LHS Closing Soon

[rickr442]

Sorry to announce that a really good, old fashioned neighborhood hobby shop is closing in coming weeks.

Mod-L-Mania in North Long Beach, Ca. (an MCM dealer, BTW) in the Bixby Knolls area on Atlantic Avenue, North of the I-405, will be closing its doors by the end of July. While it lasts all inventory is marked down 30% and all of the shelving, fixtures and equipment are available as well. There's some decent stuff there.

Chuck, the owner and proprietor put in a good effort for eight years but declining revenues (and a somewhat gloomy outlook, IMO) put the last nail in the coffin. Nice while it lasted, though...

I have some problems with the cause(s) for this happening, having offered Chuck many opportunities to promote the shop (at Herb's shows for instance) that were met usually with a polite 'No'.

Lesson? If you want any business to survive you have to get the word out!

Can't get the customers' MONEY unless you first get their ATTENTION!

Edited June 26, 2008 by rickr442

[CAL]

Sorry to announce that a really good, old fashioned neighborhood hobby shop is closing in coming weeks.

Mod-L-Mania in North Long Beach, Ca. (an MCM dealer, BTW) in the Bixby Knolls area on Atlantic Avenue, North of the I-405, will be closing its doors by the end of July. While it lasts all inventory is marked down 30% and all of the shelving, fixtures and equipment are available as well. There's some decent stuff there.

Chuck, the owner and proprietor put in a good effort for eight years but declining revenues (and a somewhat gloomy outlook, IMO) put the last nail in the coffin. Nice while it lasted, though...

I have some problems with the cause(s) for this happening, having offered Chuck many opportunities to promote the shop (at Herb's shows for instance) that were met usually with a polite 'No'.

Lesson? If you want any business to survive you have to get the word out!

Can't get the customers' MONEY unless you first get their ATTENTION!

I personally have known several and worked for three owners. Generally, they have the, "Build it and they will come philosophy," and don’t put much stock in advertising, promoting and supporting clubs and shows…, Interestingly, every single one of them was also retired and this was to give them something to do for retirement. I wonder just how many other LHS are run the same way. I know franchises are not run that way. I also know a former Hobby Town owner, which at least back then (1990s) wasn’t such a good deal. He was in it for the money HAHAHA! And hadn’t a clue about the hobby industry until it was too late for him.

Not a one, however, was interested in big endeavors like Internet sales, shipping, much less, supporting clubs and shows.

Even at one point a group of us modelers got together and put an offer in on an ailing hobby shop, but the own wanted ridiculous money to sell out. – Like in the neighborhood of retail dollar on the dollar. It was pretty much run into the dirt by time he died and nobody wanted it then – too much debt, too much past dues, too much accounts closed and turned over to collection. Even with sufficient money to take care of the bad accounts the name is pretty well ruined and is hard even under different management to regain good standings.

It is hard anymore, and I just don't think having a LHS is good business anymore. It's too hard to compete with mail order and Internet, and too complicated and work to be both, mail order and have a store front. Moreover, there isn't any mark up in the biggest drive of a LHS, Radio Control products - maybe 15% compared to 40-50% a typical retail mark up. And RC is the most amount of space and biggest headach, but if you try to do just plastics you just don't get the traffic. I know a owner of a just plastic shop, it is very small, but it is paid for and he lives above the store otherwise he couldn't stay open. To be honest I am not sure if he is still open even.

It is just not the hobby industry though, all these ma and pa shops, hardware stores, art stores, you name it have been more or less run out of business by huge chains that buy 50,000 widgets for 25-45% of WS while ma and pa are paying WS for onesies and twosies. A very common comment was he11, superstore X is selling Y cheaper than I can buy Y for from the distributor. So the only thing ma and pa have left is customer service, which they don't always, sometimes do it themselves, but they hire cheap help that fails miserably at CS. Generally, however, not quite as bad as superstore's misguided, ill-conceived, warped concept of good customer service, which is about the most irritating thing for a great number or reasons. Worse, is they haven't a clue about good customer service and wouldn't know it if it bit them are the arse.

