What Irked You Today?

[Mike C.]

The last brick and mortar hobby shop around me closed like 8 years ago. Now all I have left is the online hobby shops and HL.

[Rodent]

I have a very nice RC-centric shop that carries a lot of models, styrene, and paint (RC Country Hobbies) not too far away and another "old-school" shop (Viking Hobbies) that has been in business forever. Their primary focus isn't cars, but they have some. I just visited a few weeks ago for the first time in probably 35 years. Plus lots of Hobby Lobbys scattered all over town. And there is Burbank's House of Hobbies that has an awesome online store and I usually get stuff from them within two days of shipment.

[TarheelRick]

Unfortunately, when you live in a very rural area and the only city large enough to even possibly have a hobby shop is more than 30 miles one way and the only shop there is HL, then on-line is your only option.  There is a Hobbytown in Mooresville, which is more than 40 miles away.  Yet, when I on rare occasions go to Charlotte I will try to stop by and leave some hard-earned retirement cash behind.  I do not like on-line shopping, I enjoy touching an item I want to purchase.  Pictures and talking-head videos do not do much for me.

[Mark]

I'd prefer to shop "local", but "local" has to meet me halfway.  Marking a kit up five bucks over retail ain't the way to go about it.  When I can get a single kit dropped at my doorstep cheaper than buying "local" (both examples including sales tax), "local" isn't doing all they can...

[Ace-Garageguy]

5 hours ago, bobthehobbyguy said:

Hey but all those vapers will have a new hobby down the road. Dr visits from all the illnesses from vaping.

Pretty funny how all the little vape dwerps look down their noses at tobacco users, while they suck anti-freeze (propylene glycol) fog into their lungs.

QUOTING :    https://www.verywellhealth.com/propylene-glycol-5076050

"Alongside vegetable glycerin, propylene glycol is the major ingredient in the liquids (e-liquids) used in e-cigarettes. To mimic smoke, propylene glycol is converted to extremely tiny droplets by e-cigarettes. It also functions as a carrier for nicotine and flavorings which are added to some e-liquids.

 

January 2020 UPDATE: Recent illnesses have been associated with use of e-cigarettes (vaping). Since the specific causes of these lung injury cases are not yet known, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends refraining from all vaping products.4

Recent studies suggest that the use of e-cigarettes might have harmful health effects, and that some of these effects may be linked to the mixture of propylene glycol and other ingredients. Some of these health risks include lung damage and lung disease.5

Other studies also indicate that propylene glycol is converted into cancer-causing compounds when it’s heated up in the e-cigarettes."

 

You couldn't make this stuff up.  

Edited July 11, 2022 by Ace-Garageguy
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

[Bugatti Fan]

I keep seeing Hobby Lobby being referred to.

Is it a general craft store that stocks various crafters items, artists supplies and model making stuff?

I sort of picture of as being similar to a group of shops in the UK named Hobbycraft. They stock a limited range of kits, paints and modelling tools  as part of their general crafts and hobbies merchandise.I

Mark's post about local meeting him half way. I can see where he is coming from with his own viewpoint, not wanting to pay 5 bucks over the odds. However, one has to consider the overheads that a LMS has. Rent, business rates, salaries, utility bills, money tied up in stock until it sells and so on. So every kit delivered to your door from a possibly semi automated warehouse is just another nail in the coffin that is (was) a local hobby shop.

Edited July 11, 2022 by Bugatti Fan

[NYRich72]

8 hours ago, Mark said:

I'd prefer to shop "local", but "local" has to meet me halfway.  Marking a kit up five bucks over retail ain't the way to go about it.  When I can get a single kit dropped at my doorstep cheaper than buying "local" (both examples including sales tax), "local" isn't doing all they can...

One of the joys of living in NYS is the onerous sales tax and it's even worse in many of the cities.?

The merchant that I usually order from is not in NYS and does not collect sales tax. I believe that it does not meet the the minimum amount of gross sales to be required to collect sales tax. That said, I take a hit on my tax return whether or not I also pay sales tax at the point of sale.  I honestly don't know if it's an actual hobby shop or is run out of a warehouse as is rather common these days. As I previously mentioned, the only shop here in Manhattan prices its goods way over what the internet shops charge and has a much smaller selection. Even allowing for shipping via UPS its much less expensive for me to shop online than to have my pocket picked locally. No doubt the NYC shop has a much higher overhead but I'm retired and, with inflation running rampant, I save a few bucks wherever possible.

[Mark]

One of the two shops I consider "local" does a lot of online sales including, but not limited to, eBay.  So marking items up above retail seems to me to be "let's see what the market will bear".  If that works for the seller, fine.  But I'm going to check prices too, and not just blindly "buy local".  I'm not trying to wring the last nickel out of everyone, but when there is a noticeable difference in price I will go with the lower one.

[espo]

8 hours ago, Bugatti Fan said:

I keep seeing Hobby Lobby being referred to.

Is it a general craft store that stocks various crafters items, artists supplies and model making stuff?

