By Jo Anne DeKeles

Author  Bio Our humble thanks to our loyal customers. Our apologies for not being able to keep this almost 80-year-old business going. It's a heartbreaker for us all

Polk's Will Close Its Doors 12-31-13

October 1st, 2013

Since 1935, we have provided service and innovation to the Hobby industry. In this latest downturn, we cut back staff to the minimum required to survive. Then the government battle over the debt ceiling drove the consumer market down even further.

We've managed to stay in business, but the continued depression for the consumer has caused us to fall into debt that is unsustainable. We have put several million dollars into product development over recent years, but the need for customers to cut back on non-essentials has caused this investment to be lacking in returns.

We have seen leisure activities like golf courses plunge in popularity, as funds for such recreation have dried up. It seems to be the same for hobby time investments. Our products are no longer inexpensive as they were in the 1930s-era Depression. The cost of manufacturing along with minimum production runs and long lead times has caused a lack of ability to continue as a sustainable entity. It's no longer a business!

It has been a pleasure to help our creative consumer base to enjoy their hobby and we have no regrets in doing so. Our business grew every year until the 2008 as the recession caused a shrinking of the mindset to stay active in our large-scale model train arena. We know that smaller scales have remained viable, but the higher cost of Large Scale trains and the space required to run them have not maintained their share of the market. Our airplane R/C portion of our business was lost when our patented frequency changer was lost to the 2.4Ghz portion of the marketplace, with no frequency compounds needed any longer.

For 80 years, the Polk family has made a fair living in the Hobby industry. I can't help but remember the scores of co-workers that have helped make this organization as special as it was. Thanks to them all, but notably: Gil Rose, B.M. Song, J.K. Kim, Sam Kimm, Tom Flynn, Cliff Crane, Charlie Binder, Marvin Binder, John and Sherry Shievdayal, Aixa Lebron, Joe Bamberger, David Newell, Walter Matuch, John Mikesh, Navin Shievdayal, Marguerite Hubert (Rose), Michael J. Vickey, Jonathan Polk, Scott Polk, Fred Polk, Irwin Polk, Nathan Polk, Maryann Polk Bob Calandra, George Adams, Michael Hauptmann and so many others, it would take a book to list them all. While I can't list all the hundreds that were part of the team, they remain in my heart and mind.

Our humble thanks to our loyal customers. Our apologies for not being able to keep this almost 80-year-old business going. It's a heartbreaker for us all.

All the best,
The Polk Family


Polk's Hobby
698 S. 21st St.
Irvington New Jersey 07111
United States

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Jon DeKeles - 10/01/2013 - 04:33

Polks

It's just a shame that good companies with good hardworking people have to close their business. I hope the best for them all. Hopefully no other companies will be destined to the same. Gary

Gary Condry - 10/01/2013 - 07:35

Comments

It is truly a sign of the times, but SAD, nonetheless. Having met Mr. Polk on several occasions, can only imagine what a heartbreak this is... People worry about the existance of Garden Railroads in the future, but in the grand scheme of things, with everything else being so questionable, trains are a minor thing. God Bless All of them for hanging in there for all of these many years...

Elaine Haggenbottom - 10/01/2013 - 07:49

comments

It has been tough getting parts over the past few years. Now even harder. There were so many pieces I wanted to get like the 2 8 0 and live steam they did. It is sad to see them go since they started putting out a lot of more modern area equipment. I can only hope that somebody will pick up the line to continue on. My first freight car was thier Great Northern flat car. It is sad seeing them have to go. A sign of the times.

Shane Jones - 10/01/2013 - 15:49

Closing

80% of my trains are Aristocraft. I was just getting started with the Revolution and battery power. I will miss them as will others. My best to the people at Polk's and Thank You for all your great products !

Clifford Schreiber - 10/04/2013 - 13:33

CREST ELECTRONICS

HEY GUYS! Not ALL is lost. Crest Electronics is still is business selling the Revolution transmitters and receivers (both steam & diesel) and other electronic units formally marketed by Polk's Hobbies (www.crest-electronics.net) It is sad to see all of the hard work that Lewis Polk did to build a classic model train business go down the tubes. I personally think some of the management decisions made by his successors were not good for the continuation of the business. Hopefully the engine, rolling stock, buildings, etc. molds can be bought up by an existing or startup company and revive the product line.

Tom Knight - 10/04/2013 - 17:39

Polks Closing

Well I don't go back for the whole 80 years but close to it. When when my dad returned from WWII and disembarked in NYC he brought me an HO train kit from Polks I'm now 77 years old and have more trains than any sane person should. Everything from N to G (including some S and ONO3) one of these days I guess I should decide on which I'm going to concentrate. Polks I'm going to miss you.

Richard Dahlke - 10/04/2013 - 20:52

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