Hobby Heaven closed

[Darin Bastedo]

The one thing I find amusing in all this is all the guys who used to post on HH that they "only buy from Tom" and never, ever would buy a kit anywhere else. Maybe that is true, I'll stop short of calling anyone a liar but given that he is closing the doors leads to the assumption that some who posted that were not exactly telling the truth.

As one of those guys, I'll say for my part it was the truth. I started buying from Tom when Auto World went under, and haven't shopped anywhere else until I found out Hobby Heaven was going under. As a matter of fact The friend I was talking to last night when I found out said I was like a drug addict whose dealer got pinched. I spent most of last night checking out who had the best shipping rates and selection.

I'm sure there were a lot of others like me, but not enough to keep his doors open. What I find amusing is the number of people who accused Tom Carter of using "scare tactics" to drum up business, by saying "Buy from me or I might not be here for you". looks like it wasn't scare tactics afterall.

[Billy Kingsley]

The hobby is not ending, Tom isn't really even going out of buisness...just changing his buisness.

Seriously, is anyone going to stop building models because Tom is not going to sell the new stuff? I highly doubt it.

I sure won't.

Although, I do have to say...I was considering selling off some of my street car kits, and just concentrating on NASCAR building. Now, I've re-thought that, and will put them in storage instead. I rarely ordered from Tom, in fact, I don't think I've ordered anything from him in a year and a half (Pretty sure the last order I got from HH was January 06) but now the opportunity to get whatever I should decide to sell at cheap prices is slightly less. Enough to, if nothing else...forestall my plans.

The majority of my purchases came, and still do come from, one of the guys in my club who sells everything for on average $5 less then Tom, with no shipping. And the majority of my purchases will continue to come from him as long as he sells kits.

[MrObsessive]

Amen to that Billy!

I've got soooo many kits right now and a ton of models that I could rebuild...............at my build rate I'll still have many left over long after I'm gone!

Just as Tom is evolving his business..........the hobby itself is evolving. Demographics are changing in this hobby as well, and will continue to do so.

As the old Bob Dylan song goes........"The times they are a changin'!"

[Rob Hall]

I had bought from HH off and on for the last 20 years.. they were one of my primary sources, from the era of mail order to the era of online ordering of the last decade or so.. I'll miss them, esp. as a source of old kits and MK issues.

For ordering regular issue domestic kits I'll probably stick with Evers Toy Store (www.everstoystore.com) whom I've used about as long as HH... I've used Model Roundup, Fantastic Plastics, and Model Empire in the past, but their websites aren't very easy to use--Evers has pictures of the kits and a shopping basket, and quick shipping. I've used Model Express some also... and also support my local hobby shops, I still have several good ones in the metro area..

[Guest Davkin]

I think I've ordered from HH once in my whole time in this hobby, so I can't honestly say I'll miss HH. I hate to see any hobby related business fail but even though HH was used by many people there are plenty of other online retail model kit outlets. If Tom had a nasty divorce that probably explains his downfall more than anything else. I personally have ordered a lot from Fantastic Plastics and there's no sign Len is going anywhere. Though I am concerned that the Hobbico aquiring Revell will make it more difficult for the small internet business to survive selling model car kits. I have been buying fewer kits in general lately. I just got tired of buying reissues made from molds that should have been scrapped 30 years ago that were producing virtually unbuildable kits. I am much more selective in what I buy now. New tooling is the true lifeblood of this hobby, not reissues with heavy flash and parting lines that mismatch 1/32 inch! Good reissues are fine, Revell is doing a lot of them right now, but they are also releasing a new tool of the '49 Merc custom and it's getting great reviews and generating lots of excitment. That's the kind of thing this hobby needs more of. However, I beleive what Obsessive says, the model car builder demographic is changing. We are getting older and more sophisticated in our building overall, the kit manufacturers need to recognize that and produce the occasional extra high detail kit at a premium and we need to get use to paying more for our kits. Though I am concerned this hobby may almost completely devolve into such a small niche that the only kits we have to build are cast resin and multimedia kits from small manufacturers that cost $100+.

Our hobby will always survive in one form or another.

David

[John Bowman]

I have ordered a lot from modelexpress.com. Great prices, selection and service.

[93Z34]

It's not a case of us not already having enough in our stash to build. Personally, I have more than enough to last a lifetime and then some.

But, let me ask a question. What POSITIVE news have we heard from the domestic kit manufacturers this year so far? Sure, there are still models on the shelves at WalMart and Hobby Lobby. But, how many NEW kits have been announced for next year? How many of the previous new announcements have been scrapped by Revell and AMT?

There's a difference between just being overly pessimistic for the sake of being negative, but it's another to observe the signs of the times and realizing that all is not what it seems.

[Mike]

But, how many NEW kits have been announced for next year? How many of the previous new announcements have been scrapped by Revell and AMT?

