HobbyTown USA

[mikemodeler]

A couple of comments on others comments here:

1. Yes, Hobbytown pricing can be high, but I do see variances depending on locations. I have found the one near me to be even with what I can get them for online, sometimes a dollar or two higher. The local HT is family owned and they are nice to deal with. Was in there yesterday and they have shrunk their kits section as they are gearing up for Xmas with the RC. They are not a big store to begin with, so I understand why they reduced the kits. Still the best place for miles around for paint and Evergreen! I joined the HT rewards club and get coupons in the mail. The store that I signed up at is in Richmond VA. I went to use the coupon at the store by my house in Charlotte NC and the clerk turned me down, stating "We don't honor those" and the owner looked up and saw it was me and he said "Yes, we will for him!" He saw that I was buying another $40 of kits and supplies and he knew that $5 off meant I would return, which I have!

2. One way to beat the higher prices is through online shopping. Tower Hobbies is constantly offering free shipping on $25 orders and that is a good way to get several kits at a good price.

3. The franchise thing will vary for different industries. For example, at NAPA, while it would be in the best interests of a store owner to buy everything he could from them, there are times when a customer's needs are better served by going outside the system. Also, some owners are better able to have a bigger store and larger inventory, and while there are suggestions on what to stock, in the end it is up to the owner. There are some big market stores with $1,000,000 of inventory and small town stores with $100,000!

In the end, I support BOTH the online and LHS as they offer different things to me and sometimes it is about needing it now versus saving a couple of dollars.

[ERIK88]

hobbytown usa has lost their mind.

[mikemodeler]

_{Skip, they also provide the computer system and accounting software to run the store. That's actually huge since everything you do is computerized and as easy as printing reports. That includes bar codes on merchandise etc.}

_{Sooo... do you guys think this is a viable business opportunity. I qualify, but am skeptical.}

Tom,

If my 6 numbers pan out in tonight's lottery drawing, I will set you up in business, as long as I get a discount!

As far as a viable business, not much in life is a sure thing, so I would say if you can afford to open a store and not count on it to pay your bills, then it could be a fun way to spend your day at work. I work with people every day that have their life savings invested in their business and I can say it makes for interesting conversation!

[martinfan5]

One of the HTUSA here is having a 20% over deal cost on all models and supplies, and at the last swap meet we had, they had a table set up , not selling, just promoting the sale and reaching out to the model community here, plus every few months, the club has build sessions at their store. plus another perk as well to club members And for kids 8 and up can take part in a free "Make-N-Take with Revell "Make-N-take" kits.

I can not comment on their prices for kits, as I have not shopped their yet

[my80malibu]

I worked at the local Hobbytown when it first opened, around '90-'92. It was always primarily an R/C car/plane/boat store with model kits as a secondary line. But because I worked there, we had the best car selection anywhere in the state. We got customers in our store for car and truck models from a couple of hundred miles away, no joke. We would also order items for them, and any special order item was 10% off of list. If we liked the customer, we hit the 15% button and told them to keep it under their hat, which they did.

I forget the name of the model distributor we used, but they were doing well enough that they had a rep come over to the two Hobbytowns that were owned by the same owner and do the model order. At the time, the average car model was around $9, and the markup to list was 100%. So a ten dollar kit cost us five bucks. That left a lot of room to move around, so most kits were discounted 10%, and the bigger, more expensive, or imported kits were discounted 15%. Sometimes we could go deeper on a special order high buck kit, and we usually did. We had tons of aftermarket goods, including some resin parts made by local customers, who got a big kick out of seeing their items for sale in a store. Sales were great for a long time. I quit in '92, and the selection went down hill because nobody else that worked there in the next 20 years really cared.

Now they are like any other Hobbytown, small selection, almost no aftermarket, decent paint selection, and list prices. But it wasn't always that way. I don't know what the markup is now, but I imagine that the margins are tighter. They could discount the kits, but I don't think that they really care, R/C is still the main profit generator.