I sort of picture of as being similar to a group of shops in the UK named Hobbycraft. They stock a limited range of kits, paints and modelling tools  as part of their general crafts and hobbies merchandise.I

Mark's post about local meeting him half way. I can see where he is coming from with his own viewpoint, not wanting to pay 5 bucks over the odds. However, one has to consider the overheads that a LMS has. Rent, business rates, salaries, utility bills, money tied up in stock until it sells and so on. So every kit delivered to your door from a possibly semi automated warehouse is just another nail in the coffin that is (was) a local hobby shop.

 To try and answer your question about Hobby Lobby. HL is a franchise store that carries arts and craft supplies as well as home decorating supplies. Doll houses to electric trains and airplanes and boats. Candles and jars bits of paper and cloth. They will even mount and frame your own pictures or one they sell. They have jewelry supplies and jig saw puzzles. I always find things I never realized that I needed whenever I visit.   

[Snake45]

3 hours ago, Mark said:

One of the two shops I consider "local" does a lot of online sales including, but not limited to, eBay.  So marking items up above retail seems to me to be "let's see what the market will bear".  If that works for the seller, fine.  But I'm going to check prices too, and not just blindly "buy local".  I'm not trying to wring the last nickel out of everyone, but when there is a noticeable difference in price I will go with the lower one.

As we celebrate mediocrity,

All the boys upstairs want to see

How much you'll pay for

What you used to get for free....

--The Prophet Tom Petty, "The Last DJ"

[Tom Geiger]

5 hours ago, espo said:

 To try and answer your question about Hobby Lobby. HL is a franchise store that carries arts and craft supplies as well as home decorating supplies. Doll houses to electric trains and airplanes and boats. Candles and jars bits of paper and cloth. They will even mount and frame your own pictures or one they sell. They have jewelry supplies and jig saw puzzles. I always find things I never realized that I needed whenever I visit.   

Picture a supermarket size store with one aisle for models!  They also sell fake antique furniture, cutsey signs,  holiday decorations... lotza stuff for people too lazy to actually make anything.  And they play Christian music, disguised as elevator music over their speakers.

[KWT]

On 7/10/2022 at 4:06 PM, TransAmMike said:

I feel your pain.  Live 45 miles south of Nashville and no hobby shop to be found in the area.

None to be found anywhere north-south-east-or west in driving distance, that I'm aware of.

[Snake45]

43 minutes ago, Tom Geiger said:

Picture a supermarket size store with one aisle for models!  They also sell fake antique furniture, cutsey signs,  holiday decorations... lotza stuff for people too lazy to actually make anything.  And they play Christian music, disguised as elevator music over their speakers.

Shockingly accurate description of every HL I've ever been in (three or four now).

[stavanzer]

2 minutes ago, Snake45 said:

Shockingly accurate description of every HL I've ever been in (three or four now).

Accurate, but a bit Mean Spirited......

[TransAmMike]

33 minutes ago, KWT said:

None to be found anywhere north-south-east-or west in driving distance, that I'm aware of.

Where in Tennessee r u Jeremy? 

[peteski]

1 hour ago, stavanzer said:

Accurate, but a bit Mean Spirited......

I agree with Tom.  I don't need specific religion crammed down my throat.  But that is getting into the Tabu subject, so that's all that I'll say.  I almost never shop at HL (especially since they are closed on the "holy day", and that is usually when I'm close to the store).

[Bugatti Fan]

Thanks guys. Sounds like HL is similar to our Hobbycraft in a number of respects. Our stores do not well furniture or decorating materials, just craft, art and Bobby stuff.

[slusher]

On 7/10/2022 at 3:16 PM, Tom Geiger said:

We have no hobby shop, just a Hobby Lobby in town. 

The two storefronts that I had thought would be a perfect location for a hobby shop are both now vape shops!

Vape shops here are disappearing product of our time.   No one is forced into an Hobby Lobby that are offering 40 percent off every other week…

[espo]

On 7/10/2022 at 5:36 PM, Mark said:

It's surprising to see someone putting together a new car lot (new business or location).  Around here, existing dealers are going to smaller lots and eliminating satellite storage areas for cars.  They are simply stocking way fewer cars.

And they will continue to do so in the future.  As I understand, they will have fewer vehicles available for test drives, if you need a new vehicle NOW you will likely pay a bit more than those willing to place an order and wait.  The lots around here are still sparse compared to three years ago, though not as bad as when they were at their lowest point.

A thought on the new car dealership thing. As I understand it a good part of the shortage of inventory has to do with some of the computer components used to control many of the accessories and even basic controls on new cars and trucks. I'm sure there is more to it than that. We went through a bit of a battle last year to get my wife's new car as the model she wanted was only available in our area if it had every option including a $900 charge for the alloy wheels being painted black instead of a polished surface. In our area many dealers are advertising to have you order your new car and wait for delivery. With the cost for a dealership to pay flooring on a large inventory and a slow turn rate this is a wise business decision on their part, but most people want it now and can't wait 6 to 8 weeks or more depending on the availability of the required components. One thing we ran into and seems to be still an issue is that dealers are marking the MSRP up thousands of dollars on anything they have in stock. One thing to remember about auto dealerships is that there are often local influences that are different in different locations. This can be anything from taxes to local government compliance issues and even finding someone who is one qualified and two wants to work the hours it takes to run a retail dealership. Should this sound like I might have a little experience in that business you would be correct. There used to be a saying to describe the hours worked in a retail dealership, it was called "Eight to faint" and you're do back to work the day after your funeral. Lots of luck getting a Sunday off or any holiday for that matter. In sales if you have a vacation, it's because you're looking for work. Good life if you don't weaken. 