In the newest issue of "the other magazine" there's a nice article on the merger of Hobbico and Revell regarding seriously creating new tools/kits in the very near future, as well as resurrecting some kits that have been OOP for quite a many years because Revell's saved all the tooling from the kits. To me that was a VERY positive sign. Like many of you, I've got plenty of kits to go 'round, but being the car junky's we are, we continue to buy more and new kits as they come out.

[Rob Hall]

In the newest issue of "the other magazine" there's a nice article on the merger of Hobbico and Revell regarding seriously creating new tools/kits in the very near future, as well as resurrecting some kits that have been OOP for quite a many years because Revell's saved all the tooling from the kits. To me that was a VERY positive sign. Like many of you, I've got plenty of kits to go 'round, but being the car junky's we are, we continue to buy more and new kits as they come out.

Yes..Revell has done well w/ the reissues this year so far, and they have a bunch of announced and rumored modified reissues coming up, and a couple new tools... so between Revell, Revell of Germany, and Fujimi issues, I'll be happy with new kits for some time to come...

[Shawn Tillotson]

The concern over the hobby is the state of manfacturing as a whole. Shareholders are unwilling to accept current profit trends and they want more. Every year the shareholders want to see a rise in the profit trend. Not every year can be as good as the one before it. Sometimes there has to be a few bad years to weather. Some blame it on high wages here in the us and others blame it on currency issues. Mostly you can blame it on one thing, somewhere down the line you have to reinvest money in tooling and updated products that the public can get excited about. If you can't tell I used to be a engineer for a major auto manufacturer to be left nameless (used to have an oval on my paycheck). As of now these manufacturers want no control over there parts plants and are shedding plants to other companies as fast as they can. They are bleeding cash and are not selling products. You see when the cash was good they should have invested in future products knowing that some day buying habits will shift to other products just as they have always done. Hell its the death of the muscle car all over again in the industry.

I bought from Tom and HH when his prices are right. I read here about local stores closing and lack of interest in modeling as a whole. I am lucky that we have a top rated lhs right here in Owasso Oklahoma (Tulsa) and I challenge anyone to find better ( I am sure they are some good ones out there)! If you ever get towards Tulsa you must stop at TopShelf Models. He admits times are changing and he must change with it. I have heard him say many times it is not the models he gets us on but the aftermarket items we have to have that go with them paint and etc.. including supplies.

I have a new son and someday I know the hobby will be here for him in some fashion so I can share my hobby room with him. I have a buddy whose twin daughters (13 yrs) build just as good as any old guys and they are girls and can not wait to start a new project. I guess some see doom and gloom but I can only hope to think the future will have something good for us! If not I guess I got allot of stuff in my storage that I will make a mint on in Ebay land!!!LOL!!!

[Mark C.]

I have ordered a lot from modelexpress.com. Great prices, selection and service.

Thanks for the info, John. I've been thinking about giving them a try, and now I think I will. It'll eliminate the border/exchange rate hassles as a bonus.

BTW, it's modelexpress.net. When I typed in .com it went to a site that tried to get me to download some kind of scanning software that I didn't want. Just a heads-up to anybody that is looking for the site.

[Exotics_Builder]

Thanks for the info, John. I've been thinking about giving them a try, and now I think I will. It'll eliminate the border/exchange rate hassles as a bonus.

BTW, it's modelexpress.net. When I typed in .com it went to a site that tried to get me to download some kind of scanning software that I didn't want. Just a heads-up to anybody that is looking for the site.

Dennis is a great guy and he'll give you great service. He has previously attended some shows in the Pacific Northwest, including the SABA run NNL.

He doesn't take Paypal but has allowed a check to be mailed. The reason I add this is credit card companies will hit you with a currency conversion charge.

[Daniel Peterson]

I'm sorry but not all that surprised Tom has decided to change how he does business. Things are a little complicated in the hobby if you are/were a dealer, and whether it's a matter of gittin' out while the gittin' is good in anticipation of things getting dicey, or just finding a more painless way to remain involved in the hobby, I'd think there are more than just a couple folks taking stock of things as they are.

He's a good enough guy, and I wish him the best. He even stopped by to visit us a couple years ago while on one of his train hunting expeditions in the Reading, PA area, and we had a great visit. I sure hope it all works out well for him.

My one regret is that I didn't support him more with purchases than I did, but I have monthly contact with 2 great dealers through the clubs I belong to, and even though his prices were pretty darn good, I'm buying most kits better from my local boys than I could anywhere else. The dollar talks when you're on a budget. Makes me feel kind of mercenary, but that's life.

Now I'm curious to see how the former HHMB evolves, and for how long it stays intact. Lotsa folks rely on it for their daily hobby fix. (Although I confess, MCMF is my drug of choice...)

[SteveKnox]

Dennis is a great guy and he'll give you great service. He has previously attended some shows in the Pacific Northwest, including the SABA run NNL.

