The LHS (Local Hobby Shop)

[mikemodeler]

So today I found myself in Rock Hill SC and decided to stop in the only LHS in the Charlotte metro area and see what they had been up to. My main motivation was to pick up the latest issue of MCM because of the articles that have been mentioned here.

This LHS- Hobby Stop- has been looking like business is hurting for some time now and the first thing I noticed was revised business hours of 10-6 Tuesday- Saturday. Walking in, there were a couple of old guys hanging out talking with the owner, but no one else. I walked to the back to see what was new in the kit department and there was some new stuff, but a lot of it was the same old, same old. I did decide to grab the new Suburban as it was marked $25.95 and I thought if I didn't do my part to support him, then who would? I also picked up a can of Tamiya paint but put it back when he told me it was $18, must have been real gold in that can of gold paint!

My point is that I made a decision to support the hobby shop because I could. That Suburban will not get built for a while and I could have ordered online for less or waited until my Hobby Lobby had it and used a 40% off coupon, but helping the LHS felt like the thing to do. How long this store stays in business, I don't know. He does a lot with R/C but previous conversations with him tells me that has taken a hit too, with customers shopping him for advice or repairs but buying online.

[High octane]

I too try to support my local hobby shop (10 miles) even though I have a Hobby Lobby just 1/2 mile from my house. It is a mom & pop shop and hopefully when they decide to retire, I believe the grandson will take it over as he works there often. They also carry trains which I do at Christmas time with my grandson. So it would be a great loss to me if they ever folded, and the next closest hobby shops are 40 & 50 miles away.

[Eshaver]

Well Mike , at least you even HAVE a "LHS" . We have Two Hobbytown USA's , two H-L both at extreme ends of the city and a scattering of Michael's . Since what I need are scratch building supplies , I no longer even HAVE THE LUXURY of dealing with ANYONE who even want's my business. I'm never going to buy an RC car and trains , well, I have my father's Lionel stuff I just look at . The cost of me buying any kind of a new kit has become a dream as the freight and cost of driving to a local store outweighs the cost of merely buying one kit . Since the Shows here in Virginia are ALL IPMS , I can choose all the military stuff one could ever want . I'm out of this discussion ....... 

 

[restoman]

Our local hobby shop is hurting. The owner is looking at closing, possibly before winter. Says there just isn't any money in it anymore and it's so hard to get stock from his supplier. The Canadian exchange rate hurts him to the point of razor-slim margins.

I support him as much as possible, because when he's gone there is no one left in town other than Michaels. I hate that place...

There is a Hobby Lobby across the river in Port Huron Michigan, about 20 minutes away and they've got a decent stock of kits and supplies, but I like dealing local whenever possible. Besides, the local owner has an awesome, sarcastic personality and we hit it off just great. Also drives a nice '70 Challeger R/T in the summer.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Closest thing to a real hobby shop to me is a HobbyTown, but it's honestly a pretty good store. They're usually very well stocked with scratchbuilding materials, tools, paint from a variety of manufacturers, etc.There are two guys in their 30s who know kits, tools and materials well (and are model builders themselves) and an older guy (my age) who knows trains...though the train stock is normally pretty thin. The RC guys are in their mid and late 20s, and also seem to be enthusiastic, if not overly knowledgeable.

I don't mind paying full retail pop for current production or recent kits there, as hopefully it will help keep them around as an easy source for styrene, paint, balsa and basswood, etc. It's a real PITA to have to buy that stuff online.

I haven't been in a real old-school hobby shop since I was about 12 or 13. In my mid-teens, there was one that was primarily a slot-car track, but really light on static models and trains...and that was around the time I began to drift away from model-related hobbies.

We have Michael's and Hobby Lobby in the same general area, for what that's worth, but I understand there's an honest-to-dog hobby shop up in Blue Ridge now. I'll be up there for the leaf-turning train rides in a few weeks, so will stop in.

 

Edited September 16, 2017 by Ace-Garageguy

[Mike999]

We have Michael's and Hobby Lobby in the same general area, for what that's worth, but I understand there's an honest-to-dog hobby shop up in Blue Ridge now...

If that's Freetime Hobbies in Blue Ridge, GA, you should probably call first and make sure they're open.  If you've seen the other posts about this, sorry for wasting your time (and pixels). 

Freetime recently changed its retail hours. I think they are only open for retail sales on alternate Saturdays now.  Their home page mentions this, but the "Retail Hours" link still has their old hours.  I live about 100 miles away and want to visit Freetime myself. But before I do, I plan to call and check with an Actual Human about their hours.

[Foxer]

This post is from 3 years ago and I'm happy that it is still open, though he has been trying to sell ... Hobby World, Adams MA

[Vince Nemanic]

I totally agree with supporting your hobby shop. I buy models at the craft stores if I want a second kit, or if my shop can't get it. 

I always pay cash at my LHS. The reason is important: there is a 3% to 6% fee charged to the vendor when you use a credit card, and that comes directly from the shop's profit. By paying cash, you are helping to ensure the shop's existence.