30 replies to this topic

[62rebel]

almost every place that had a cash register sold models when i was a kid.... some even at the hardware stores, but mostly all the drug stores and convenience stores, grocery stores, and discount department stores. i built most of the MPC Grand National series from kits bought at the local Kings grocery, and Drug Fair had a good twenty-four feet of shelves floor to shoulder with ambrosia.....
everything from $1.99 JoHan to $7.99 Monogram Classics and Aurora monsters, Revell big scale trikes, funny cars, even a few IMC remnants from a couple years back (they seldom had "clearance" sales, they just kept old stock until it sold)....

when Wallyworld quit the biz, they had the new Revell Merc at $7.99 for a while and i stocked up..... if i'd seen it coming, i'd have stocked up on the AMT repops they were selling so cheap. i let them pass, because i figured Wally would always have them.....

[Don Sikora II]

There used to be a grocery chain called "Eagle' and even into the 1980s the store here had a surprisingly good selection of model cars. Several drug stores had kits (Thrift Drug had a selection better than many hobby shops) and a few hardware stores did too. Ben Franklin had plenty of kits, and Wilson's Variety had a full hobby department...I still have the X-Acto pin vise I bought there at least 30 years ago. It was the first modeling tool I bought besides a knife.

[Chitown]

Growing up in Chicago during the late '60s-early'70s, I remember getting kits at Jewel/Osco food stores, Rexall and Walgreens drug stores, 7-11 and White Hen Pantry convenience stores and a few auto parts stores. I even got the Revell '70 Mustang Grande kit at Radio Shack for like a buck or so during Christmastime. I once found an original AMT Ala Kart at a neighborhood store (for the youngsters, this would be something that existed everywhere before the onslaught of 7-11s, etc.) that had a few kits. I recall almost every dime and department store having models, even JC Penny, Weiboldts and Sears.

Now most of my purchases are done online with a smattering of LHS and Hob-Lob thrown in.

[Tom Setzer]

When I was a kid I bought models at the local Hobby shop, the five and dimes, Western Auto, and My Favorite Place The Local Firestone Dealer, who had monthly Model Car Contest, and Owned one of the Coolests AV8s I have ever seen!

[foxbat426]

Model cars are making a comeback it seems - great news. I need to start checking my local stores again. My wal-mart discountinued them about two years ago - i was pissed. I couldn't understand why because there were always hobbiests there checking them out with me - they moved a lot of models and testors paint.

[Johnny]

If you are as old as me.....you remember when every drug, grocery and even 7-11 carried model car kits.

Yep!

[southpier]

If you are as old as me.....you remember when every drug, grocery and even 7-11 carried model car kits.

and if you're older, before 7-11's!

[kitbash1]

When I was younger and growing up in the 60's, you could buy model kits at the 5 & dime
( Woolworth's, Steadmans, Kredskis ) and at the grocery store that my mother worked at which was Loblaws. You could also get them at other grocery stores as well. The big department stores like Eaton's and Simpsons and Sears carried them in the toy dept. But my favorite place to buy models was my local hobby shop that was run by a old couple who were friends of my dad.

[DumpyDan]

Well the town I am in has a Stedmans and the assortment is quite good, as for the Chevelle kit, I have build it several times and to me the engine is great and the kit builds up to be really nice looking. But that is my opinion.

[Duggz]

I bought my first model at the 7-11 around the corner for 2 dollars, when I was a kid. It was the Rat Packer Nova.

[route66modeler]

HI, My first model kit came from a house paint store(1963). Steve