He doesn't take Paypal but has allowed a check to be mailed. The reason I add this is credit card companies will hit you with a currency conversion charge.

I've ordered a lot more from Dennis. He always seems to go the extra mile.

The Hobby Heaven board should be interesting now.

[Ron L]

See, no matter how many times I hear "support the little guys", this is why I order from big internet-order companies that have real shopping carts and inventory tracking systems. My daughter's 06 Mustang kit was ruined so I told her a new one was on the way. I ordered two of those, plus a bunch of kits from HH last month and after 3 weeks I inquire about it, only to be told that none of them were in stock.

Great guy, great store, but I rarely ordered from him due to the ordering system. Well it looks like their system disappointed me for one last time.

I'll have to give modelexpress.net a try. At least their menu and ordering system makes sense, and it has pictures with descriptions! What a concept!

[Rob Hall]

See, no matter how many times I hear "support the little guys", this is why I order from big internet-order companies that have real shopping carts and inventory tracking systems. My daughter's 06 Mustang kit was ruined so I told her a new one was on the way. I ordered two of those, plus a bunch of kits from HH last month and after 3 weeks I inquire about it, only to be told that none of them were in stock.

Great guy, great store, but I rarely ordered from him due to the ordering system. Well it looks like their system disappointed me for one last time.

I'll have to give modelexpress.net a try. At least their menu and ordering system makes sense, and it has pictures with descriptions! What a concept!

A good website and good customer service goes a long way...that's why my favorite vendor for new Revell and AMT kits for a long time has been Evers Toy Store (www.everstoystore.com).. I've bought from them for years, they have pics, an easy to use shopping cart, etc...and they are fast to ship in stock items, do preorders effectively, and use UPS, which I prefer over DHL... The only negative with them to me is that they don't stock the Model King special issue kits (but I have other sources for those kits).

I've also used Model Express w/ no problems. I've looked into buying from Model Roundup, Fantastic Plastics, and Model Empire, but their websites don't work very well (no shopping cart, too much typing needed). Tower Hobbies has a pretty nice website and selection, but I haven't tried them yet.

[Rob Hall]

The Hobby Heaven board should be interesting now.

I would hope so, but so far, it's the same old same old, bickering, OT rants, etc... the design of the board is a big limitation over there. I still read the HHMB, but this is definitely the place to be for modeling content.

[Zoom Zoom]

......it's the same old same old, bickering, OT rants, etc...

It could be renamed The Bomb. Bickering old modelers board

[Ron L]

I've looked into buying from Model Roundup, Fantastic Plastics, and Model Empire, but their websites don't work very well (no shopping cart, too much typing needed). Tower Hobbies has a pretty nice website and selection, but I haven't tried them yet.

I've ordered from FP many times before when Len was just starting out, and as recent as last year. All good experiences except one time he swapped my order with someone else's. He was pretty apologetic and offered to make it up. The typing your order into a spreadsheet thing is pretty lame but it's worth it when he has kits on sale for good prices.

I ordered models from Tower once with no problems, as usual. I'm a regular customer of theirs for r/c stuff so I knew what to expect. I got some "dented box special" car kits from them at less than $7 each. Unlike most other model kit outlets, you can actually order Evergreen styrene, CA glue and accelerator, Tamiya putty etc. with your kits.

I would hope so, but so far, it's the same old same old, bickering, OT rants, etc... the design of the board is a big limitation over there. I still read the HHMB, but this is definitely the place to be for modeling content.

I got so sick of that ###### when I was on the Yahoo "ModelcarList" group so I went to HH. Eventually HH turned into MCL except the really hot flamewars get deleted by Tom, which is nice. HH is still a fun place but I don't have the time to read all the posts, which doesn't really matter since a lot of it is the same stuff posted every few days.

B.O.M.B., I like that. "OMG Walmart caused my models to be extinct, plus they gave my cat cancer and caused my piles to erupt!! Boycott them!!!11!" Just like that, but with every word misspelled.

[Phil Patterson]

I see everyone is having a fun time piling on Hobby Heaven, but you better realize that Tom's business may be the canary in the coal mine. I always got good service from them and compared to the rest of my eBay purchases, he always delivered the fastest except for the one time I bought something from a neighboring town and picked it up in person, myself!

I'm just glad to see that both this forum and HHMB seem very busy, showing more hobbyist interest than is generally believed to exist. I'm sorry that some of you had a bad time there, but that is the nature of message boards on occasion and HHMB is hardly the worse.

I think old Ben Franklin said it best when he said, "We must all hang together, or most assuredly we will all hang separately."

I remember when the hobby imploded in the late 70s, I can't say I would enjoy seeing it happen again then waiting another 10 years for it to recover, at best, IF ever.

Hobby Heaven is history, I expect the message board will eventually be the only remnant and the plug will be pulled on that once Mr. Carter tires of paying the bill, for whatever reason.

I just can't see that as a good thing.