December 2022
COMMUNITY NEWS
RenfrewCollingwoodCommunityNews.com
Central Hobbies for sale as owner retires “Every train has a caboose,” quipped a customer, in reference to Hal’s upcoming retirement. “Now that’s something I’ll miss, says Hal to me, ”all the little fun remarks just like that.” Yes, the caboose is here for Central Hobbies and Hal will surely miss his long-time customers, and they, him. For the past 35 years, Hal and his Central Hobbies have been the go-to destination for train enthusiasts from all over British Columbia and beyond. You see, Central Hobbies is like a mecca for train-heads. Take Calvin, who alerted us to the store’s closing in his online post (cnrpei. ca/2022/04/01/central-hobbies-a-pilgrimage/): “I managed to find some downtime to make the pilgrimage into Vancouver to visit Central Hobbies, which is slated to close in June 2023.
Kathy and Hal are looking extremely forward to retirement. Photo by Paul Reid
“Where I live, there isn’t a model train-focused hobby shop, so you can imagine dropping me into the midst of a store the size of Central Hobbies would be much like shooting me into space. I spent over two hours browsing the store ... I even had to step outside one time to collect myself – the selection was just THAT wild! I felt like a kid again.” So I met with Hal and yes, it’s true. “Body says it’s time,” he tells me. So, this spring, Hal and his gang (Kathy and Bill) will be preparing to wrap things up. For Hal, the owner, this means he has put Central Hobbies up for sale. Know anybody?
Remember the old sign? Photos from Central Hobbies
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1747 Nanaimo St
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