Another one bites the dust uh

[horsepower]

Went in to my favorite hobby shop Friday to pick up my new suburban and was surprised to see a 30% closeout sale sign in the window and couldn't figure out what line they were dropping even though the local R/C race track had closed. Got my kit and told them I wanted to put a hold on the Wagon Rod, and the Eldo Rod kits when they arrived and got the shock of my life. The young guy helping behind the counter said "since we're closing the doors we're not taking any orders period" my wife was talking to the owner Mark and said "oh no!, when do you plan on closing"? And he told her they will be out by the 22nd of July. We discussed what the problem was and how internet sales were killing the local brick and mortar stores, and he said he didn't really think that was it. He said he could understand a slow down in some weather conditions, but a 50% drop in sales in a two week period wasn't the internet, and when weather turned great and sales kept falling he said it had to be people were just afraid of what the economy was going to do and he thought maybe some were just waiting to see what was going to happen. But he said he didn't have the extra money to pour into his business to wait for an improvement. And with the news that there is going to be a Hobby Lobby opening soon that might effect the plastics part of the business. I doubt it and know it won't do me any good because I won't walk into a Hobby Lobby even to cool off in the heat, I'm not a fan of them and their beating their chests about employees rights to medical care and how it offends their religious beliefs. BUT that's a different story.

We're really going to miss Mark and his family at All Around R/C and Hobbies and wish them well in their future interests, it's been a good run and they're great people. We really don't need to keep losing the local hobby shop locations, it's just nice to be able to get what you want today, and if there's a problem you have someone to talk to and get answers from. ?

[mike 51]

That is bad news....I thought(hoped) they were doing OK.

 

[mikemodeler]

Sorry to hear the news about a hobby shop closing but I am afraid the trend will continue. The costs to keep a store open have got to be getting out of hand for small operators, especially when a big chain like Michaels or Hobby Lobby can get better terms and discounts and therefore be more competitively priced. I agree that the personal service is what makes a LHS the place to go but here in the Charlotte area I have seen them dry up to the point where we only have one left and they seem to be barely hanging on.

[NYLIBUD]

Without saying any of the names of the big stores that carry models/supplies,we should boycott all of them,and only buy from our local hobby shops.I had a friend who lost his store about 2 years ago.Things were tight for a few years before they closed,which he blamed most of that on Internet sales.However he was still able to show a small profit for awhile..Then one of the big stores,one of which is mentioned below,moved in,and things quickly went down hill..Six months later,after the store moved in,my friends shop was forced to close for good...So from now on,we should all,"SUPPORT OUR LOCAL HOBBY SHOPS",and stay away from the big stores...Just my opinion.

Thanks

Sorry to hear the news about a hobby shop closing but I am afraid the trend will continue. The costs to keep a store open have got to be getting out of hand for small operators, especially when a big chain like Michaels or Hobby Lobby can get better terms and discounts and therefore be more competitively priced. I agree that the personal service is what makes a LHS the place to go but here in the Charlotte area I have seen them dry up to the point where we only have one left and they seem to be barely hanging on.

[Lunajammer]

These conversations seem to fall into two categories...

1) The shame of losing our loyal, independently owned, customer oriented hobby shops.

2) Big sale at Ollies and 40% off coupons at the big box.

[mike 51]

^^^^

I've noticed that too..... like all the folks who shopped at Walmart helped send thousands of jobs overseas and destroyed many local businesses across the country.

It never occurred to those shoppers what they were doing...either.

Edited July 10, 2017 by mike 51

[Rob Hall]

It's not just hobby shops, though...physical retail is changing dramatically across the spectrum...look at all the closures of old-line department store chains like Sears and JC Penney and all the smaller mall retailers in recent years.    Online retail grows and grows, I know in recent years I've really ramped up my use of Amazon Prime for all sorts of things, just hard to beat the convenience of a few mouse clicks on my phone/tablet/laptop and boxes of content showing up at the door in a day or two, even Sunday deliveries...  Likewise for online model vendors and eBay.  

[Merk]

I used to only buy models manufactured in the USA and then only from local privately owned hobby shops that provide birth control for their employees.

