LHS (Local Hobby Shop)

[BSB Racing]

We have one Mom and Pop Hobby shop. I go maybe once a month. We also have a Michaels and with their 40% coupons, you can get some good deals. I order on e-bay for some of the more obscure stuff.

[Chris White]

Sunward Hobbies, is my new LHS here in central Toronto. Great owner, great store.

[Tom Geiger]

I have bought exactly two kits at Michaels. I got a new Mustang convertible curbside, and the Jeep Rubicon using the 40% off coupon. Part of the issue is that the manufacturers hold back the new releases from there, sending them to the hobby shops first. I pretty much buy my new releases from dealers who sells at shows and club meetings at prices lower than hobby shops. I just bought new releases at an average of $16.

[von Zipper]

we just lost another lhs here in metro detroit. west point hobby went under just this month

THAT is really sad to hear, West Point was a great hobby shop. I used to ride my bicycle there when I was younger (before I could drive and kids still rode bikes to get around)

West Point was the shop I still judge all other hobby shops against-the only other shop that even came close is Riders in Grand Rapids.

Now I deal with Model Empire so it's 50/50- I order and pay on line with them like an internet store but they are a 'Mom and Pop' operation .

[Austin T]

Lost my local Hobbytown recently so I'm still trying to find a close by hobby shop that stocks models well. The next town over there is a huge hobby shop called family hobbies but they are about 95% RC based and just carry the very basics of modeling. The new kits that I want I guess I will have to buy from vendors at shows or online.

[ZTony8]

There are three privately owned hobby shops 15 minutes or less from my house on the east side of metro Detroit and one about 30 minutes away.The west side suburbs have a few more plus the local Hobby Lobbys and the Michael's locations.The Model Cave way over in Ypsilanti has been around a little over a year and is an enthusiastic supporter of the local model scene.I wish it was closer to my side of town(sigh)-they carry good stuff.

I try to frequent the locals every week or two weeks.When the shop closest to me discounts their older Tamiya kits,I swoop in and buy up what I can afford.Fortunately for me those kits don't move quickly at that store,even at discount.

Edited February 3, 2014 by ZTony8

[Modelbuilder Mark]

This is a link to ours on facebook in Muncie, Indiana. Our club had it's meeting there until it was disband. He has come down on prices as of late but, no discounts. I am waiting on the weather to break here to go out.

https://www.facebook.com/search/str/toys%20forever%20models%20%26%20hobbies/places-named

I lived in Muncie for a while when I was married to my first wife about 20 years ago, and there used to be a couple places I went to. One was called Gupta Hobby and craft, right near the Ball State campus, and the other was over near the Ball Museum, but they were mostly RC etc. Gupta did not have much, but they were close and would order stuff back then. I take it they are gone now.

[jaymcminn]

Family Hobby Center near downtown is my LHS. It's been there for 40+ years. Recently they remodeled and doubled the size of the store in the process. It's a very good store overall except for their steadfast refusal to carry Tamiya paints. There's also Paradise Hobbies about half an hour away in Ft. Myers, which does carry Tamiya supplies and has a decent selection of kits as well... I just scored the Tamiya Karmann Ghia there.

[Vince Nemanic]

x2 for Modesto Hobby & Crafts. I've been going there since 1972.

[Metalmad]

Smith Brothers Hobby in Northridge and they do stock well with new kits & building supplies etc.

[RickHH]

There has been one in Union Gap just west of East of Yakima for many years...........

[afxmustang]

I always liked West Point Hobby. Their prices were always lower that the other shops. They have been going downhill for several years. I'm surprised they lasted this long.

[Big Daddy]

Sunward Hobbies, is my new LHS here in central Toronto. Great owner, great store.

where is this shop I am in Toronto all the time

[Bill Eh?]

Daryl, here's the information on Sunward:

Sunward Hobbies

2700 Dufferin Street, Unit #51 (Just north of Eglinton Ave.)

I have heard good things about it. Have not been there yet as Wheels and Wings Hobbies and Hornet Hobbies are my two LHSs.

[von Zipper]

I don't know why, but I've saved this bag for over 40 years now, This was from when West Point was at 8 Mile Rd. and Grand River (Livonia, MI) before they moved to 7 Mile Rd. (Redford Twp. MI)

[Draggon]

The last one in my town left well over a decade ago, taken over by "emminent domain". The building was raized and property completely defoliated. Of course, it remains barren and unused by the city still today.

[robertw]

My closest is 100 miles away and is a combined engraving/trophy shop with a room full of models. It's definitely a Mom/Pop operation, owned & the sole worker is a fellow in his early 70's who continues to work because he enjoys it. He doesn't always have the latest kits out but is always willing to try and order what you might want.. My second local shop is a full service hobby shop about 150 miles from me.It's privately owned with a good selection of kits although he doesn't regularly carry many of the smaller model companies kits. I'll be visiting both shops before the end of the week to restock some paints/supplies and pick up some kits that they're both holding for me. I'm a full believer in supporting my LHS even if it involves a long drive every four to six weeks.

[MoparWoman Jamie]

I go to Hobbiest Paradise which is a local hobby shop in Knox PA which is like 3 miles from me all the time.

Edited February 6, 2014 by M0par Jim

[dragcarz]

I recently visited my LHS to pick up a couple new releases, Their pretty good at getting new stuff soon after their released, I was wanting the reissued AMT 36 Ford and the AMT Willys kits. They had them but they were priced at $31.28 each......I couldn't bring myself to pay that. I left empty handed. I really don't want to see them go out of business but they are constantly over MSRP. I went on EBay found both kits for 17.00 combined shipping and got both kits for $41.00. Their paints are expensive but they do have a very large selection, I guess in the future my purchases will be limited to paint. They run a promotion buy 6 kits an you get a discount on the 7th, but doing the math I'm still paying a premium price for kits.

[gluebomb]

I am lucky the nearest LHS is roughly 3 miles away, he has a good selection of stuff and if I ever need anything he orders it without hesitation. The next one is 25-30 miles away, but the last time I went his focus is now more R/C and trains. Then if I feel up to it, I can drive an hour or so south of me and go to the Hobbytown USA in Schenectady/Colonie, NY. That Hobbytown is great but, I always spend way to much when I go so I limit it to one or two trips a year.

[jaydar]

Located just west of Chicago is La Grange Hobby which is my LHS! Great people and good selection in trains, plastic and remote control and paint. The best part is the owner will special order anything available for you.

Joe.

Edited February 8, 2014 by jaydar

[2000-cvpi]

There are several local hobby shops within driving distance to me. The closest is L and J Hobbies in Portage, MI. It is a small shop that has a decent stock of kits and paints. His prices are not too bad, and way cheaper than Hobby Town USA.

The HTU here is a above retail kit price shop and the owner prices some kits even higher if he thinks that they are special, like the Moebius 55 Chrysler stock car kit that was 42.00+ when it first came out.

In Watervaliet Michigan there is a old hobby shop called Bob's Hobby Shop. In a lot of ways it is like how I would imagine a LHS in the 1960's. The store is three levels of neat stuff and he sometimes has older kits. But since it is 35 miles away I go about twice a year.