Our paper carries 'For Better or Worse' in the comics section. In the strip, he is a model railroader and she now owns a gift/hobby shop. Yesterday and today (Friday/Saturday) I watched as one customer distracted the clerk while another removed a locomotive form a showcase. Today, the theft of a $1500 US brass loco was discovered. Another clerk had left the case unlocked while she stepped out.
I told you that to tell you this. Nearing the end of my time as a train hobby shop owner, we had developed a theft problem. More and more I put things under lock and key, Kadee 5s, N scale cars and locos, HO locos, etc. Then I was out for a major health problem for four months with my wife and Faye, my clerk, taking care of business.
We were robbed blind. By the time I returned and looked at the inventory books and compared it to the shelves, it was obvious that we were in deep trouble. I know that some of my N Scale went to a couple of guys in a small town north of me, but I couldn't catch them in the act. I also know that some of my merchandise was being sold at a local club in the area as I had one 'customer' come in looking for the parts package for a particular loco that he had just bought at the club. I had the parts pack. It was in the empty box that the loco had been in when it was stolen.
Yes, the comic strip really hit home. This is just one of the dangers of owning a retail store front hobby shop. After all, the thief really needs that model or part more than the shop owner and a regular customer. After all, everyone knows that all shop owners can easily afford the loss, they make tons of money by ripping off their customers with high prices.
Well, by the time I got my losses under control, it was too late. My shop was history. How many others have gone the same way?
Roger
Roger Hensley - madisonrails@railfan.net
== http://cid.railfan.net/eci_new.html ==
== East Central Indiana HO Scale Railroad ==
I told you that to tell you this. Nearing the end of my time as a train hobby shop owner, we had developed a theft problem. More and more I put things under lock and key, Kadee 5s, N scale cars and locos, HO locos, etc. Then I was out for a major health problem for four months with my wife and Faye, my clerk, taking care of business.
We were robbed blind. By the time I returned and looked at the inventory books and compared it to the shelves, it was obvious that we were in deep trouble. I know that some of my N Scale went to a couple of guys in a small town north of me, but I couldn't catch them in the act. I also know that some of my merchandise was being sold at a local club in the area as I had one 'customer' come in looking for the parts package for a particular loco that he had just bought at the club. I had the parts pack. It was in the empty box that the loco had been in when it was stolen.
Yes, the comic strip really hit home. This is just one of the dangers of owning a retail store front hobby shop. After all, the thief really needs that model or part more than the shop owner and a regular customer. After all, everyone knows that all shop owners can easily afford the loss, they make tons of money by ripping off their customers with high prices.
Well, by the time I got my losses under control, it was too late. My shop was history. How many others have gone the same way?
Roger
Roger Hensley - madisonrails@railfan.net
== http://cid.railfan.net/eci_new.html ==
== East Central Indiana HO Scale Railroad ==