But

It has come to my attention that the manufacture and construction of model cars is harmful to the environment and I no longer can in good conscience build another model.

I beg you all Please stop buying and building models.

No model ever feed a child.

 

 

[Roadrunner]

It's not just hobby shops, though...physical retail is changing dramatically across the spectrum...look at all the closures of old-line department store chains like Sears and JC Penney and all the smaller mall retailers in recent years.    Online retail grows and grows, I know in recent years I've really ramped up my use of Amazon Prime for all sorts of things, just hard to beat the convenience of a few mouse clicks on my phone/tablet/laptop and boxes of content showing up at the door in a day or two, even Sunday deliveries...  Likewise for online model vendors and eBay.  

I agree. Many of those stores also have a large online presence, so the savvy store owners that want to remain in business, just change their sale model to adapt. I have a friend that just closed his shop, but he's doing just as well as before, perhaps better, than his store itself was doing. As pertains to Hobby Lobby, though the auto model selection is rather limited, it's become my go-to shop. The 40 % off helps a lot, plus I really rather like their philosophy and the fact that they sell so much cool Christmas stuff.

[mikemodeler]

It's not just hobby shops, though...physical retail is changing dramatically across the spectrum...look at all the closures of old-line department store chains like Sears and JC Penney and all the smaller mall retailers in recent years.    Online retail grows and grows, I know in recent years I've really ramped up my use of Amazon Prime for all sorts of things, just hard to beat the convenience of a few mouse clicks on my phone/tablet/laptop and boxes of content showing up at the door in a day or two, even Sunday deliveries...  Likewise for online model vendors and eBay.  

This is so true, all one has to do is watch one of the business channels on TV or read a newspaper to see/hear about the latest old line retailer closing or cutting back on the number of stores. My kids probably can't tell you the last time they went to the mall but probably know their Amazon Prime membership number better than their social security number! We aren't hearing about the post office having financial problems since they started delivering for Amazon and while I haven't become an Amazon member or user, I do a fair amount of online shopping mostly due to being able to find what I want. I will buy models locally if I can, but do find myself at Modelroundup or Tower Hobbies more often than at a local store.

[thatz4u]

I used to only buy models manufactured in the USA and then only from local privately owned hobby shops that provide birth control for their employees.

But

It has come to my attention that the manufacture and construction of model cars is harmful to the environment and I no longer can in good conscience build another model.

I beg you all Please stop buying and building models.

No model ever feed a child.

If that is your true feeling, pack up your supplies, kits, etc., send them to me & you can live guilt free..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 10, 2017 by thatz4u

[Tom Geiger]

These conversations seem to fall into two categories...

1) The shame of losing our loyal, independently owned, customer oriented hobby shops.

2) Big sale at Ollies and 40% off coupons at the big box.

that's it exactly. Back in the day my grandfather owned a store on "the avenue" and all those merchants were loyal to one another.

Today everyone is "me first" and not worried about the effects of their habits. When I said we needed to buy a copy of each new kit as show of support to the model manufacturers, I caught a lot of grief in that thread. How many people who use this board regularly actually support the magazine?

 

[StevenGuthmiller]

Without saying any of the names of the big stores that carry models/supplies,we should boycott all of them,and only buy from our local hobby shops.I had a friend who lost his store about 2 years ago.Things were tight for a few years before they closed,which he blamed most of that on Internet sales.However he was still able to show a small profit for awhile..Then one of the big stores,one of which is mentioned below,moved in,and things quickly went down hill..Six months later,after the store moved in,my friends shop was forced to close for good...So from now on,we should all,"SUPPORT OUR LOCAL HOBBY SHOPS",and stay away from the big stores...Just my opinion.

Thanks

That's easy to say if you are lucky enough to have any local hobby shops.

I've recently moved from Rochester Minnesota to the Fargo North Dakota area & I'm under the impression that there are a LHS or 2 in this area, although I have yet to find them & check them out.

But in Rochester, there hasn't been a hobby shop of any substance for at least a couple of decades.

That kind of leaves you at the mercy of either the big stores or online vendors.

