Hobby shops in and around Cupertino, CA

Be sure to visit 1 Infinite Loop while you're there.

Brian

"The Train Shop" (Pruneridge & Winchester) (personal favorite) 1829 Pruneridge Ave Santa Clara, CA 95050

"D&J Hobbies" 96 N. San Tomas Aquino Rd Campbell, CA 95008

Enjoy, Paul

Having just been there, I'd say there's probably no good reason to visit the San Antonio Hobby Shop in Mt. View unless you're into other hobbies too. When I was there, they were getting rid of almost everything that wasn't ready-to-run. The selection was less than impressive.

If you'd like to take a drive, another great shop is Just Trains up the road in Concord.

And as was mentioned, the Train Shop is one of the best you'll find anywhere.

D&J has all hobbies and looked pretty interesting to me, but we got there a few minutes before closing and I wasn't able to see everything I wanted.

Jim

A year ago I picked up a bunch of IM kits off of their discount rack at ~$2 each (should put those together).

A year ago I picked up a bunch of IM kits off of their discount rack at ~$2 each (should put those together). Youa re right, they don't have much beyond RTR now.

Yes, good store but, quite a drive from Cupertino.

Hobbies Unlimited in San Leandro is ok. He has the flashy stuff on the shelves. Behind the counter he has a lot more of the ... ummm ... esoteric items. Not sure what he has in the way of kits. Did pick up some N scale Shinohara turnouts and such there. I mostly go there for the DCC stuff at Digital Bay (share the same space).

I end up a Wold's in Dublin a lot (it's close by) for the "common" stuff that I run out of all the time. Nice folks but, they make all of their money off of RC sales. I'm slowly cleaning out their Athearn Blue Box collection.

D&J - if you want to bargain hunt, ask for Chris and tell her you are interested in the undec stuff in the storeroom!!! The more you take off their hands the better deal you get.

Paul

I second that... it's a "real" hobby shop, although... selection of kits was kind of down my last time there (March 03). Reflecting a general trend but the really big guns (Whistle Stop, Des Plaines, etc) still have plenty of kits. But the Train Shop has got a decent selection and keeps up with current stuff, all the newest items are out where you can see them on the counter, and they even discount a bit - pretty unusual for the Bay Area. Also easy to get to from the freeways. IIRC (and I usually screw this up) you can get there from the Stevens Creek exit but there are two of them (different freeways) and one is close and one is a looong way away. Anyway, it's at Pruneridge and Winchester, I think right on the border line between San Jose and Santa Clara. Nice shop, friendly people, good stuff. It's a "don't miss" when I'm in the area.

Andy

280 Freeway to Winchester, turn North (I think?) go past the theaters, Santa Square, keep going a few more blocks. At Pruneridge it's diagonally across the intersection on your left (tucked into the little strip mall [era late 50's/60's shak shingles] near the ACE hardware).

Enjoy, Paul

Santana Square (me thinks?)