sure @wm3798 will want to check out the Chessie System section in the middle glass case. 

DFF

[Point353]

Lombard needs to be reminded to not ship N scale locos in a USPS small flat rate box.
Even though the locos will fit, the box is too flimsy to hold up to the rigors of USPS shipping with a couple of locos bouncing around inside.
BLW once committed the same error in years past.

[flight2000]

I always hate going into Lombard Hobbies during business trips to Chicago, my wallet usually comes out with two black eyes and a few broken bones....       It's way too easy to drop a couple grand in there. 

As for the Micro-Trains stock, I believe they just started carrying them again early last year or in late 2019.  I don't think they picked up much older stock and have slowly started building inventory with the regular monthly releases.  They only have about 100 MTL items listed on the website currently.

Cheers,
Brian 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I always hate going into Lombard Hobbies during business trips to Chicago, my wallet usually comes out with two black eyes and a few broken bones....       It's way too easy to drop a couple grand in there. 

Des Plaines has always been my go to in such circumstances. Its location being relatively convienient to O'Hare helps.
But now I've learned this is similarly nearby.

I guess it's a good thing I'm not traveling right now.

[dougnelson]

Very impressive.  It is good to see a positive report on a railroad hobby store.  Hopefully it shows there is a formula for success in today's world.

[conrail1973]

They are very responsive to picking and packaging your order for delivery. On one order with them in December, they skipped USPS and went with UPS for my order.  That is great service right there!

[wm3798]

Well... the stepdaughter is enrolled at U Chicago, so I have an excuse to pop by when ever I finally make the trip up there...
Lee

[Mark5]

For the few orders I've placed with Lombard - no complaints! 

[pedro]

I was thinking of “old” Lombard with the lack of MTL stock comments! I had time to stop in today on my way to work and totally forgot how much they’ve been stocking recent releases. OP edited!

[Rivet Miscounter]

Notable absence on the N scale side: Micro Trains. Although there is a limited stock of trucks/couplers, there is almost NO stock of regular releases.  Not a deal-breaker, but something to be aware of.

That appears to be a semi-trend of late.   It seems to me that Micro-Trains has (or had?) some pretty *out-there* requirements about order minimums and such.   Which is probably why a good bit of train show dealer setups has about 2x16ft of the exact same old stock...the stuff Micro-Trains missed with for the past 25 years.   I think the more modern approach to running shops can't stomach that and shops can now stock a lot of N stuff even without MTL, which wasn't the case 20 years ago.  I will concede also that MTL has figured some things out too, and their offerings in the past 10 years have been a little more "of this planet".

I just placed my first order with Lombard on Tuesday, and it should be here tomorrow.  Quick turn (that I didn't really need) but I paid for it ~$14 for UPS (only option) on $27 worth of very small items. (JTC container conversion kits x3)   Not really a complaint...I know the score these days...just have to be more mindful of it and batch things.