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Posted

I'm coming to watch NHRA Drag Racing Finals at Pomona in November and while I'm coming with my dad only, there will be time to visit in other cool places as well (No ladies, No shopping centres :D !).

And of course one thing on my list is a Hobby Shop / Hobby Shops to buy a couple of kits. So now I want to hear recommendations on good Hobby Shops in L.A. area where I can find a good selection of American Car models.

Posted (edited)

Pegasus is is about 15 minutes from the track. It's the same Pegasus that makes the rim and tire sets that LHS across the nation sell. If your on the 10 freeway, going west from Ontario, you can see the shop from the freeway. They have a giant RC car breaking through the wall, above the outdoor RC track.

The address is 5515 Moreno st, Montclair, Ca.

It is well worth the stop. Give yourself a couple hours to walk around. LOTS of cool stuff in there.

Oh. If you have time or the desire. When you leave Pegasus, turn east. That will take to a Hobby Lobby. They are not open on sundays.

Edited by Petetrucker07
Posted

Pegasus for sure.....you're right there.

I visit LA about once a year......I can visit different shops almost every day.....

LOTS of shops....

Posted

Another good shop is Tony's Hobbies. The address is 925 Baldwin Park Blvd, Baldwin Park, CA . Phone 626 337 3000. They have a very big selection of model cars and trucks, American and imported.

Posted (edited)

Burbank's House of Hobbies and Kit Kraft are my go-to shops.

Burbanks is another, it's a bit further down the road but worth the trip.

Another good shop is Tony's Hobbies. The address is 925 Baldwin Park Blvd, Baldwin Park, CA . Phone 626 337 3000. They have a very big selection of model cars and trucks, American and imported.

I didn't know about this place. I'll have to check it out myself one of these days. Edited by Petetrucker07
Posted

Hey it would be helpful if you snapped a few pictures of the stores, to help others gauge what type of hobby shop they are. For future references. I would like to visit Burbank house of hobbies personally, but I am not sure what they have.

Posted

Hey it would be helpful if you snapped a few pictures of the stores, to help others gauge what type of hobby shop they are. For future references. I would like to visit Burbank house of hobbies personally, but I am not sure what they have.

THAT's a great idea right there!

Maybe not just for this topic, but wouldn't it be nice to have pics of any/every hobby shop in the country (USA)???

Posted

Hey it would be helpful if you snapped a few pictures of the stores, to help others gauge what type of hobby shop they are. For future references. I would like to visit Burbank house of hobbies personally, but I am not sure what they have.

It's a smaller shop. But they have a nice selection of kits. I don't recall seeing any green sheet or plastruct. They have some railroad stuff, nik naks, toys. It's a decent shop to stop at if your in the area.

Posted (edited)

Lots to see in LA/Southern California - big place so everything is really spread out

I will agree - Burbank House of Hobbies is small but a good shop with a great selection of hobby tools.

Autobooks-Aerobooks in Burbank has a huge selection of books and magazines - but paper is heavy to travel with. New owner was kind of grumpy the day that I was there but not difficult to put up with.

Consider checking out some other places - My go-to is the Justice Brothers Museum. It is at their offices so it's close to the track and open early enough to see before the race track opens - three rooms/buidings of everything, open wheel, Indy, drag, hot rods... lots of midgets racers with history because that is where they started - nice people but it's the offices so they are trying to do their day jobs. -- free -- Just ring the bell by the door to get buzzed in.

Enjoy a great trip

Edited by Muncie
Posted

House of Hobbies has a website that's updated daily and lists what they have in stock: http://www.houseofhobbies.com/

Also, the internet is your friend - if you do a Google search it will bring up photos of the store, inside & out. It's not necessarily a place I'd drive miles out of my way to go to, but I mention it because it is a well-stocked LHS.

Kind of funny for me to hear Autobooks referred to as "huge", because I remember a few years ago when it was a couple of miles west on Magnolia and was about three times the current size, but it's still a good place.

Posted

House of Hobbies has a website that's updated daily and lists what they have in stock: http://www.houseofhobbies.com/

Also, the internet is your friend - if you do a Google search it will bring up photos of the store, inside & out. It's not necessarily a place I'd drive miles out of my way to go to, but I mention it because it is a well-stocked LHS.

Kind of funny for me to hear Autobooks referred to as "huge", because I remember a few years ago when it was a couple of miles west on Magnolia and was about three times the current size, but it's still a good place.

O yeah, I agree - Autobooks is a fraction of what it was in the old location and it used to be a much nicer place - but no stores like that around here. The old location was also just a few steps from that great lunch place - find a good car book, get a sandwich, eat and read outside. Some days, life is like it's supposed to be.

