I used to collect catalogs when they were still paper based. I’d punch ‘order catalog’ into Google and find all sorts of weird manufacturers and retailers selling specialty crap.

Taxidermy supplies, figurines suppliers (from Hummel to Gundam), not to mention the tomes from electronics and engineering distributors like R.S, which are still available (usually at a fee).

Sure you can do it just browsing an ecommerce website, but it’s not the same.

I think I just liked seeing a snapshot of a specific industry’s craft.

I opportunistically go to random trade fairs when I’m travelling now - there’s always one or two in a given major city. Similar ‘snapshot of an industry’ experience.