-MJS

And for this they are dying a slow death.The store is a ghost of what it used to be. The original owner was not a personable Man, but had a philosophy, that" I will bring it into the store if it sells" thats why the resin, and other aftermarket parts were there. It's no longer that way. The current owner could be having franchisee issues, But will not even try to get into aftermarket parts, and supplies, That keep the advanced modelers coming into the store. Hobbytown cannot compete with Michaels, or Hobby Lobby, in Kit sales due to the 40&50% off coupons. Always having to order parts is just lousy customer service to Me.

[brad4321]

I do, occasionally at least. Last week, my local HobbyTown had a 1/32 Tamiya Phantom for $149. I found it on ebay for 116, shipping included. I told the manager this and he have me 10 bucks off, and I bought it. Why? Because the guys in there help me all the time with my modeling questions and I feel I owe it to them to occasionally pay retail prices.

[Tom Geiger]

The current owner could be having franchisee issues, But will not even try to get into aftermarket parts, and supplies, That keep the advanced modelers coming into the store.

It's very difficult for hobby shops to get a decent supply of aftermarket parts. As we know, the aftermarket is rather fickle. Many can barely keep up with demand for their own retail and don't wholesale. Others will agree to supply a store, but fall short of delivering the order. Avenel Hobbies in New Jersey used to stock a lot of aftermarket but stopped because they couldn't get reliable supplies. I was in the store one Saturday when Randy was trying to phone an aftermarket company, only to have to leave a message with a kid. He also mentioned that even those companies that would ship resin, would only do so after their own demand for retail had subsided, so he was buying 'old news' pieces. So he pretty much gave up. Except for companies that do wholesale well like Model Car Garage, Pegasus, Jimmy Flintstone and the like.

[robertw]

As the first reply said, its a local hobby shop.

The closest place to me where I can buy anything model related is 100 miles and the closest real hobby shop is 150 miles. So do I use a lot of mail order.......NO. There are few if any places here in Canada to mail order stuff from. Shipping costs from the US have almost gotten to the point that driving to the city is cheaper and ebay shipping costs to Canada are really outrageous. Most places also won't ship paints in Canada. Having a local hobby shop no matter how expensive the kits are is not a convience it's a necessity for me so I'll do everything I can to support him whether it costs me more or not. He closes and my future in the hobby is limited.

I also realize that everything has gotten more expensive and we are also in a hobby with a decreasing market. The model companies are in this to make a profit and the last few years have been pleasing us by releasing new and old kits and, like Round 2, buying other companies and repairing and releasing their old kits. Since the days of the 60's & early 70's we haven't had such a good selection. If I compare the amount I spend on my hobby in a month compared to the hours of enjoyment I get from it it's still a very cheap hobby even with the higher prices paid for kits.

I'll be making one of my city trips this weekend, I'll probably drop a bunch of money at the LHS and have a good visit with modelling buddies, I'm already looking forward to it.

[Harry P.]

Robert, living in Saskatchewan is tough when it comes to shipping costs from US suppliers. It sucks, but it's the reality. No wonder you go out of your way to keep your local hobby shop alive (although in your case "local" isn't exactly local!).

[Dragline]

Like many I buy supplies [overpriced ones] and that's about it. I did buy a can of Spazz-Stix last week there. Looking forward to trying that out. But the kits are off the charts high. There was a guy there that if you showed him your model club card [MAMA] he'd give you 15% off. That guy wasn't there my last visit so I payed full retail for Testors laquer and Tamiya acrylics.

Sad to say but they are 15 minutes from me and I only go there when I'm on the ropes supply wise.

Bob

[my80malibu]

It's very difficult for hobby shops to get a decent supply of aftermarket parts. As we know, the aftermarket is rather fickle. Many can barely keep up with demand for their own retail and don't wholesale. Others will agree to supply a store, but fall short of delivering the order. Avenel Hobbies in New Jersey used to stock a lot of aftermarket but stopped because they couldn't get reliable supplies. I was in the store one Saturday when Randy was trying to phone an aftermarket company, only to have to leave a message with a kid. He also mentioned that even those companies that would ship resin, would only do so after their own demand for retail had subsided, so he was buying 'old news' pieces. So he pretty much gave up. Except for companies that do wholesale well like Model Car Garage, Pegasus, Jimmy Flintstone and the like.

