Is Modelhaus finished?

[Mike C.]

Tried to order some sets of the smaller Desert Dog tires. Keep getting message back that I can't at this time.

[SpikeSchumacher]

From an older thread here...

Posted August 21, 2018

I just got this email! I'm sure many of you may have as well. Good for them! A well deserved retirement. 

Dear Modelhaus Customers,

This e-mail is being sent to all addresses that are affiliated with the web site. Our orders are all shipped and we have inventoried all the remaining stock. We have uploaded the remaining inventory, both kits and parts, onto the web site and it will open again the morning of Aug. 25 (this Saturday). We envision it will remain open for a week to ten days. We are giving you some advance notice so you can take the time to assess your needs. Please know that the inventory is limited. Only those items that are still available will be listed and only in the quantity we have. The web site will be able to track the sale of items and when the inventory for a particular part reaches zero, you will be unable to add that item to your shopping cart even though the part is still listed on the site. It is possible that you can add a part to your cart but it will not show up in your cart at the time of the sale. The inventory is adjusted for sale only when an order is actually placed. If you and another customer both add the last of a particular part to your cart, but the other customer checks out first, he will get the item.

Sales will only be accepted from the web site. No orders will be taken by phone or by regular mail. The only way to track the inventory is by the web site. This may anger some of our customers who prefer to order via the regular mail. We are sorry, but at this point, we have to do what is manageable and the web orders are the only way to manage the inventory.

Though we are retiring the business as you have known it, we are not completely stopping. Don’s favorite part of the business has always been developing new kits. In the past three years he has not been able to develop anything new as we dealt with the onslaught of orders generated by our announced retirement. He had several ideas for new kits that he still wants to pursue. We are not 100% sure how this will play out. He hopes to develop one to two kits a year for a while. We will figure a way to get the word out when a kit is available.

The tires we have offered will be available again soon. Our son Chris has worked for us for many years. Several years ago he moved the tire making to his home and we have purchased tires from him. All the particulars have not been worked out. The web site will be www.modelhaustires.com. We will most likely send another mass e-mail when he is ready to be up and running.

It has been a pleasure to serve the modeling community for 30 plus years. We will not miss the work, but will miss the connections we have made with so many great modelers over the years. Thank you for all your orders which have made this such a successful business. We wish you all the best!

Cordially, 
Don and Carol Holthau

[Ace-Garageguy]

13 minutes ago, SpikeSchumacher said:

From an older thread here...

Posted August 21, 2018

I just got this email! I'm sure many of you may have as well. Good for them! A well deserved retirement...

Most everyone here knows Modelhaus is finished. 

But the OP's question is about the tires-only website, which has been in operation.

14 minutes ago, SpikeSchumacher said:

...The tires we have offered will be available again soon. Our son Chris has worked for us for many years. Several years ago he moved the tire making to his home and we have purchased tires from him. All the particulars have not been worked out. The web site will be www.modelhaustires.com. We will most likely send another mass e-mail when he is ready to be up and running.

 

[Mike C.]

I think I may have gotten the last 2 sets of FDDs. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

1 hour ago, Mike C. said:

I think I may have gotten the last 2 sets of FDDs. 

You know...it's pretty much a one-man operation now, only making wheels and tires.

A temporary out-of-stock situation many not in fact be the end of the world.

The site is still up and functioning as of a few minutes ago, so I'd suggest not jumping to conclusions until there's more evidence.

[mikemodeler]

Chris runs that website pretty well and my experience has been if he doesn't have inventory for something on his website, you won't be able to order it until he does. This saves him the hassle of having orders piled up and people asking "Where's my order?????". It being summertime he could be on vacation, have other issues to deal with or is busy casting and reloading his inventory. As Ace mentioned, jumping to conclusions serves no good purpose.

[Mike C.]

1 hour ago, mikemodeler said:

Chris runs that website pretty well and my experience has been if he doesn't have inventory for something on his website, you won't be able to order it until he does. This saves him the hassle of having orders piled up and people asking "Where's my order?????". It being summertime he could be on vacation, have other issues to deal with or is busy casting and reloading his inventory. As Ace mentioned, jumping to conclusions serves no good purpose.

Thanks Mike.

[bobss396]

I have seen some of his old "masters" recently over on eBay, not cheap either. 

[Mike C.]

5 hours ago, bobss396 said:

I have seen some of his old "masters" recently over on eBay, not cheap either. 

Any links? Thanks

[bobss396]

On 7/27/2023 at 1:32 PM, Mike C. said:

Any links? Thanks

I will look later to see if there are any. It is definitely not Modelhaus. Don had some "masters" for sale at the past NNL East.