.... rant off

Edited June 27, 2008 by CAL

[rickr442]

I read you, Cal.

I personally like this guy but there were times when I would give him really good invitations... to Herb's model car shows, for instance... where he could meet new customers, open new markets, at very least get the word out, it was always the same thing... 'I dunno, that's a lot of effort'... or some such.

Guess he'll have some extra time, NOW, huh?

This does open an opportunity though if someone wants to pick up some fixtures and showcases pretty cheap. I bought what I could use, have to pick it up next week, but there's plenty there. Kinda hate to pick the bones like this, but if it's offered, why not?

Edited July 1, 2008 by rickr442

[Eshaver]

You know I just finished replying to a another coll um within this forum I got to thinking (there you go again Ed ) Service is what helped me in business when I was in the wholesale custom van accessory business back in the 1970's. I look out over the remaining stores here in Richmond Virginia . We have a Franchise, a hobby shop a former hobby shop with a don't care attitude who carers to the R C crowd and a toy store or should I say museum ? Hey when you go in there those women look at you with disdain. Now given the fact that it's located in the "Preppieest" part of town I'll forgive them Mean while I have seen three stores close here in five years. The first was because the majority owner had brain cancer. It took him within a year. The family was as greedy and stand offish as one could be They wouln't acknowledge you comming through the door if hell froze over. Now in defense of them, for the most part they would order in stuff for me . Being a project builder for museums I was an exception they also had a very decent selection of products. I P M S didn't like them because they wouldn't give a ten percent member discount Well I was a member and per sonly , I could have cared less about ten percent. Meanwhile over at the Franchise, They hardly if ever greet you as you enter the door. Oh by the way , they never thank you for your business! When I was in the wrecker business, I NEVER FAILED TO THANK A CUSTOMER ! Remember store owners you get one chance to catch a customers attention , since making a profit is part of your over all game plan make the customer your first order of business. Ed Shaver

[gregbbear]

Very sad, but very interesting. Cal, Rickr442, and Eshaver, your narrative on this subject was informative. I do wonder what, and if the manufacturers think about the LHS vs mass market pricing now that Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and Target don't carry their lines anymore? Chain stores or not, if it wasn't for Hobby Lobby, it would be ###### hard to even be in this hobby. The only other store that has any plastic is Hobby Town on the other side of town, and I apprecitate them! That is probably a lot better than most have though. Sadly, the only good store that we had, closed a few years ago while I was on a building hiatus. Without him, and would have never even known this magazine exists. Their I first found the joy of Tamiya paint, among other things.

Doesn't this lost avenue of exposure concern the manufacturers?

My hat goes off to those that do this, and those that did. Also to the cottage industry guys.

Thanks again for bringing things to light.

Take care,

Greg

[lordairgtar]

I agree with you Rick, that advertising is key. What I think of as my humble LHS understands this. They do show up at swap meets and donate kits and merchandise to our NNL here in the Milwaukee area, plus they have a major internet presence. I can't say they are rolling in dough as I cannot speak for their finances, but they appear to be doing OK and the family is involved with the store. They're very friendly when you come to the store. They help you reach those high up kits on the wall. It's been in business for a few decades. How many hobbyshops do you see advertising on the TV or radio or even the weekly Shopper rags that every town has? Not many I'll bet. Of course the chains like Micheals and HobbyTown do have some presence in print. In Europe, you see model companies (Revell) with commercials on the TV. They don't do it here.

