New Walthers Structures: Modern Gas Station and Strip Mall

[Chris333]

There is also a new parking lot kit. https://www.walthers.com/gas-station-parking-lot-kit-25b861

I'm starting a new program where you send me your blank Evergreen styrene sheet and I send you back a "parking lot".

[peteski]

I'm starting a new program where you send me your blank Evergreen styrene sheet and I send you back a "parking lot".

LOL
. . . starting just at $9.95 per lot. 

Hey, you never know - some modelers could be "parking lot challenged".   

[Roger Holmes]

Nice... You could use a couple kits to make a convincing small town mall... (with the requisite vacant stores)

The gas station is tempting, perhaps a modern Era diorama with a Circle K 

My larger mall clients are filling vacant spaces with start-up churches but even then there are more empty spaces than there are new churches.

[bman]

Oh *****, that Qwik Trip with slightly different paint might yield a good modern Wawa too.

For those of you unfamiliar, Wawa is my equivalent of a holy site.

I was thinking more along the lines of a Sheetz. That's our holy site. I don't get east of Altoona to experience a Wawa. Maybe next summer I'll get out that way. The good news is the land of endless Speedways  will now be invaded by Sheetz in 2021. That's right! We're getting a Sheetz. A couple of our mutual friends on the east side of PA tell me Wawa is better than Sheetz, but we'll take what we can get over those roller dogs from Speedway. First Yuengling and now Sheetz. It seems there's a PA invasion going on in the Buckeye.

[MetroRedLine]

I was thinking more along the lines of a Sheetz. That's our holy site. I don't get east of Altoona to experience a Wawa. Maybe next summer I'll get out that way. The good news is the land of endless Speedways  will now be invaded by Sheetz in 2021. That's right! We're getting a Sheetz. A couple of our mutual friends on the east side of PA tell me Wawa is better than Sheetz, but we'll take what we can get over those roller dogs from Speedway. First Yuengling and now Sheetz. It seems there's a PA invasion going on in the Buckeye.

I haven't been to a Wawa since the '90s, but I visited my first Sheetz in September. I was impressed. Does Wawa also have a Beer Cave? 

[MetroRedLine]

Nice... You could use a couple kits to make a convincing small town mall... (with the requisite vacant stores)

The gas station is tempting, perhaps a modern Era diorama with a Circle K 

I would model a Circle K with strange things afoot going on in front of it (Phone booth, time travel, two dudes going on an Excellent Adventure...)

[basementcalling]

I haven't been to a Wawa since the '90s, but I visited my first Sheetz in September. I was impressed. Does Wawa also have a Beer Cave? 

Yes.

Careful visiting the Sheetz, or you may get them later.

[asarge]

I'm starting a new program where you send me your blank Evergreen styrene sheet and I send you back a "parking lot".

Not a bad idea for them to do that. When I was working at our LHS, you would be surprised at how many modellers of different skiils level, would buy the pre-made roads and the Walthers street system in HO. For some, they just felt more comfortable with it and some it was a time issue, they had a lot too accomplish in a short time and it was a quick addition.

[John]

https://www.walthers.com/modern-shopping-center-i-kit

There is also a new parking lot kit. https://www.walthers.com/gas-station-parking-lot-kit-25b861

Not sure I would pay $14 for the parking lot ..  You could easily make the same thing using a "For Sale" sign from Wal Mart, a couple of strips of styrene, and some spray paint ..

[John]

My larger mall clients are filling vacant spaces with start-up churches but even then there are more empty spaces than there are new churches.

Our local little strip mall has one location that went from an HR Block, to a Church, and is now a dentist office, all within about 15 years .. It also has a pawn shop, subway, pizza place, sex toy shop, cleaners, phone store, gun shop..   There is also a 7 eleven, a Pizza Hut (which I have in a kit somewhere, a Popeyes, and a Jiffy Lube .. all could be built out of some styrene ..

[sirenwerks]

These "Super Stations" are everywhere these days.

At three pumps, this barely counts as a station, but nowhere near a super station.these stations have a 3 pumps per strip and three strips is small, with 5 strips the norm. I know this feels like a super station but Walthers has gone and compressed something that didn't really need compressing.

[OldEastRR]

Yep, there should be 3 pumps per island, especially as the spaces between islands can fit two vehicles. There are gas pumps sold as detail parts, that wouldn't be hard to lengthen the islands and add pumps. The problem is then the canopy would need to be enlarged -- tho theirs seems to be an overdone version. Basically corrugated metal roofing at a slight angle to let rain off is more the norm. With plain structural steel to hold it up and support the roof. Use the entire canopy assembly somewhere else, like for a public park shelter or such.  More work but not much extra expense to do correct the kit.
Does somebody offer modern gas pumps on Shapeways?

[thomasjmdavis]

I'm starting a new program where you send me your blank Evergreen styrene sheet and I send you back a "parking lot".

Let's hope that Tamiya does not recognize the market for a  $99,99 parking lot tool and rebrand their $7.95 scriber.

And where, exactly, does one find a parking lot make of 10'x10' squares of concrete?  All of them in these parts are asphalt.  Which I can make without the help of a scriber.

[C855B]

... And where, exactly, does one find a parking lot make of 10'x10' squares of concrete?  All of them in these parts are asphalt. ...

Our largest shopping center - strip-mall based - is concrete, my guesstimate is 20'x20' squares. They've been renovating the lot over the past three years, cutting out each square one at a time and pouring new. Given the rate of progress they'll probably be finished around 2035 or so, in time to start over. 

[milw156]

Maybe this is just a regional thing, but I've noticed that only the area under the canopy is concrete, the rest is asphalt, presumably due to the concrete resisting the weight of a sitting vehicle better than the softer asphalt. I have seen this in a warehouse parking lot also, where the wheels and landing gear sit on concrete, while the rest is asphalt. Check out the ruts that form at a stoplight on an asphalt road to see what vehicles sitting on it due to it!