Automotive resin/ Aftermarket parts are Not the only Items out there there is plenty of good quality military, non military products, out there. There is another hobby shop in the Valley, that is more in tune with All modelers, they carry a good amount of aftermarket items, there prices for kits is every bit as expensive as Hobbytown,. Yet they do a good volume of business through their store when I go there they have Model Car Garage, Pegasus, Detail Master, Parts by Parks, and a few others. They were known as primarily military but the new owners have seen fit to get into All types of hobbies, Trains,slot cars, Planes, Automobiles plastic/resin models of figures. Full service, if there is a problem getting Aftermarket parts, it does'nt look like it from my eyes.

[martinfan5]

Automotive resin/ Aftermarket parts are Not the only Items out there there is plenty of good quality military, non military products, out there. There is another hobby shop in the Valley, that is more in tune with All modelers, they carry a good amount of aftermarket items, there prices for kits is every bit as expensive as Hobbytown,. Yet they do a good volume of business through their store when I go there they have Model Car Garage, Pegasus, Detail Master, Parts by Parks, and a few others. They were known as primarily military but the new owners have seen fit to get into All types of hobbies, Trains,slot cars, Planes, Automobiles plastic/resin models of figures. Full service, if there is a problem getting Aftermarket parts, it does'nt look like it from my eyes.

I think they may have the largest selection of paints out of all the LHS here, and its pretty massive, I wish I was a little closer to that LHS

[Tom Geiger]

there they have Model Car Garage, Pegasus, Detail Master, Parts by Parks, and a few others. They were known as primarily military but the new owners have seen fit to get into All types of hobbies, Trains,slot cars, Planes, Automobiles plastic/resin models of figures. Full service, if there is a problem getting Aftermarket parts, it does'nt look like it from my eyes.

Note that the aftermarket companies you list are the same ones I listed as having product available to wholesale. In fact those all sell to distributors, who then sell to hobby shops. That stuff is not hard to get. The aftermarket I was speak of as hard to obtain are the resin kits etc done by the smaller companies that just don't make enough product to wholesale. Some of them are one man part time efforts that are behind on their retail mail orders. You would never find Modelhaus parts, Replicas & Miniatures of Maryland product etc in hobby shops because they do a good business on their own, and are already working to capacity just filling their own orders. But guys will be disappointed that they can't find those products in hobby shops. Randy at Avenel Hobbies tried to get this kind of product for his customers, listening to what they wanted, but just wasn't able to get reliable shipments from smaller concerns.

[Danno]

Automotive resin/ Aftermarket parts are Not the only Items out there there is plenty of good quality military, non military products, out there. There is another hobby shop in the Valley, that is more in tune with All modelers, they carry a good amount of aftermarket items, there prices for kits is every bit as expensive as Hobbytown,. Yet they do a good volume of business through their store when I go there they have Model Car Garage, Pegasus, Detail Master, Parts by Parks, and a few others. They were known as primarily military but the new owners have seen fit to get into All types of hobbies, Trains,slot cars, Planes, Automobiles plastic/resin models of figures. Full service, if there is a problem getting Aftermarket parts, it does'nt look like it from my eyes.

Gabe,

Which one are you referring to? I don't recognize it by your description. Is that the depot?

[my80malibu]

Yes Dan. Hobby depot

[my80malibu]

Note that the aftermarket companies you list are the same ones I listed as having product available to wholesale. In fact those all sell to distributors, who then sell to hobby shops. That stuff is not hard to get. The aftermarket I was speak of as hard to obtain are the resin kits etc done by the smaller companies that just don't make enough product to wholesale. Some of them are one man part time efforts that are behind on their retail mail orders. You would never find Modelhaus parts, Replicas & Miniatures of Maryland product etc in hobby shops because they do a good business on their own, and are already working to capacity just filling their own orders. But guys will be disappointed that they can't find those products in hobby shops. Randy at Avenel Hobbies tried to get this kind of product for his customers, listening to what they wanted, but just wasn't able to get reliable shipments from smaller concerns.

