Hobby shops in Phoenix?

[Mike]

Hey all, if there are any members in the Phoenix area, I'm flying down in July to hang out with a relative. While there, I'd like to check out a couple of THE hobby shops in the area. Thanks!

[tuffone20]

WoW your coming here in July huh!! All the hobby shops close for the summer because everything melts.............. Just kidding but if you haven't been here before at that time of the year it is HOT!! I just got home from work and too tired to list the shops but I will tomorrow.

What part of Phoenix will you be in? I'm in west Phoenix at 107th ave & Camelback.

[CHR1S619]

I HAVE A FRIEND THAT LIVES IN ANTHEM (NORTH OF PHOENIX). HE'S HAVING TROUBLE FINDING HOBBY SHOPS TOO.

[Danno]

Mike, Chris,

Hobby shops in Phoenix. Well! They don't call this a desert for nothing.

Hobby shops are a dying breed around here. The best ones have shut down over the past few years. There are still a couple of hold-outs and I'll try to cover them; I'm reporting from the perspective of a car modeler.

Best bet for car guys and guyettes:

Hobbytown USA in Gilbert (suburb), located at Baseline and Gilbert Road. Has an excellent selection of car kits, excellent selection of the best hobby paints and glues, carries Model Cars Magazine. Carries very limited aftermarket line. BMF available. This shop employs the cutting-edge services of Bob Peeples to stock and run its car kit section, so it's a real enthusiast's store! Bob is a Moonlight Modeler and outstanding craftsman of scratch-built Cobra treasures.

Second best:

Hobby Depot in Tempe (another suburb), located at Southern just west of Mill Ave. Has a good selection of car kits, broad selection of paints, heavier emphasis on armor and military models. Carries very limited aftermarket line. BMF available.

The others:

Hobby Bench, two locations in Phoenix: Bell Road at 43rd Ave, 19th Ave at Northern. The Bell store has a good selection of kits and supplies, but always slower than average to receive inventory, so kits are 'out' a long time before they show up here. The 19th Ave store has old stock - not good stuff, just old stock ... they don't seem to sell much and as a result they don't restock very often. So, if you're looking for a kit that came out 3-5 years ago and wasn't popular enough to sell well, they may still have a couple on the shelf. It's strange. Both have heavier emphasis on R/C. Bell has some train stuff. Bell carries Model Car Magazine (19th Ave has never heard of model car magazines at all).

Andy's Hobby Headquarters, Glendale (yet another suburb), located at 59th Ave just south of Greenway Road. Has a fair selection of car kits, good selection of paints, also heavier emphasis on armor and military models.

Hobby Lobby, big chain, general hobbies, several locations in suburbs. Good selections of kits.

Michael's, big chain, general hobbies, several locations around the Valley. Good selections of kits.

Bottom line is this: You won't find any old, traditional model car hobby stores in the Valley any more. You won't find prices below MSRP unless you clip the big chain store %-off coupons. You won't find any stores that stock old kits or collector kits. It's all very mainstream commercial.

Better, however, is the swap meet market! Three times per year there's a large swap meet at the Postal Worker's Hall, 37th Ave. & Greenway Road. Next one is 03-28-09. Great selection of everything with refreshments!

Also, there is a swap meet held in conjunction with the Desert Scale Classic on 04-25-09, same Postal Worker's Hall. Great selection of everything with refreshments!

Hope this helps.

PS: There are two active car modeling clubs in the Valley. Let me know if you or your friends are interested in checking them out.

[Eshaver]

Gee Danno, I thought everyone was stuck in traffic on the Black Canyon and would starve to death if they didn't find a Bennigans soon! Ed Shaver

[Danno]

Gee Danno, I thought everyone was stuck in traffic on the Black Canyon and would starve to death if they didn't find a Bennigans soon! Ed Shaver

Everyone's gonna starve, then, Ed. Virtually all -- if not ALL -- Bennigan's have disappeared from the Valley. But the traffic gridlock on the Black Canyon hasn't! LOL.