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YOUR LOCAL HOBBY SHOP ECONOMY


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Beads, Junior? What are you looking for there? :D

Hey Virgil,

I have gotten tiny little 'crimp beads' from Hobby Lobby and I use them for AN fittings in my engine details. Just a little flower stem wire or bead wire in the center and a little paint and wah lah, instant AN fittings. And you can get them in a pack of 100 for around $2. You could probably even use seed beads that are already colored red & blue or which ever colors you want to use to spice things up.

Edited by hotrodblder
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To paraphrase Star Trek, "live long and prosper Elm City Hobbies", You sound like the kind of shop that we all wish we lived near, one that caters to our needs with someone inside who speaks our language. I hope your modelling community appreciates your existence.

rob

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Around me, in Southeast Connecticut, there is only one local hobby shop, and one Michael's Craft Store to go to. The LHS is nice, and I went there today to get my stuff, but the store is so cramped and there is just too much going on there. It's difficult to spend time looking through all the model kits because the aisles are so narrow that only one person can fit in there. If you need to get further down the aisle and somebody is already there, you just have to wait. In addition, the shop tries to cater to car model kits, airplane models, military models, science models, model railroading, RC Cars, sports cards/memorabilia, board games, crafts, etc. etc. It's a small square footage store that just seems to be trying to get too much in there at once. The prices are also a bit high. A typical plastic model car kits costs $25 on average. A 1/2 oz bottle of Model Master paint is $3.50 or so. They have PLENTY of styrene sheets and sticks/tubing, but, it's difficult to find things. A lot of this is simply because the store area they have is not large enough for everything they want to do. Still, they are the only local hobby shop so if I need something right now, I have no issues driving down there and supporting them. The place is run by a family that has been running the store since I was a little kid. It's good to see them still around, but I just wish it was easier to look through their inventory and find things.

I miss the days when Wal-Mart/Target/Benny's/Toys 'R Us carried model cars. :( When I got back into this hobby a few months ago after a 15 year absence, the first place I went to look for model kits were the aforementioned stores where I used to buy them as a kid. Was sad seeing that they have cleared out their inventor of model kits and supplies and stated that they do not carry them and never will. So right now, online is where it's at for me. To deal with the shipping charges, I find a place that will charge a flat shipping rate and just buy in bulk when I'm able to.

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