West Coast Hobby Shop Recomendations?

[oldcarfan]

In two weeks we are going to be doing a week and a half kamikaze/Cannonball road trip from Austin to San Francisco and possibly into Oregon, time and weather permitting. Does anyone know of old line hobby shops in that area that I might be able to sneak into while the wife and kids are distracted? I'm always looking for old or uncommon car/truck kits.

[Mike999]

This should get you started for Southern California. All these stores have websites.

Pegasus Hobbies, Montclair, CA (San Bernardino County):  huge store often mentioned on this board. Located right off of Interstate-10.

Brookhurst Hobbies, Garden Grove, CA (Orange County).

Kit Kraft, Studio City, CA  (L.A. County): family biz open since the 1950s.

Smith Brothers Hobby Center, Reseda, CA (L.A. County)

Burbank House of Hobbies (L.A. County): in business since 1952, with a great display of vintage built kits. No, none are for sale.

 

[The Junkman]

There used to be a plethora of great hobby shops in the SF Bay area; San Antonio Hobby, D&J Hobby, Franciscan Hobbies...   Now there are darn few and none of which would I call a good old time hobby shops.  Berkeley Ace Hardware had an entire basement full but it moved and is now just a shadow of its former self.  Hobby Co of SF on Geary was just OK the last time I went there.  OTOH a few blocks to the west is Ton Kiang, some of the best Dim Sum in the city.  Or go to Boudin Bakery at Geary and 10th for the best SF sourdough bread at its point of origin.

Sorry

[curt raitz]

J & M Hobbies on Laurel Street in San Carlos is an old style hobby shop in the SF Bay Area.

[carrucha]

In the SF bay area there is also Hobbies Unlimited in San Leandro.  Their website is http://www.hobbiesunlimited.net/ .  There is also a Hobbytown USA in Sunnyvale.  Have fun in your west coast tour of hobby shops.