50 replies to this topic

[Danny Lectro]

Back when my wife and I were still boyfriend / girlfriend, I would come visit her in her neighborhood. A bodega we would stop in for sodas actually had a couple of model kits on the shelves. This was in the mid 90's.

We also took a trip to Mystic, CT back in the late 90's, and we visited the Mystic Aquarium. The gift shop actually had a resin garage kit of a deep sea submersible. I picked one up, and later sold it off when I lost interest in the vehicle.

[Wayne's World]

at Epcot Center in Disney World. They have Tamiya kits for sale in Japan. bought a 66 Beetle kit when I was there a few years ago.

They still have the 66 Bug.

Did it have a Disney gift shop price?

Actually, it's suggested retail price. (unless Wifey works for Mr. Mouse. Then I get a 35% discount.) Crappy selection, though. I'll post the selection when I go for my birthday next month.

I know they have a 380z, a Skylne, the stock Mini Cooper, a couple of bikes, and some f the wooden walking models. I'll repost next month.

Edited by Wayne's World, 06 March 2012 - 04:51 PM.

[1320wayne]

Antique stores are some of the best places to find hidden treasures. A few years back I was able to come across an original AMT 62 Nova kit for $10.

Edited by 1320wayne, 06 March 2012 - 04:49 PM.

[ValvEasy]

I remember seeing some Vette kits at a feed store. I asked about them, and the owner was a huge Vette guy, said he owned four or five.

[cooltoys1]

True Value, JC Penney, & Sears

[Michigan Madman]

Found this at a local antique shop a few years ago.

[Junkman]

One of the best ever and longest running model kit shops I knew was located in Hamburg - in the back of a bicycle shop.
Another really, really good one was located in the cellar of a shop for fireplaces in Liverpool.
Neither of them gave any hint that they deal in plastic model kits to the occasional passer-by, you had to know they are there.

In case of the Hamburg shop, you literally had to go through a curtain to get to the kits. Most people would have expected
a tad more X-rated merchandise hidden behind a curtain in a shop in Hamburg, so when browsing through the kits, you
could see the odd chap poking his head through the curtain and then watch his face change to total disappointment when
he spotted only 'children's toys' instead of videotapes from Sweden.

Unfortunately, both don't exist any more.

Edited by Junkman, 07 March 2012 - 03:31 AM.

[wraith]

Interesting...wish the Ace Hardware around the corner from me had a hobby section...

ACE Is a national chain store but each store is independantly owned. I worked at our local Ace Hardwares (we have 4) and the onlt time we got models in wash for Christmas. From Thanks giving to when the toys are gone, like Early Jan is the only time we carried them and it was for only 1 out of my 3 Christmas' working there. I have been to many Ace's in the Twin Cities and have hardly ever seen any toys. Each kinda has it's own lil idenity.
I have seen models occasionally at our HyVee grocery stores. Usually just snap kits and it has been a couple years since I last saw one.
I do miss Wal-Mart and K-Mart carrying models!
Flea markets and Goodwills have scored me some gluebombs in the past.

[Ben]

I just remembered another odd place we have here in San Antonio. I think it's still there, I'm not sure but the business sells and repairs car radiators. I think the owner is a collector? There are all kinds of old models and toys but he asks way too much for them. Really odd seeing that many toy and model related items in a place like that though!

[Junkman]

In England in the 70s and 80s you'd rather found kits at a Newsagent's, than at toy or hobby shops.
The same was also true for these lovely 1:43 scale plastic toy cars by NOREV.

Edited by Junkman, 07 March 2012 - 12:18 PM.

[1320wayne]

This thread got me to thinking and remembering back to when I was 17 and we had just moved to Florida and I just happened to find a Monogram Mcewen front engine dragster kit, still sealed, at a 7-Eleven.

Edited by 1320wayne, 07 March 2012 - 01:04 PM.

[wraith]

Some gas stations and convenent stores have weird stuff like that. We had a truck stop that used to carry all sorts of diecasts and even a model or 2 once in a while. I just stopped there a couple days ago to look arounf .everything was gone.

Edited by wraith, 07 March 2012 - 01:08 PM.

[Mercman]

I found some AMT plaque kits in a hardware store one tim Got all 3 of them for 6.00. These were chrome plated bodies cut in half to make a framed wall display. I also scored a IH conv. tractor semi at the IH dealer is Des Moines when we had a breakdown, think I paid 10 for it when they had just come out. You have to scour the stores, look under the shelves, and on the floor some times they are hiding.

On another note when I had my 53 Ford full size I was at a Coast to Coast hardware store , and I spotted a Spinner Knob display for steering wheels. I asked the guy if there were any left, or just the empty card. Well they had one left, and it was green. Which was perfect, as the car was green with a green interior.

Edited by Mercman, 07 March 2012 - 01:09 PM.

[Steven Zimmerman]

Cracker Barrel. Wife and I went out for breakfast several years ago, and we always 'browse' before leaving. I found the Lindberg 61 Impala hardtop. on another shelf in a differant part of the store, i found the convertible...they only had one of each and i bought them both. NEVER saw another model in there.....Local beer distributor, walked in, had a whole table full of models, 10 bucks apiece....turns out employee had a family member pass away, and sold his whole collection (about 100 /150 kits) all for 10 bucks apiece....'Z'

[Nick Notarangelo]

in and around rhode island we have stores there call the ocean state job lot an you can find them there and not always the same ones from store to store

[85gt4bbl302]

I got real lucky at a walmart here on the ms gulf coast i was looking at clearence toy racks( i'm always in the toy dept.) lol
I happened to turn around and right in front of my nose was an endcap of (very few) model kits on clearence 8$ originally 15 bucks heck 15 wasn't too bad of a price for new..... long story short i quickly grabbed 2 it was all my wife would allow
they only had 1 65 el camino "california wheels" version left so i nabbed they had (2) 85 svo mustangs nabbed one of those too then there were a ton of a more recent revell ferrarri kit! but i went all over to the 5-6 other stores in the are down here along the coast and not one other of the walmart locations had those model kits..... i was discussing with bartster that maybe it was some fluke shipment they were not supposed to get so the sold them as clearence?
i have not seen models for sale at any walmart for a good 10 plus years or so! so that was real rare i thought

[85gt4bbl302]

i've got a pretty good one, I didn't even know the place existed ( right behind one of the local o' reilys auto parts stores)
theres a guy that has a good sized Garage! but 3/4 of that garage is his own personal museum ( I need to go take pics)
on a friday that i get off at noon on and try to post em here........
long story short the guy restores older cars hes got good taste and a wide variety (he just recently finished a nice Black Panera (pantera? sp?) anyways nice car i'd say very rare here in the states
and this is all right around the corner from me
long story shorter he has a small "gift" shop up fron i need to go see what model kits he keeps on hand again and how much they are going for!
i'll let ya'll know

[Shardik]

I find a lot of good buys at antique stores: MPC 1:12 1930 Bentley for $30.00 (going rate, about $300.00), and several 1:72 Airfix air craft for $1.00 each.

[peter31a]

You know, I've noticed it mentioned more than once about good deals in antique shops but I usually find models way over priced in them. Only once have I found one that I thought was reasonably priced enough to pull the trigger and that was a 61 (?) Comet for $30. I'm glad others are finding models at antique stores for good prices.

[paul alflen]

YES PETER THAT WAS A GOOD DEAL, THATSABOUT 27.00? DOLLARS U.S.? EH?