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Hobby shops in Phoenix, AZ area?


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Bruce,

I hope you'll be here on April 11.

That's the date of the DESERT SCALE CLASSIC. It's one of the best model car contests/shows in the Southwest. Check out the thread in the "Contests and Shows" section. After the event, we host a free barbeque for attendees.

Hobby shops. We have the usual contingent of craft stores: Hobby Lobby and Michaels. They are all over the metro area.

For shops devoted to models, there are several.

HOBBYTOWN USA - 3401 W. Greenway Road, Phoenix. A full-line hobby shop with models (cars, trucks, planes, armor, ships), supplies, magazines, paints and adhesives, model rocketry, and all kinds of R/C. Additionally, they have two circuit slot car tracks, a slot car drag strip, a pinewood derby track, an indoor clay off-road R/C track, and an indoor electric go-kart track. You can bring your own slot car or R/C car, or you can rent one. They have a video game arcade, pool tables, and on-site restaurant/snack bar.

It is also where DESERT SCALE CLASSIC will be held on Saturday, April 11. DSC includes a critically-judged contest with 29 classes for adult builders, classes for juniors, and multiple master awards. In addition, there's a peoples choice contest for the host club members - spectators and entrants get to judge the models entered by host club members because we don't compete in the critically-judged classes against our guests!

And, of course, we have a large model car flea market and swap meet. Dozens of vendors will be on site, including a full line of Modelhaus parts and kits.

There's another HOBBYTOWN USA in the SE suburb of Gilbert, AZ. It's at Gilbert and Baseline Roads. More into RC than models.

There's HOBBY DEPOT in Tempe at Southern and Mill Avenues. It has a full line of model cars, trucks, armor, planes and ships. No RC.

There are two HOBBY BENCH locations: 19th Avenue and Northern in Phoenix and 43rd Avenue and Bell Road in NW Phoenix. Both have model kits and RC, as well as trains.

Hope this helps. And, hope to see you at DESERT SCALE CLASSIC!

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Im a truck driver and posed this very question about 2 months ago. I've been to Hobby Depot. The owner Ed is a friendly guy. His prices are up there a bit, but to be expected from a small LHS.

I'm really shooting for the Desert Classic. I'm hopin work will cooperate and let me be out there that Saturday.

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Bruce... I wouldn't even bother with the Hobby town in Gilbert. They used to be really good in the past but that store has gone down hill in my opinion. Most of the time I go to Hobby Depot since they are the biggest plastics shop on the east side of the valley. I have also been to one of the Hobby Bench's and I think it was the 19th AVe and Northern and they seemed to have a pretty good selection of kits and supplies there.

On another not if you are into Drag Racing there is supposed to be a Nostalgia Drag race at Wild Horse Pass Raceway (formerly Firebird Raceway). I know I am going to be planning to be out there. I have heard they are going to have some cackle cars and I would love to get some reference pictures of them.

Clayton... That would be pretty cool if you were to make it out here for the Desert Scale Classic. its the best show we have here. I have to agree with you on some of the prices of kits there. The owner Dick and His Wife Susanne are really nice though. They always call me when they get the new Model Cars Magazine in. I don't think Ed is an owner he just works for Dick and Susanne.

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That would be cool if you were to bring a build with you But I do under stand about being in the work truck. I would say pack it up nice in a box/container. Would be awesome either way if you were able to be here for the show. Ed is a really nice guy.

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This Hobby Town USA at 2945 N Scottsdale Rd .... is no longer there? Haven't been by that way in a couple of years and it doesn't come up as an address in their store listings. Hobby Depot has been my other choice in recent years.

Russell,

The store on Scottsdale Road lost its lease because the property owner leveled the entire block of retail stores and is building condos. The HobbyTownUSA moved to 3401 W. Greenway Road . . . to an 89,000 sq ft building with indoor gokarting, slotcar tracks and RC tracks. It's where DESERT SCALE CLASSIC will be held on April 11.

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so yesterday on my way out of town I went to the Hobby Town I htink off Greenway. It was inside a huge building that has indoor kart racing and an RC track. They had a ton of Sci Fi and airplane models, but a small automotive section compared to the other stuff. Most of the store caters to RC. They did have a lot of Evergreen and Plastruct stuff so I picked some of that up. Everything was covered in dust, it's been sitting there a while. They had some little toys too, I picked up a dinosaur for my 1 year old.

All in all it was a good visit. I didn't get any kits, unfortunately nothing really peaked my interest, but I got a bunch of styrene materials, including some 1/4 round clear acrylic rods I will use for propping up my race cars for display with the wheels off.

The thing that bummed me out was all they had out of Tamiya was the military colors. No primer. I did get one can of black, but they didn't even have matte black. I got a few magazines, the first time I have seen scale auto or model cars mag in a hobby store. Usually they only have fine scale and RC mags.

It's a good thing I had to get out of town because that indoor kart track is huge and looked like tons of fun.

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  • 8 months later...

I have been told that there will be a model car contest in the Phoenix area sometime in February.  As I am going to be there at that time I'm interested in participating.  Does anybody have information about this show??  I have not been able to find anything about it.  I also intend to come from Utah for the Desert Scale Classic in April.

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