Review by Charlie Getz
The Giordano’s Grocers & Cold Storage kit contains laser-cut and engraved resin impregnated board (RIB), chipboard, matboard and basswood; clear window glazing, strip wood, wire, tarpaper roofing strips, self-adhesive foil corrugated material, corrugated embossing tool, Tule (screen) fabric, color graphics, 3D-printed detail parts, Tichy plastic details, pallet mini-kit and a 62-page full color instruction booklet. Three sheets of parts identification are provided and help identify what goes where. Giordano’s is a complex with a main warehouse, office annex and storage shed. The latter features a screened-in area that is highly effective. The ducts and roof-mounted water tank plus billboard style roof sign add a complexity to the design. When you look into a vent complex, you see the fan assembly inside. Remarkable intelligent detail abounds.
I was also impressed with the comprehensive and excellent design of the laser-cut parts and their precision fit. The very fine engineering and exact tolerances make this kit both a delight and a pleasure to assemble with the instructions guiding assembly in a logical flow. The water tank is almost foolproof given the precise components and clever assembly to ensure accuracy if you pre-soak the wrapper. Follow the instructions carefully, but read them critically, as many steps are repeated for similar assemblies, so you may want to perform those out of order at one time. Pre-painting and subassembly are highly recommended, and I agree. I used craft paints generally following the kit color illustrations. The layered windows/doors and separate trim allow for a multi-color paint scheme. I prefer to do as much detailing to each wall while laying flat that I can, and the instructions also suggest doing so.
This is a simple kit because the parts fit well, but is an advanced kit due to the hundreds of individual components. Work slowly and you will encounter no problems. I took over a month to complete the kit and still have some details such as stair railings, pallets, cardboard boxes, and hand trucks to complete. A substantial amount of that time was spent finding the next part needed on those three sheets of parts diagrams. Overall, construction follows earlier Inter-Action kits with laminated walls not requiring bracing, though it is provided, and layered window/door construction. Foil tape is supplied to make corrugated siding using an included jig; I cheated by using Campbell corrugated. I used the provided tarpaper for the main roof, but note just enough is included for that roof. I also used CC Crow, ex-BIS, metal seamed roofing for the office annex. The shed received a different tarpaper from my scrap box, again for a varied look. My only goof was on the impressive roof sign as I mounted the supports backwards and thus had to add a roof beam to mount it squarely. I will fix that later.
LED lighting is provided for the main building, as are some clever interior graphics. I augmented the graphics with some of my own along with a few figures to give the impression of a busy operation. You can open or close the large freight doors and open certain windows if interior detail is to be highlighted. I also added some graphics and lights in the annex, and will add a few extra dock details. Note the kit includes a myriad of detail items either to be built or ready to use. These include milk cans, pallets, crates, and boxes, which will add immeasurably to the overall effect. I mounted my complex on a piece of foam-core painted earth color, which will be detailed later.
Giordano’s can be used for different eras. I omitted the modern 3D-printed propane tank and some modern graphics as the complex fits the 1940s to the present. Unless situated on a peninsula, either the truck dock side or trackside will be hidden which is a shame as the details on each side are excellent. I think you will not only like this kit, but your layout will gain an important source of traffic. The details and signage make this kit a standout.
Inter-Action Hobbies
P.O. Box 1021
Chase, BC V0E 1M0, Canada
1-888-850-1742
Giordano’s Grocers & Cold Storage (HO) $210.00
