As I have oft said, there’s nothing like driving across Colorado in the fall! There’s a good reason why this is my favorite time of year, and a while ago I made the decision to take another trip out to beautiful Buena Vista to visit my favorite little small town shop! I’ve mentioned this place many times in the past since I discovered it back in August of 2021 on a work-related trip to Gunnison, but I have been hesitant to mention it my name in order to protect to proprietor’s privacy. Well, I’m happy to say that as a result of this latest trip, I obtained their permission to tell you the whole story of this little place, so here it is!
The store I’ve so aptly called “Aladdin’s Cave” is actually called Performance Slots & Hobbies, and it is located in a small shopping area adjacent to Buena Vista called “Johnson Village” (In a previous post I mistakenly referred to it as “Johnsville,” probably because there is a place called that as well). It’s a small place – nowhere near as high falutin’ as “Colorado Diecast,” which I have also profiled on my blog – but don’t be fooled by the size! This little shop nestled at the base of Mt. Antero and surrounded by beautiful scenery is out of the way for most people, but it is definitely worth a visit for Thunderjet fanatics!
The drive alone is a joy at this time of year, although there are some difficult sections of road along the trip where the highway is only 1 lane in each direction and passing slower vehicles can be nerve wracking. But what a view! A since I had the accompaniment of “First Wave” on Sirius radio the whole way there, we had good music to accompany the scenery!
I went to PSH armed with less money than I have in the past, since some hefty expenses outside the world of slot cars have been weighing on your humble blogger for a while, and with the holidays right around the corner there’s no end in sight, but even so, I managed to pick up a few really cool creations to add to my collection which I will profile in a coming post!
Pay Doug and Cindy a visit if you’re in the area, or hit their website and see if they have any of the treasures that you’re looking for! I know they’ve done wonders for my collection, and since they’ve been in the hobby for decades, you never know what might turn up there!
You are right! This looks like a piece of heaven and it’s amazing that you found this place!