Pegasus has also lost the focus that it had on model cars - gone more toward RC - used to have a lot of aftermarket that is mostly gone now - used to have lots of Replicas Maryland parts - not much left. Still a lot of kits but mostly current stuff. - but what the heck, it's in the neighborohood near the track. It is big and it's amazing to see how many things they have in the RC and railroad departments.

i'm looking forwrd to hearing about more LA shops in this thread. It is a big place and there must be a lot of local shops.

Posted

I saw Jay Leno at least a couple of times at the old Autobooks. He'd drive up in some interesting ride, show it off, and browse the store for a while. He knew he was among car guys - not celebrity hounds - so he was pretty approachable and happy to chat.

Posted

Niko, glad to hear you're coming to the Colonies.

I know you're looking for hobby shops, but don't forget to check out the NHRA Museum while you're here. I'll bet you American dollars that you'll see at least 5 cars you'll want to build when you get back home.

Posted

Thanks for the great tips Everyone!

I put all of those Hobby Shops on my list. I'm trying to visit in as many shop as possible, but it might be possible that I can't make it to every one of them as there are other cool places where we'll visit too. But definitely I'll find something from these.

Joe: I bet that five is not enough :D ! The NHRA Museum was the number one on my list, if there's some place I have to see, it's that! Can't wait to see it even though there is still plenty of time before I'll get there.

AutoBooks-AeroBooks looked like a good place, too. Not far away from Burbank's House Of Hobbies. That's definitely on my list now, just like that Justice Brothers Museum which sounds like an excellent place as well.

This is just the reason why it's great to ask here on these things. Of course I can find some shops and places to visit in Google, but here I can hear actual comments on the stores and information on what is a good place and what might not be. Also, places like that Justice Brothers Museum are something I'd never come across in Google.

Thanks again for everyone! More places are welcomed, too...Hobby Shops or just other cool places.

Posted

As if you needed more things to do.........

I grew up in So Cal.......and I visit every 6-12 months for a few weeks.

Here are my top stops......not all car related.

Griffith observatory

DSCN1129-vi.jpg

A SUPER cool place. Original building in place......they built a NEW building UNDER IT!

Peterson Museum......closed right now......so don't try......my buddies truck on display in 2013

DSCN1103-vi.jpg

Space shuttle display ......but it too may be closed......I was blown away....we went just as something to do.....but was fantastic.

DSCN1293-vi.jpg

Just east of Pomona is the high desert region....I love this area.

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bottom line.....you need 2 very busy months in So Cal!!!!

Good luck!

Enjoy!

Posted

One more to add but it is a bit of a drive is Brookhurst hobbies, 12188 Brookhurst St, Garden Grove, CA 92840 They have a good selection of models but more than that a great selection of "stuff". Decals, tools, paints and other junk you can't live without.

Posted

One more to add but it is a bit of a drive is Brookhurst hobbies, 12188 Brookhurst St, Garden Grove, CA 92840 They have a good selection of models but more than that a great selection of "stuff". Decals, tools, paints and other junk you can't live without.

That's my buddies favorite shop.....it is COOL!

Posted

Another good shop is Tony's Hobbies. The address is 925 Baldwin Park Blvd, Baldwin Park, CA . Phone 626 337 3000. They have a very big selection of model cars and trucks, American and imported.

LOL, I wouldn't recommend a visit to Baldwin Park to anyone, for any reason. Especially an out-of-towner. If you do go, make sure its when the sun is still up. :lol::lol::lol:

Definitely make a trip to Pegasus Hobbies since you'll be a couple of miles away. You will get lost in there. They have a HUGE model kit section, not to mention an entire wall of sliding door racks dedicated to aftermarket accessories. Every time I make a trip there my Wife says, "See you in a couple of hours!". The staff is super helpful too. The guys in the model kit section actually build models and have a lot of good advice to offer, especially when it comes to proper use of paint/mixing of different brands, different styles of glues, etc.

There's also an old hobby shop called Covina Hobby, in the city of Covina. About 15-20 minutes west of the race track. They have on okay selection there. It is located on a restored old-town strip that is neat to see in general.

Posted

Before I found out there's a HS in Baldwin Park. The only other good thing in that town is its home of In-N-Out Burger. Their teaching "University", shipping and maintance. The best part, on the other side of the freeway from all that is the original store #1.

Posted

Oh Yea, In-N-Out burger. The quintessential SoCal burger experience. They keep the menu simple. Burgers and cheese burgers only. All veggies, meat and buns are fresh. The potatoes are cut just before they go in the fryer. The usual cast of sodas and milkshakes and that is it. Oh, there is as secret menu that you should Google before you go. You can get up to 5 meat patties by ordering a 5 by 5. There was a 100 by 100 created once and it is documented on the web, but they won't let you do that anymore.

My personal favorite is a double double animal style with catsup and mustard instead of sauce, but you have to figure that out for you self.

If would just be sad if you came all the way from Finland and didn't go there at least once. They are all over the place. There are ten of them within three miles of the drag strip.

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