I will gladly spend my dollars at a LHS if they are worth a darn!

The remaining one in Rochester, called "Everything Hobby" should be forced to change it's name to "Everything Hobby, as Long as it's Radio Controlled".

 

Steve

[horsepower]

 

 

I'll help you out with saving the planet too. BUT I also believe our youth need to challenge their minds and learn new things, and increase their reading skills so if you will send all of those diabolical means of destruction I personally will let kids read me the instructions while I keep them safe on the other side of the glass while watching me follow their directions and while building these death machines will point out and explain the different parts and pieces of an automobile or aircraft. 

I'll even send you photos of the progress we're making and of the finished models.???

[Rob Hall]

I had a few decent hobby shops in Phoenix, haven't found much here in the Cleveland area so far..visited one near me (Al's Hobby in Bedford, OH) and it's 90% trains with a few model cars (maybe a dozen) and some paint.  There is a place in Willoughby but I haven't taken the time to check it out.   There are Hobby Lobbys around but I avoid them. 

[martinfan5]

I used to only buy models manufactured in the USA and then only from local privately owned hobby shops that provide birth control for their employees.

But

It has come to my attention that the manufacture and construction of model cars is harmful to the environment and I no longer can in good conscience build another model.

I beg you all Please stop buying and building models.

No model ever feed a child.

 

 

And you are doing what here?,   I think you might be on the wrong forum, you aware this is a forum dedicated to building models right?

Edited July 10, 2017 by martinfan5

[martinfan5]

Without saying any of the names of the big stores that carry models/supplies,we should boycott all of them,and only buy from our local hobby shops.I had a friend who lost his store about 2 years ago.Things were tight for a few years before they closed,which he blamed most of that on Internet sales.However he was still able to show a small profit for awhile..Then one of the big stores,one of which is mentioned below,moved in,and things quickly went down hill..Six months later,after the store moved in,my friends shop was forced to close for good...So from now on,we should all,"SUPPORT OUR LOCAL HOBBY SHOPS",and stay away from the big stores...Just my opinion.

Thanks

 I am going to purchase from who has the best prices, or has what I want to build, and the LHS do not stock what I build,  and I am not going to pay a double mark up just to support them if they did, sorry, but that is just silly.

[Mike999]

...I had a friend who lost his store about 2 years ago...

A friend of mine in Los Angeles lost his store in 2012, after about 30 years. 

Anyone who ever did military models or figures probably knew that store - The Black Watch in Reseda, CA. Owner was Joe Janssen.  Back in the early-mid 2000s I hit his store every Friday after work (and Smith Bros. Hobby Shop, less than a block away).  Back then Joe was doing great. He sold those 1/6 scale Dragon "Battle Barbie" figures along with their uniforms and accessories.  The store was full every Friday, with some people buying several Dragon 1/6 figures, and they were not cheap.  He also sold a lot of military kits, Humbrol and other paints, and high-quality miniatures in all scales.  He sold some stuff on eBay, so he wasn't Internet-phobic. But most of his income came from the store.

I was mostly working in Egypt from 2005-09.  When I came back in 2009, after the big economic crash, I couldn't believe the difference. Maybe one or two customers on a Friday afternoon.  Some Fridays when I walked in, Joe said I was the only customer who came in all day.  He stocked less and less as time went on and business got worse. 

The last straw was a new landlord who bought his building and nearly doubled the rent.  Which is omething else that seems to happen to hobby shops everywhere.

[StevenGuthmiller]

I used to only buy models manufactured in the USA and then only from local privately owned hobby shops that provide birth control for their employees.

But

It has come to my attention that the manufacture and construction of model cars is harmful to the environment and I no longer can in good conscience build another model.

I beg you all Please stop buying and building models.

No model ever feed a child.

 

 

Uh.....ok, if that's your attitude, you need to stop doing nearly everything you do.

If you knew how much environmentally "unfriendly" materials just went into building a home, you would crawl into a hole......which is probably good, because that's where you would be living.

Sounds like you made a wrong turn somewhere if you thought that you were going to come onto a modeling forum and convince anyone that they should give up modeling because it doesn't feed a child.