[mikemodeler]

4 hours ago, espo said:

A thought on the new car dealership thing. As I understand it a good part of the shortage of inventory has to do with some of the computer components used to control many of the accessories and even basic controls on new cars and trucks. I'm sure there is more to it than that. We went through a bit of a battle last year to get my wife's new car as the model she wanted was only available in our area if it had every option including a $900 charge for the alloy wheels being painted black instead of a polished surface. In our area many dealers are advertising to have you order your new car and wait for delivery. With the cost for a dealership to pay flooring on a large inventory and a slow turn rate this is a wise business decision on their part, but most people want it now and can't wait 6 to 8 weeks or more depending on the availability of the required components. One thing we ran into and seems to be still an issue is that dealers are marking the MSRP up thousands of dollars on anything they have in stock. One thing to remember about auto dealerships is that there are often local influences that are different in different locations. This can be anything from taxes to local government compliance issues and even finding someone who is one qualified and two wants to work the hours it takes to run a retail dealership. Should this sound like I might have a little experience in that business you would be correct. There used to be a saying to describe the hours worked in a retail dealership, it was called "Eight to faint" and you're do back to work the day after your funeral. Lots of luck getting a Sunday off or any holiday for that matter. In sales if you have a vacation, it's because you're looking for work. Good life if you don't weaken. 

Was at the Toyota dealer this morning for my free oil change (new truck came with free oil changes for the first two years, its a Toyota thing) and noticed zero new cars on the lot. This is a dealer that used to stock 700 new vehicles and now they wait for the delivery trucks to show up with cars that are often pre-sold. When I bought my truck in January it was a two week wait.

I work for an OE supplier and we have been riding the roller coaster of plant shutdowns due to lack of parts for production. The forecast for returning to "normal" is still a year off, maybe longer.

You mentioned ordering and waiting as being the new business model and you are correct. Many of the manufacturers are looking at doing just that as it helps everyone in the sales cycle, except the buyer. If a shopper has the ability to compare prices by spending an afternoon going to multiple dealerships looking at cars and dealing, then they win. With the "order it and wait" model, you pretty much are at their mercy when you order your vehicle. These mega dealerships with their huge facilities (and property taxes, utilities, maintenance) might become a thing of the past. They still need service bays and a lot for used cars, but they probably don't need space for 500 new vehicles!

[BlackSheep214]

22 hours ago, Tom Geiger said:

Picture a supermarket size store with one aisle for models!  They also sell fake antique furniture, cutsey signs,  holiday decorations... lotza stuff for people too lazy to actually make anything.  And they play Christian music, disguised as elevator music over their speakers.

Ha! I’m hard of hearing so I never hear these Christian music at my local HL store. I never noticed it anyhow. LOLOLOL!

[KWT]

23 hours ago, TransAmMike said:

Where in Tennessee r u Jeremy? 

hour north of Nashville... TN/KY state line

[Tom Geiger]

5 hours ago, mikemodeler said:

Was at the Toyota dealer this morning for my free oil change (new truck came with free oil changes for the first two years, its a Toyota thing) and noticed zero new cars on the lot. This is a dealer that used to stock 700 new vehicles and now they wait for the delivery trucks to show up with cars that are often pre-sold. When I bought my truck in January it was a two week wait.

I work for an OE supplier and we have been riding the roller coaster of plant shutdowns due to lack of parts for production. The forecast for returning to "normal" is still a year off, maybe longer.

I’ve got an 80 seat office renovation going and supply chain has been the biggest threat to completion. Up front I told all parties to order and take delivery NOW and that I had no problem paying invoices for materials that were stored in the building.

Right now I have all the ceiling tiles, carpet, appliances and a lot of the new furniture in the building. 

Still this week it was warm in my CEOs office and we needed a VAV blower motor. None to be had! I had the contractor pull one out of a unit in an empty space to get the boss comfortable!

And as far as new cars, used Hyundais like my 2015 Elantra are sell for more than I paid for mine in 2018. People are holding off buying new cars now but there may be no better time like now. Note that most of the semiconductors come from Taiwan. One wrong move by China and there may be no new cars at any price!

[TransAmMike]

1 hour ago, KWT said:

hour north of Nashville... TN/KY state line

Ha so you're just a bit farther north of Nashville than I am south?

[NOBLNG]

Little tiny X’s……the ones up in the corner of my i-pad that are supposed to close out the stupid ads that keep popping up when am playing a game. I have to tap the darn things half a dozen times sometimes.? I find it faster to close the app that I’m using and re-open it.?