Another LHS closing up shop.

[Petetrucker07]

Today I drove by a LHS I sometimes pass and saw they were closing. Ground Control Hobbies in Yucca Valley, CA is closing up shop. It's been about 3 months since the last time I stopped in there, even drove by it for that matter. I bought a Moebius Ventura the last time I was in there actually. My day was running long, had no intentions of stopping in, till I saw the sign and turned my rig around. The closing sale started last week and he was just about sold out of everything. All the RC stuff, vehicles-gone, most of the accessories-gone. He had about 12 car model kits, 1 pickup, 2 big trucks, 4 trailers, some military kits and a few Sci-Fi. I'm hoping to make a trip down there this weekend. The model kits were 30 to 40 percent off. The model spray paint 40 percent off marked price. 

I had a feeling this was gonna happen to this guy. Sad to say. He is a nice guy. I think the shop was just located in a bad spot/city. Small town, not much going there. Sorry to see it go, even though it's not local to me, but another LHS I stopped in while out on the road.

 

[Howard Cohen]

Too often I read about local hobby shops closing, followed closely by 'I shop online' or 'It was too far across town' or some other reason/excuse for not shopping there. If we keep shopping online, more of the local hobby shops will close and then we will complain more and the spiral will go down until there are only a few hobby shops left and 'then there were none'  (there is a supposed local model car builder who won't go to the local hobby shop because it is almost a mile away, even though he can be there in a few minutes)

When I was a teenager, I could buy model kits and supplies at hobby stores, hardware stores, drugstores, department stores and I had to go and get them. Saturday afternoon, after delivering the newspaper, was my day to meet my friends and ride our bikes to the hobby store and buy a kit and some paint and glue and maybe a special part, like a parts pack. (Westmount Hobby used to save the Revell H-D parts pack bikes for me) Now, we sit at our computers, order online and wait for the delivery. We can't find most of the local hobby stores except in the yellow pages or on Google maps but not in real life, how sad  We seem to collect more stuff and build less. Have we become so lazy or so spoiled by online buying that we have lost the thrill of going to a hobby store? I can go to any one of several hobby stores in this area and know that when I arrive a live person will say hello and chat and I might meet some other modellers to chat with. Heck, that's how we started a model club when I was a kid  

Do you want to stop local hobby shops from closing? Then shop there...in person...talk to the owner and become a regular customer. Okay, you may have to pay an extra dollar or two, you may have to travel a bit, so don't have that extra coffee that day  Make the hobby store visit an event  Talk to the store owner about building techniques and if he can't help you, he may know someone who can. Build a hobby rapport  Funny, we will travel 500 miles to go to a model car event but we won't travel 50 miles to go to a hobby store. The experience may be just as rewarding  Your next hobby store visit might get you a new friend and you can't put a price on that  

 

[louie]

Wow Howard, one of the best ( and true ) things that I have ever read. You nailed it. The closest  ( unfortunately ) hobby shop to me is about 50 miles away and I would travel there on a weekly basis until one day the owner realized that I was buying car kits and let me tell you about a total change in attitude towards me. He started talking down to me an insult here and there and being a totally different person than I was say 10 years ago I just let it go. Got to the point that I almost WAS the person that I used to be  (but don't want to go that route ever again ) that I decided it was best for me and him that I stopped going there. Now, I have to do all my shopping online and I would rather go to a hobby shop and shop,browse and meet others who share my passion. I heard of a shop about 200 miles from me, maybe it's time for a road trip. 

Thanks.    Jeff 

[Daddyfink]

Like I used to tell my model car club, support your local gunfighter! Because they may not be there when you need them, and only because you never used them! 

[charlie8575]

Wow Howard, one of the best ( and true ) things that I have ever read. You nailed it. The closest  ( unfortunately ) hobby shop to me is about 50 miles away and I would travel there on a weekly basis until one day the owner realized that I was buying car kits and let me tell you about a total change in attitude towards me. He started talking down to me an insult here and there and being a totally different person than I was say 10 years ago I just let it go. Got to the point that I almost WAS the person that I used to be  (but don't want to go that route ever again ) that I decided it was best for me and him that I stopped going there. Now, I have to do all my shopping online and I would rather go to a hobby shop and shop,browse and meet others who share my passion. I heard of a shop about 200 miles from me, maybe it's time for a road trip. 

Thanks.    Jeff 

Jeff,

Check out Harry's Hobbies in Norton- I know it's not next door from Cohasset, but they're very pro-car modeler and nice people.

MassCar members also receive of a discount that get prices close to online. 

There's also Spare Time Shop here in Marlborough (my primary shop.) One of the best selections in New England. They also give MassCar members a discount.

Charlie Larkin

[bigdrag1]

Gees Howard, you nailed it , you know where I live, no mans land, but I still find the time to hit the LHS in my area...45mins to Belleville, 1 &1/2 hrs to Kingston. Then head in the other direction, 1 &1/2 hrs Toronto to w.&.w's  , maybe hornet hobbies, then another hour`s drive will get me to Hamilton hobbies to see what`s new, and let`s not forget, Dundas hobbies...  I may not always`s buy some thing, but it`s great to see friends and catch up on what everybody`s been doing...

 

Edited May 13, 2016 by bigdrag1

[RAT-T]

Jeff,

Check out Harry's Hobbies in Norton- I know it's not next door from Cohasset, but they're very pro-car modeler and nice people.

