Store History

  • Chimera Hobbies & Games is run by Edith & Ann Kimbrough and comes with a long history of service and commerce to the community of Thief River Falls and surrounding areas.
  • Founded in 1969 by Edith’s grandfather as Al's Repair Inc., the store started out as a small engine repair shop and gradually changed throughout the years.
  • Edith's father, Charles, came into the family business after his retirement from the Navy in 1977 and was a trendsetter by introducing computers into the store operations that lead, several years later, to the sales and repair of computers, one of the first such shops in the area.
  • In the early 90's the business evolved again by taking on the sales of hobby railroad supplies and phasing out the engine repair services they had become known for.
  • Never one to stand still, in 2013 the store branched out again and took on the role of a federally licensed firearms dealer and also handled the service and repair of weapons.
  • Sadly, 4 years later in 2017, Charles Kimbrough passed away and left the store to his daughter and wife who decided to take the store in a wholly new direction.
  • Under their care, the store phased out the computers and firearms and delved into the realm of tabletop RPGs, collectible card, and other fantasy games while continuing to supply the area with model railroads and terrain that is slowly being phased out as well.
  • Chimera Hobbies & Games is committed to providing the highest level of customer service and embraces the ever growing diversity of the times with several in-house games involving all ages, participating in community outreach, and proudly being a member of the TRF Chamber of Commerce.

We are proud to have sponsored the Thief River Falls Model Railroad Club and to have hosted the meetings each month before it disbanded in September of 2017.