 

Steve

 

 

[mike 51]

^^^^^^

I think your sarcasm detector has failed ,Steve 

[StevenGuthmiller]

^^^^^^

I think your sarcasm detector has failed ,Steve 

Possibly.

I've been a little out of practice for the past couple of months.

You'll have to pardon me.

 

Steve

[dieseldawg142]

....

Edited May 10, 2018 by dieseldawg142

[JordanFordF1]

I was just wonder about the Amazon users here, how much is that convenience worth to you?  If LHSs continue to fail and there is nothing but online sales, there will be millions of US workers, voters, tax payers without jobs. Biggest problem is less income for the US government.  They will change that immediately by taxing internet sales!  Amazon has already vowed to do this on their own.  Secondly UPS has already announced that because of the increase in Web sales and home delivery it will be raising its prices.  This is all basic economics.  As online sales grow so will the price of shipping, and having your precious models stolen right off your doorstep.  

Something else to ponder.  If the LHSs fail it will stop a lot of first time model buyers from ever buying.  Most modelers do not just one day turn on the internet and say hey I want to get into model building.  It almost always starts at a brick and mortar store.  This is already happening and the model hobby and industry is hurting for it.  

Oh and lest we forget if you buy from Tower Hobby, they are owned by Hobbico who is nearly bankrupt and having a hard time paying their bills.  Hobbico owns Revell.  Bye-bye Hobbico equals bye-bye Revell and Revell of Germany.   

I'll add one more thing just to toot my own horn.  Recently my shop sponsored the local model clubs annual model show.  I paid for advertising, I paid for the Best of Show award which was over $160, and I sold the club two cases of models to give away as door prizes at my cost.  Just try to get you online model retailer to give you that kind of support.  

[StevenGuthmiller]

I was just wonder about the Amazon users here, how much is that convenience worth to you?  If LHSs continue to fail and there is nothing but online sales, there will be millions of US workers, voters, tax payers without jobs. Biggest problem is less income for the US government.  They will change that immediately by taxing internet sales!  Amazon has already vowed to do this on their own.  Secondly UPS has already announced that because of the increase in Web sales and home delivery it will be raising its prices.  This is all basic economics.  As online sales grow so will the price of shipping, and having your precious models stolen right off your doorstep.  

Something else to ponder.  If the LHSs fail it will stop a lot of first time model buyers from ever buying.  Most modelers do not just one day turn on the internet and say hey I want to get into model building.  It almost always starts at a brick and mortar store.  This is already happening and the model hobby and industry is hurting for it.  

Oh and lest we forget if you buy from Tower Hobby, they are owned by Hobbico who is nearly bankrupt and having a hard time paying their bills.  Hobbico owns Revell.  Bye-bye Hobbico equals bye-bye Revell and Revell of Germany.   

I'll add one more thing just to toot my own horn.  Recently my shop sponsored the local model clubs annual model show.  I paid for advertising, I paid for the Best of Show award which was over $160, and I sold the club two cases of models to give away as door prizes at my cost.  Just try to get you online model retailer to give you that kind of support.  

Yes, & I'll say it again, what are our options if we have no local hobby shops?

Obviously, some of us are spoiled by having options.

For many of us our options are limited to either buying online or giving up building altogether.

I spent a lot of money & time in my LHS in Rochester MN until they went belly up more than 15 or 20 years ago.

After they went away, there were zero options short of driving 80+ miles to the Minneapolis area.

Rochester is a city of over 120,000 people & there are no hobby shops.

What does that tell you about our fellow builders who live in rural areas where the nearest shop could be 100 or more miles away, if one exists at all.

So, please don't pass judgement on those of us who may not have much in the way of choices when it comes to where they can purchase kits & supplies.

I believe that you are preaching to the choir, for the most part, when it comes to where we would prefer to purchase, but it's not always possible & becoming less & less possible every day.

 

Steve

[thatz4u]

I have 3 hobby shops, 2 Hobby Lobbys, & 1 Micheals within 50 miles of me..I'm happy