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Re: Vern Cole Passes-- The Trainshop owner
Author: Stevo del Applegato
Date: 12-02-2012 - 21:34
Ah, Uncle Vern, (Okay, he wasn't really our Uncle, but after knowing him for thirty plus years...) it's hard to believe we won't see him behind the counter again.
Vern was the real deal. A good business man, a source of information, a dry sense of humor and just an all around good guy. He was polite to all, but was quite ready to rib those he knew well, and he would expect it in return. Vern was always out to make a buck, yet would go out of his way to make sure you got your moneys worth.
Saturday mornings were always busy at the Train Shop, with lots of folks crowded around the counter and others milling about the store. The running joke was that the quickest way to get Verns attention was to wave a couple of bucks in the air - you got invited to the head of the line.
My longtime friend Craig and I spent part of the summer of 1977 helping Vern remodel the shop on South Monroe St. in San Jose. It was hard work, a lot of laughs and good times - no shortage of dust, broken glass and s*** brindle brown paint... There was always a stream of longtime customers coming in to check progress and offer their opinions on how it should be done.
During the early 90s, I moved out of the area and my visits became less frequent. On occasion a couple of us would get together, head down to the Bay Area and make a "Vern Turn". More than once Vern would surprise me with some little gem of a model that I had talked about during an earlier visit. He had had remembered our conversation, found the item I was looking for and stashed away for me.
I had not seen Vern in the last five years or so, but had heard that his health was failing. Yet it was a shock to hear of his passing. Vern was one of a kind. He will be missed.
sda
Vern was the real deal. A good business man, a source of information, a dry sense of humor and just an all around good guy. He was polite to all, but was quite ready to rib those he knew well, and he would expect it in return. Vern was always out to make a buck, yet would go out of his way to make sure you got your moneys worth.
Saturday mornings were always busy at the Train Shop, with lots of folks crowded around the counter and others milling about the store. The running joke was that the quickest way to get Verns attention was to wave a couple of bucks in the air - you got invited to the head of the line.
My longtime friend Craig and I spent part of the summer of 1977 helping Vern remodel the shop on South Monroe St. in San Jose. It was hard work, a lot of laughs and good times - no shortage of dust, broken glass and s*** brindle brown paint... There was always a stream of longtime customers coming in to check progress and offer their opinions on how it should be done.
During the early 90s, I moved out of the area and my visits became less frequent. On occasion a couple of us would get together, head down to the Bay Area and make a "Vern Turn". More than once Vern would surprise me with some little gem of a model that I had talked about during an earlier visit. He had had remembered our conversation, found the item I was looking for and stashed away for me.
I had not seen Vern in the last five years or so, but had heard that his health was failing. Yet it was a shock to hear of his passing. Vern was one of a kind. He will be missed.
sda