MassCar members also receive of a discount that get prices close to online. 

There's also Spare Time Shop here in Marlborough (my primary shop.) One of the best selections in New England. They also give MassCar members a discount.

Charlie Larkin

CHARLIE, DO YOU STILL HAVE TO WALK SIDEWAYS IN THE SPARE TIME SHOP?

TURN 4 HOBBIES IN WEST BOYLSTON JUST MOVED TO A BIGGER STORE DOWN THE STREET, I HOPE THEY START CARRYING MORE KITS & NOT JUST RC STUFF

[charlie8575]

CHARLIE, DO YOU STILL HAVE TO WALK SIDEWAYS IN THE SPARE TIME SHOP?

TURN 4 HOBBIES IN WEST BOYLSTON JUST MOVED TO A BIGGER STORE DOWN THE STREET, I HOPE THEY START CARRYING MORE KITS & NOT JUST RC STUFF

Would it be Spare Time if you didn't have to walk sideways?

I heard about Turn 4's move. I'll have to stop in next week to see the new shop.

Where are you from, Tom?

Charlie Larkin

[RAT-T]

Would it be Spare Time if you didn't have to walk sideways?

I heard about Turn 4's move. I'll have to stop in next week to see the new shop.

Where are you from, Tom?

Charlie Larkin

I LIVE IN LEOMINSTER, I USE TO GO TO HENRY'S HOBBIES IN WEST BOYLSTON, TILL IT BURNED DOWN IN '07 OR '08 I'D LIKE TO GO TO SPARE TIME, BUT NO ROOM IN THERE FOR A WHEELCHAIR. I HAVEN'T BEEN TO TURN 4'S NEW PLACE YET

CHARLIE, ARE YOU RELATED TO LARKIN LUMBER IN HUDSON?

[louie]

Jeff,

Check out Harry's Hobbies in Norton- I know it's not next door from Cohasset, but they're very pro-car modeler and nice people.

MassCar members also receive of a discount that get prices close to online. 

There's also Spare Time Shop here in Marlborough (my primary shop.) One of the best selections in New England. They also give MassCar members a discount.

Charlie Larkin

 thanks Charlie for the information. I have heard of the spare time shop and heard that it's pretty nice. I will take a trip there and and do some shopping. Charlie I would much, much rather do business with a brick and mortar store and people you can talk to face to face as for me it just makes the experience of buying kits so much better. Again Charlie Thank you and I appreciate your help.     Jeff 

[charlie8575]

I LIVE IN LEOMINSTER, I USE TO GO TO HENRY'S HOBBIES IN WEST BOYLSTON, TILL IT BURNED DOWN IN '07 OR '08 I'D LIKE TO GO TO SPARE TIME, BUT NO ROOM IN THERE FOR A WHEELCHAIR. I HAVEN'T BEEN TO TURN 4'S NEW PLACE YET

CHARLIE, ARE YOU RELATED TO LARKIN LUMBER IN HUDSON?

Nope. The Larkin family sold the business to the Parkers sometime around 1920, but they kept the name. My family is from Gloucester/Beverley. With that said, they might be cousins. My great aunt know a part of one of the branches of the family moved "west" as she put it, but to people on Cape Ann, anything beyond Ipswich is west. I was very sad to see Larkin Lumber close a few years ago- nice people, great lumber, far better than the boxes for not all that much more money. 

I used to frequent Henry's for train stuff; that was a great store; Turn 4 is making a real effort, and I give them a lot of credit for that. I'll keep an eye open for you there.

Charlie Larkin

[charlie8575]

 thanks Charlie for the information. I have heard of the spare time shop and heard that it's pretty nice. I will take a trip there and and do some shopping. Charlie I would much, much rather do business with a brick and mortar store and people you can talk to face to face as for me it just makes the experience of buying kits so much better. Again Charlie Thank you and I appreciate your help.     Jeff 

Glad to help out. The whole name of the game is keep the shops open.

Oh- if you need something and can't make the drive up, STS will mail it to you. 

Charlie Larkin

[kitbash1]

Wow Howard, one of the best ( and true ) things that I have ever read. You nailed it. The closest  ( unfortunately ) hobby shop to me is about 50 miles away and I would travel there on a weekly basis until one day the owner realized that I was buying car kits and let me tell you about a total change in attitude towards me. He started talking down to me an insult here and there and being a totally different person than I was say 10 years ago I just let it go. Got to the point that I almost WAS the person that I used to be  (but don't want to go that route ever again ) that I decided it was best for me and him that I stopped going there. Now, I have to do all my shopping online and I would rather go to a hobby shop and shop,browse and meet others who share my passion. I heard of a shop about 200 miles from me, maybe it's time for a road trip. 

Thanks.    Jeff 

You make some very good points Howard.  As you know, we have 5 hobby shops in our area of Durham Region and the eastern part of Toronto. I buy from all 5 as well as the internet shops, Ebay and yourself. What I can't get from the LHS I get from other sources. So, I think that I spread my cash around the hobby and support everyone, both brick and mortar stores and online ones.  

[wayne swayze]

Dave, the owner of Dave's Sport Collectables and Hobby Shop in Woodstock Ont.  told me that there's fewer and fewer customers,  and this may be his last year doing business.A real shame to see that happen. It's a nice little jem of a shop. I know that he gets my business on a regular basis. And no, I don't mind the drive, but I feel I'm helping in my small way to help a bit.