Our Story - Car Models of Braidwood
Over 20 years ago, Daniel Parsons, a young car enthusiast in the small town of Braidwood saw an opportunity to create his dream job. Having grown up with an older brother and a father that constantly talked all things cars, from Kombis to Mustangs, Dan was destined to be a car obsessed!
This 18-year-old saw the potential in his personal die-cast model collection. “My brother was racing in Queanbeyan and we had just moved to Braidwood, I wanted to do something car related so I chose model cars”.
Having never owned a business before, he took the plunge and rented a small shop space in town. Dan explains, “I took five of my own cars into the shop and they sold! That’s when I knew that people liked it and I started to take the business idea seriously.” In a matter of months, Dan had signed, fitted out and stocked up his shop. He had turned his family’s passion into a thriving local business.
Over the years, Dan has steadily grown the diecast model collection to an impressive range that enthusiasts are willing to drive hours to experience. The collection contains the latest releases from the most trusted manufacturers in the industry; from Australia’s own Biante to the American Hot Wheels toy brand, and everything in between. You’ll find it is not just cars, the collection encompasses all types of collectable scale models including, prime movers, trains, buses, trams, trailers, caravans, even a tractor or two!
The shop itself is a sight to see, Dan maintains it in impeccable order and knows exactly where to find every one of the thousands of models on display. Car Models of Braidwood currently has around 14,800 replicas in stock, making it one of the biggest collections of die-cast models in Australia.
The current shop space has already been extended once to accommodate the growing collection, and it is again almost bursting from the seams. There are whispers of a larger shop being needed in the very near future.
Dan’s online shop and is updated daily with his new arrivals and latest specials. All the major brands of die-cast vehicles from Car Models of Braidwood are featured on the website. Online orders are carefully packed in store and shipped within 24 hours.
For the dedicated collectors, Dan prepares and sends a regular email newsletter that contains the ‘top picks’ of his new arrivals. “We have all sorts of new models arriving daily, but for the newsletter I choose the models that I know my regular clients like. The Australian models, Holden and Ford, are particularly popular.”
Known for his friendly service, extensive knowledge and massive range of die-cast models, Dan is 150% committed to his business! You’ll find him at the shop almost every day of the week, even in the middle of winter when Braidwood is a sleepy tourist town. Every week or so, David (Dan’s father) does his best to kick Dan out of the shop to give him some well-earned time off.
You’ll find Car Models of Braidwood on the main street of Braidwood, New South Wales, Australia. The picturesque town of Braidwood is a popular stop on the way to Bateman’s Bay from Canberra. For those of you that can visit, we invite you to browse the full collection displayed in store.
For those of you that cannot make it to the shop, browse our website to find exactly what you are looking for or give Dan a call on 02 4842 1122 and he will be happy to assist you.