Then is Avenel hobbies dying on the vine? The Hobby Town I am speaking of, does'nt want to get any Pegasus,Model car Garage, or Detail Master parts in stock. If you want that you have to order it. You might get it then again maybe not. It appears the new owner took some backward steps, and is happy with selling the RC stuff, Because thats what he is familiar with. but has no Clue what the Plastic modeler wants or needs. Thats probably 1/3 of his business down the drain. Worst yet the current owner is not even at the store. Because he is working at his old previous line of work to be able to get paid.

[Danno]

Yes Dan. Hobby depot

Thanks! Thought so, but wasn't sure if I was missing something somewhere else!

[Tom Geiger]

Then is Avenel hobbies dying on the vine?

I don't believe so. They don't do RC and are focused on plastic modelers of all genres so I believe they do a good kit business. They have the largest selection of auto / truck / motorcycle etc kits of anywhere, including all the foreign stuff nobody stocks. We're talking an entire aisle, at least 50 feet long, double sided, so over 100 feet of kits, floor to ceiling. People do go there to buy kits at retail, I see them checking out with a stack of them. I do see guys who are in my clubs, or go to shows where kits are sold cheaply, buying kits there. I've asked and their answer is that they want the kit NOW. So they pay.

I have noticed the shrinking model aisle at other hobby shops. Those are the ones that don't have anyone on staff that have a clue about our hobby. I know some just get two of each new release from their distributor, and when those two sell, they're gone forever. In my local Hobbytown USA, they have a decent selection of kits, but those hot sellers are completely missing. I would have bought a Revell '57 Ford or '50 Olds, but they don't have any. And the bigger stores like Michaels seem to have a 3-6 month lag on new issues so here's a niche the hobby shop can fill. I wonder how many buyers have stopped going to that shop because they never find the new kit they're looking for there?

Edited September 23, 2013 by Tom Geiger

[Repstock]

HobbyTown's kits are expensive, I never buy a kit from them, but they do have a good selection of tools and materials. That is, one of the Hobbytowns near me does.

It's weird... there are two Hobbytowns near me, both are about the same distance away. Since they are both Hobbytowns, you'd expect them to carry pretty much the same inventory... but no. One of them has a very limited inventory of supplies. In fact, there have been three separate instances where I have gone there looking for very common items (small drill bits, Testors Transparent Window Tint spray, and I forget the third thing). Each time I asked the guy there about the items I was looking for, I got the same answer: "In the six years we've been here, you're the first person who's ever asked for that."

In other words, he was trying to make it look like I was some sort of weirdo looking for some crazy stuff that no hobby shop would possibly carry.

Well, let's say I learned my lesson, and I will never set foot in that particular Hobbytown again. And yet, that other HT near me has an excellent selection of things, and I've always found what I came for at that location... including small drill bits, Testors Transparent Window Tint, Evergreen or Plastruct items, brass and/or aluminum tubing and rod, etc. Weird how one HT is useless, while another is well-stocked.

I used to have two near me as well. The good one moved to the other side of town, and I'm left with the small, poorly stocked one. Example: The good one offered Evergreen and Plastruct. The small one has no intention of stocking Plastruct, and hasn't reordered the Evergreen since they opened, as far as I can tell.

[Tom Geiger]

Example: The good one offered Evergreen and Plastruct. The small one has no intention of stocking Plastruct, and hasn't reordered the Evergreen since they opened, as far as I can tell.

Since I'm an Evergreen junkie, this is important to me. My local Hobbytown USA has an Evergreen and Plastruct rack, as well as a good selection of woods. Last time I bought $75 worth. They seem to stock two of each stock number, so if someone buys both, the spot will be empty. They do have a computerized sales and ordering system so they reorder what they sell pretty quick. When I asked, the owner told me the one I wanted would be in on Thursday.

