Menards Cripple Creek General Store is the latest O scale structure for the apparently burgeoning fictional burg. Several of the company’s buildings, including a recently released interlocking tower, are “located” there.
![Menard’s Cripple Creek General Store front view](https://www.trains.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Menards-general-store-front-01-1024x865.jpg)
This one is a little different detail-wise from the others. It has more of an “old West” feel primarily due to the figures that come mounted on the base. They include a cowboy on a horse, a couple of ranch hands, and a woman in a long skirt who bears a striking resemblance to Miss Kitty of “Gunsmoke” fame. Of course, Jack the German Shepherd also makes an appearance.
Menard’s Cripple Creek General Store
![Menards Cripple Creek General Store cowboy side view](https://www.trains.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Menards-general-store-side-03-300x225.jpg)
The two-story building has a rustic feel with its clapboard siding and metal roof. The latter is weathered and has streaks and patches of simulated rust. A tall smoke jack supported by guy wires rises from one side.
The front features a boardwalk-style porch, a sign attached by chain advertising “Guns-Ammo-Grub,” and a few vintage ads along the same lines. A wooden barrel and a metal trash can sit on either side of the front doors. The building is on a landscaped base featuring simulated gravel, grass, trees, and shrubs.
The double-pane windows have simulated curtains. The building is also lit on the outside by a fixture above the Cripple Creek General Store sign and LEDs under the front porch roof. There’s a socket out back and a pigtail beneath the building for the 4.5V power supply (sold separately, Menards nos. 279-4061/4361, 4062/4362, or 4050). The interior is unlit, but with the hole in the base an enterprising modeler could change that.
Quick thoughts
![Menards Cripple Creek General Store tree side view](https://www.trains.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Menards-general-store-side-02-300x244.jpg)
This is an ideal building for the toy train enthusiast who likes to run their Lionel General or other “old-timey” looking locomotives. It would be at home on a 19th or early 20th century Main Street. The only detail that seems a little out of place is the metal trash can; I don’t think it would be too difficult to remove if it sticks out to you. You can always tone down the shiny aluminum paint with a color that’s a little less bright.
The Menard’s Cripple Creek General Store is another solid building for an O gauge display. It’s nice to see a structure that’s useful for multiple time periods. It has a $79.99 MSRP and is available from your local Menard’s store or from Menards.com/trains.