First SA not publishing then Spotlight Hobbies sold

[moparfarmer]

Two days ago it was Scale Auto to quit publishing after the October issue then read today the Tom Carter has sold Spotlight Hobbies to a couple..Wow things are happening quickly in the model world..Hope this site and the Spotlight site stay active and in use for many years to come..Thank you to both..Whether we(both sites and people) get along or not its for the MODEL CAR HOBBYIST that counts..These two are the BEST sites for MODEL CAR BUILDERS..

[Bucky]

What a shame!

I bought a vintage kit from Spotlight a couple years ago. When it got to my house, the box was just about destroyed, and the kit box was all smashed. Upon opening the kit box, I discovered the body was in pieces. Everything else was okay, but the body couldn't take whatever crushed the box. I contacted Spotlight Hobbies, and sent pics to them, hoping to maybe get a refund and send the damaged kit back to them.

I got an email apologizing for the damage, and they sent me another identical kit to replace the bad one. I asked about sending it back, and was told to just keep them both!

That's a sign of good people, in my book!

[1930fordpickup]

Yes Tom is a good guy to deal with. I think he had some health problems not to long ago. 

[HomerS]

Tom asked if you had a dog to include that note in your order and he included a treat for them.  The wife laughed that both dogs and I awaited the delivery with the same looks on our faces.

[Miatatom]

Scale Auto is being combined with Fine Scale Modeler. I don't know that I care to pay for a hybrid like that.

[mikemodeler]

I am sure the hobby will survive, even if SH has been sold, Scale Auto ceases publishing , Testors discontinues Model Master paint and whatever else 2020 brings us.

 

The last thing I need is more kits and supplies, but yet there I was, online last night, ordering more!

[Dave Van]

Spotlight Hobbies will continue now run by employees that bought the biz. 

[Mark]

51 minutes ago, Miatatom said:

Scale Auto is being combined with Fine Scale Modeler. I don't know that I care to pay for a hybrid like that.

Publishers "combine" titles so they can keep subscription money already received, and send the "combined" title to fill the remainder of the subscription.  I'm not going to bother with FSM...if we're lucky they might include a token car article per issue.

[Daddyfink]

Congratulations to Tom Carter, hope he enjoys his retirement. 

[Dave Van]

21 minutes ago, Daddyfink said:

Congratulations to Tom Carter, hope he enjoys his retirement. 

Tom is a little older than I so he earned it. He did say on his forum he has a BIG stash of vintage kits he will be selling on ebay. So he changing his biz as much as anything. He has a number of cool collector cars too....which hopefully we can start showing again soon! 

[Tom Geiger]

Yes, Tom Carter is a good guy! Interesting racing history and ran his business with morals and common sense. When a new kit arrived he’d get all the preorders out that same day!

I’ve been friendly with him for years, I wish him a great retirement.

[Plowboy]

I see it as a good thing. The business and forum will continue as usual. Tom gets to enjoy his retirement. He could have just sold his remaining stock and closed the doors for good.  

[niteowl7710]

I wouldn't throw Spotlight into the heap of 2020 necessarily until it's seen what happens with the new owners.  After all Spotlight is a Phoenix from the Ashes story in it's own right after Tom had to close down Hobby Heaven.  It survived once, it's possible it continues to survive into the future.

[Dave Van]

9 hours ago, Tom Geiger said:

Yes, Tom Carter is a good guy! Interesting racing history and ran his business with morals and common sense. When a new kit arrived he’d get all the preorders out that same day!

I’ve been friendly with him for years, I wish him a great retirement.

Don't forget his band and recording career!!!! 

[Force]

I wish Tom a happy retirement, I used to get most of my stuff from him until he closed Hobby Heaven and was stopping selling new kits, and I went over to a guy he recommended to me to get my kits, Tom started to sell new kits again after that but I was happy where I was so I stayed with the other guy as he had pretty much the same service.
I don't really like the development the hobby has taken the last year or two, it feels like it's diminishing with all that's happened over that time and I hope it will turn around soon, but if it doesn't I have enough kits to last me a couple of lifetimes.

Edited July 19, 2020 by Force

[Tom Geiger]

19 hours ago, niteowl7710 said:

I wouldn't throw Spotlight into the heap of 2020 necessarily until it's seen what happens with the new owners.  After all Spotlight is a Phoenix from the Ashes story in it's own right after Tom had to close down Hobby Heaven.  It survived once, it's possible it continues to survive into the future.

Reading Tom’s own words, he has sold the operation to two long time employees who know the operation. He will keep an eye on it and is confident it will carry on. The message board continues and he mentioned an upcoming software upgrade.

The change from Hobby Heaven to Spotlight occurred due to his divorce, not any business shortcomings. 

[tim boyd]

What Tom (Geiger) said.  T

Tom (at Spotlight Hobbies) has been working on the sale for some time now.  The announcement a few days ago is totally unrelated to Kalmbach's SA announcement. timing wise.  Tom Carter will continue to advise the new owners, who have been involved in the business for a long time and apparently have plans for expanding the business going forward.    TIM 

[Joe Handley]

This thread just got them a sale!, I got to thinking a 1/20 Lindberg F-Body would work for a suspension downer on my 1//20 AMX kit and they happened to have a not perfect Firebird kit that would work, so that is now on order?

[martinfan5]

Well good news, now that Tom C has sold SH, I might do business there now that it has new owners.

Edited July 20, 2020 by martinfan5

[1967RMP]

"At Fine Scale Modeler, we feature both kinds of models - armor AND aircraft!"

[RichCostello]

6 minutes ago, 1967RMP said:

"At Fine Scale Modeler, we feature both kinds of models - armor AND aircraft!"

OK, I'm lost. What does this picture have to do with this?

[Rodent]

Came from this:

[RichCostello]

Oh, OK, guess you'd have had to been there.

Edited July 21, 2020 by RichCostello

[Bucky]

From the Blues Brothers movie.

[nadtheman]

The new owners at Spotlight are long time friends of mine. They both spent years working for Tom and know model cars and the hobby. You can continue to expect the same honest service you've had in the past! Give them a try!

Edited March 11, 2021 by nadtheman