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Cutler Bay resident Paul Conner has staying power. Conner, who turns 90 in March, is a 50-year member of the Train Collectors Association and has managed to keep his small business afloat despite the pandemic.
Conner’s small hobby shop, Hollywood Station, specializes in model trains of all types, toy cars and model planes, as well as other hobby related items. His shop, which is off the beaten path in a warehouse district near a Home Depot and other small specialty shops, carries lots of boxed model trains from Lionel, American Flyer and Ives, collectible die cast metal cars and some die cast planes. There’s even a Harry Potter Hogwarts Express train set.
Visiting the shop is like a trip back in time.
He’s open seven days a week and most of his customers are regulars who have been with him for years.
“It has been very difficult keeping the doors open during the pandemic,” Conner said.
“Fortunately I have good regular customers who are helping me stay afloat.”
Collecting trains was a big hobby at one time and he is happy that he still has a good clientele that share his love of planes, trains and automobiles.
He is in the Southern Division of the National Train Collectors Association, and is glad they are still going and were able to honor him with a certificate and a pin for his 50 years of membership. He and his children all live within blocks of each other in Cutler Bay. His daughter and other family members admire his energy to keep this little family hobby shop going.
Hollywood Station is located at 19301 SW 106 Ave., #9, and is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For information call 305-278-1669.