On the other hand, they don't stock Tamiya paints. They have a whole aisle of Testors, every friggin option, and a Pactra rack. They also have those paints the gamers use. When I asked about Tamiya, the owner said, "Yes, a lot of people ask for that." ... soooo where is it then? LOL

[johnbuzzed]

A couple of comments on others comments here:

1. Yes, Hobbytown pricing can be high, but I do see variances depending on locations. I have found the one near me to be even with what I can get them for online, sometimes a dollar or two higher. The local HT is family owned and they are nice to deal with. Was in there yesterday and they have shrunk their kits section as they are gearing up for Xmas with the RC. They are not a big store to begin with, so I understand why they reduced the kits. Still the best place for miles around for paint and Evergreen! I joined the HT rewards club and get coupons in the mail. The store that I signed up at is in Richmond VA. I went to use the coupon at the store by my house in Charlotte NC and the clerk turned me down, stating "We don't honor those" and the owner looked up and saw it was me and he said "Yes, we will for him!" He saw that I was buying another $40 of kits and supplies and he knew that $5 off meant I would return, which I have!

2. One way to beat the higher prices is through online shopping. Tower Hobbies is constantly offering free shipping on $25 orders and that is a good way to get several kits at a good price.

3. The franchise thing will vary for different industries. For example, at NAPA, while it would be in the best interests of a store owner to buy everything he could from them, there are times when a customer's needs are better served by going outside the system. Also, some owners are better able to have a bigger store and larger inventory, and while there are suggestions on what to stock, in the end it is up to the owner. There are some big market stores with $1,000,000 of inventory and small town stores with $100,000!

In the end, I support BOTH the online and LHS as they offer different things to me and sometimes it is about needing it now versus saving a couple of dollars.

Mike, if you haven't been to The Hobby Stop in Rock Hill, you should check it out. They have a good selection of paints and Evergreen and kits. Otherwise, I've been to both Hobby Towns; the one in Pineville is more convenient but I prefer the one in Monroe as they seem to have a better all-around selection of everything; I have no problems with Hobby Lobby in Monroe or Rock Hill as they have more than enough stuff to build and paint a model (sadly, no Evergreen or I could make them a habit) and as for Michaels, well... I might buy paint or embossing powder there, or a kit if they have a sale or clearance, if we are there for something else.

Edited September 24, 2013 by johnbuzzed

[Gramps2u]

The days of affordability or reasonable prices on everything is long gone. I do what I can to support my LHS & Hobby lobby to an extent of reasonable prices. Ebay is my last resort (Out of production kits are a different story), shipping cost's usually kills any good deals one may find from time to time.

Edited September 24, 2013 by Gramps2u

[mikemodeler]

Mike, if you haven't been to The Hobby Stop in Rock Hill, you should check it out. They have a good selection of paints and Evergreen and kits. Otherwise, I've been to both Hobby Towns; the one in Pineville is more convenient but I prefer the one in Monroe as they seem to have a better all-around selection of everything; I have no problems with Hobby Lobby in Monroe or Rock Hill as they have more than enough stuff to build and paint a model (sadly, no Evergreen or I could make them a habit) and as for Michaels, well... I might buy paint or embossing powder there, or a kit if they have a sale or clearance, if we are there for something else.

John,

I have stopped at Hobby Stop and picked up some Tamiya paint and Evergreen, but their prices (kits and supplies) are higher than the HTU in Pineville. I bought there only so I didn't have to drive out of my way to Pineville.

Will have to remember the Monroe location next time I am out that way.

I did stop in the HTU in Richmond today and was disappointed. Walked in and the clerk at the register was more engaged with some sea story with two customers, didn't even acknowledge my presence. Spent 10-15 minutes looking over the kits and paint/supplies aisles and still no acknowledgement!

After walking both aisles 2-3 times, I left without buying anything and even on my way out I stopped at the magazines by the register and I was ignored as the clerk was now talking to a young mother who was there with her son playing with the wooden train table.

I was taught years ago to always acknowledge the customer when they enter your business, and help them as soon as you can. I just might have bought something tonight but not if they can't even say hello.

And before anyone says anything, the clerk looked to be in his late 50's/early 60's!

[Danno]

Ahhhhhhh. Scuttlebutt has it there may be some news down the road for our town! Sounds like it's gonna be g~o~o~d!

Edited September 25, 2013 by Danno

[my80malibu]

SPILL IT Dan whats going on?

Ahhhhhhh. Scuttlebutt has it there may be some news down the road for our town! Sounds like it's gonna be g~o~o~d!