[Eshaver]

I agree with you Rick, that advertising is key. What I think of as my humble LHS understands this. They do show up at swap meets and donate kits and merchandise to our NNL here in the Milwaukee area, plus they have a major internet presence. I can't say they are rolling in dough as I cannot speak for their finances, but they appear to be doing OK and the family is involved with the store. They're very friendly when you come to the store. They help you reach those high up kits on the wall. It's been in business for a few decades. How many hobbyshops do you see advertising on the TV or radio or even the weekly Shopper rags that every town has? Not many I'll bet. Of course the chains like Micheals and HobbyTown do have some presence in print. In Europe, you see model companies (Revell) with commercials on the TV. They don't do it here.

I don't know if I am allowed to Plug a local store here but Chesterfield Hobbies here in Richmond Virginia was opened by two individual who were wholesalers in the toy business at one time. Adrian and Tom will order parts and supplies that they can order from .Now even though they are both Lionell guys please don't count them out They carry ALL the Evergreen styrene sizes, Plastruct Badger airbrush rebuild kits Tamya Revell A M T Johnny Lighting Tamya Paint Badger paint four or five glue lines. They're at 13154 Midlothian Turnpike uh U S 60 Richmond Virginia 23229 . theyre phone is 804 379-9091 . They consistently sponger the local I P M S 'Old Dominion model contest and they were advertising on the cable tv channel , The History Chanel. I've never gone in there without some one saying Hi oor "Good Afternoon and they always tell the customer the one most important thing, "THANK -YOU! "!!!!!!!!! By the way, this is where you can get your latest issue of Model Cars Magazine too Greg. Ed Shaver

[rickr442]

Chuck went out of his way to provide for the small audience he had, to the point of having tables available at the rear of the store where they could have work space.

Granted, this soon became a roost for geriatrics who'd sit and bitch for hours on end... but there also was a good bit of actual work done there by kids who needed mentors in their building (and other areas of life as well). Chuck even provided storage space for projects when the builders weren't there.

It's unfortunate that he wasn't able to make it in the modern market, but he made singular choices that in the end killed him off. You can't get the customers' money til you get their attention, he did neither.

[CAL]

Chuck went out of his way to provide for the small audience he had, to the point of having tables available at the rear of the store where they could have work space.

Granted, this soon became a roost for geriatrics who'd sit and bitch for hours on end... but there also was a good bit of actual work done there by kids who needed mentors in their building (and other areas of life as well). Chuck even provided storage space for projects when the builders weren't there.

It's unfortunate that he wasn't able to make it in the modern market, but he made singular choices that in the end killed him off. You can't get the customers' money til you get their attention, he did neither.

I agree you need to get their attention, but whos attention.

I believe a model build is something you are, it's pre-wired, ingrained, and if someone who were to do a scientific survey or study we ‘d find personal commonalties that the model builder shares.

I am sure you’d also find that those personalities were very finite, unique, and uncommon across the general populous.

I don’t think you can teach someone to be a model builder. You can teach someone who is already a builder to be better, but someone who lacks desire and ability can never be a modeler.

I know we live in an age where our kids are taught, “you can be whatever you want to be.†However, lets face the facts, some people are just not good at some things no matter how hard they try or well you teach them.

The person with that modeling core is getting fewer and farther between. In fact, craftsmen in general in this country are rare, unlike Europe where they still foster craftsmen and craftsmanship. Partly because the generality of what society wants “you†to be – general, generally good at everything. So what we end up with is largely a society that is fair in a lot of things but doesn’t excel in any one thing particularly well.

[Eshaver]

Cal Thanks for your comment on how the folks in Europe inspire their young to pursue a trade . I guess in my childhood at least, my father who learned from his dad that doing a job once and right was everything. In fact, I have a bumper sticker from Kanter Auto Supply in New Jersey that says "Do it once and do it right" . As to what drove me to modeling, well, I guess it would be I can sculpt better than I draw. See , I scratch build 90% of what I build. Kits are fun sometimes, but theres a real thrill to be had when I can show off something that no one else has or no one has thought of. Wandering a hobby shop gives me an opportunity to visualize a future project The few shows I do attend have gotten so political, well, I find them political. just don't have that sense of excitement . Ed Shaver