A Chicago hobby landmark disappears

[Luc Janssens]

Just got word that Al's hobby shop in Elmhurst, went out of business yesterday, Friday 05/02/2014.

Edited May 3, 2014 by Luc Janssens

[slusher]

Seems like more and more hobby shops are disappearing across the country. Did they retire or just go out of business??

[mrm]

As much as we all hate it, a new era is coming, called online shopping. Actually it has been coming for some time.

[Joe Handley]

I had been hearing stories the past few weeks that things were getting bad there and Cindy was looking to sell, didn't expect to hear that though.

Got lucky with my store, new owners who were with the Rockford Franchise bought it and managed to do a sofar significant turn around on the place........I was begining to expect to show up to work one day to find a "Store Closing" sign on the front of the store. I'm one of a couple if the "old" employees that was retained too, can't say how good it is to see stock on the shelves and not expecting to see that sign on the door going into work.

[Tom Geiger]

Sorry to hear that! When I was between jobs I did a quick analysis on opening a hobby shop since there isn't a decent one near me. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't make the numbers work.

I once worked at a deli when I was young. Came in one morning and my key didn't work. Out of business with no warning at all.

[Harry P.]

I'm not the least bit surprised. Actually I'm surprised it hung on this long. Venture bit the dust quite a while ago... Al's was only a matter of time.

[madhorseman]

Oh BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH!! I haven't been in there for a while, and about a week or two weeks ago I wanted to go. Sorry to hear about this.

[jaydar]

La Grange hobby shop and Des Plaines are probably the best in that area which survive. I can walk to the one in La Grange. I go there every weekend. Great owner.

Joe

[Lownslow]

La Grange hobby shop and Des Plaines are probably the best in that area which survive. I can walk to the one in La Grange. I go there every weekend. Great owner.

Joe

Lol i live in la grange park i go there about once a month

[Maindrian Pace]

Hobby shops were closing regularly 25 years ago. To thrive, they have to offer what online providers can't supply, like R/C racing, seminars, plane specialists, etc. Those that do usually do well.

-MJS

[Sixx]

That sucks! The ladies in the kit area always knew their stuff. I hadn't be there in ages! The Valparaiso Indiana hobby shop is done in June, after 47 years!

[slusher]

That sucks! The ladies in the kit area always knew their stuff. I hadn't be there in ages! The Valparaiso Indiana hobby shop is done in June, after 47 years!

Sixx I have been to the Valparaiso hobby shop a bunch. My brother lives in Portage. I always brought stuff back with me. Hate to hear that...

[Erik Smith]

Hobby shops were closing regularly 25 years ago. To thrive, they have to offer what online providers can't supply, like R/C racing, seminars, plane specialists, etc. Those that do usually do well.

-MJS

Even that business model is getting tough - talking to the one hobby shop here that caters to models and lots of RC (they are plane specialists), the last year has been the toughest ever - in something like 40 years. There is way too much competition online and from other "hobbies" (staring at smart phones for hours...like I'm doing now...)

Take them in while they last, but a handful of us can't save them all.

[Aaronw]

Sorry to hear that! When I was between jobs I did a quick analysis on opening a hobby shop since there isn't a decent one near me. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't make the numbers work.

I once worked at a deli when I was young. Came in one morning and my key didn't work. Out of business with no warning at all.

Hmmm a hobby shop / deli...

[mrm]

La Grange hobby shop and Des Plaines are probably the best in that area which survive. I can walk to the one in La Grange. I go there every weekend. Great owner.

Joe

I've been to Al's many times years ago. They were the only ones at the time that could get me Protar 1:12 Ferraris rather cheap and fast. Great people. But as far as I know, they paid rent. And I believe this is the number one problem with making the numbers work. I know Bill and his wife from LaGrange Hobby shop personally. He owns the building free and clear. And on top of the shop there are like 4 apartments or so. Back when I lived in Chicago, that entire top floor was in ruins. Literally! Then he started clearing it and fixing it. I last saw Bill in 2006 and back then he told me that his wife's chiropractic clinic also took off. So you can't really compare his situation to anyone else's.

It is like the tiny paint shop, where I get my paints from. They pump their chest being the oldest in the area and how long they have survived…blah, blah, blah……But the reality is that my buddy Zach's grandfather owned the whole piece of prime land and built on it a tiny "shopping center" kinda thing with a huge parking. So now Zach has the paint shop, his sister a Salon next to it, then there are couple small stores (one is Smoker Friendly) and then there is a very popular Latino restaurant. So even if they lose a $1000 a month from the paint shop they are still making bank from the rent on the rest of the property.

Also I would like to note that as much as I would like to support my "local" shop, it is starting to make less and less sense. The closest shop to me is about 100 miles away. and pretty much anything in it I can get for half price online delivered to me in 3 days. My kid wants to build a model. He is 8 and likes the wacky show rods. So $40 for the Paddy Wagon from the shop after 3 hours lost in driving and $40 for gas, so my kid can practice?! Sorry, but that is not sustainable. I think that what is happening is only natural.

[MADDOG]

Wow. This just breaks my heart. Sign of the times I guess.

[Thatswhatshesaid]

As much as we all hate it, a new era is coming, called online shopping. Actually it has been coming for some time.

I think someday there will be hardly any brick and mortar stores, just places to pick up stuff you bought online. That goes for a lot of different buisnesses. Not just hobby shops.

Best Buy and Barnes and Noble are doomed.

[slusher]

If there was no internet it would be like the 70's again and hobby shops would thrive. You also do not have as many young model builders going to the hobby shop like most of us builds did in the 60's and 70's...

[Porscheman]

This is sad news. I grew up going to Al' s. At least I'll have some fond memories

[charlie8575]

Hmmm a hobby shop / deli...

Greasy fingers and kit parts don't mix well...

Hmm....actually...I wonder....

Uh oh, now I'm thinking, and those that know me know how dangerous that can be.

Charlie Larkin

[High octane]

Al's Hobby Shop has been on a "downhill slide" for a number of years and that's why I stopped going, especially since it was a good "hike" from my house as well, and I can't justify the gas just to go there and "look around." The same goes for Model Empire and Greenfield News & Hobby in Wisconsin, I used to take a spin up there and check out their stock every now and then, but not anymore at today's gas prices. Des Plaines Hobby Shop is okay, but I don't get there too often. Ron's Mundelein Hobbies has a good stock of model car kits, and of course it's big on trains also.

[jefropas]

I was there about 3 weeks ago and bought a kit, I had no idea it was gonna close, and nobody gave an inclination it was going to do so either. Very sad...

Jeff

[Robberbaron]

Sorry to hear about more Chicago area hobby shops closing.

That sucks! The ladies in the kit area always knew their stuff. I hadn't be there in ages! The Valparaiso Indiana hobby shop is done in June, after 47 years!

I didn't even know until recently that there even was a shop in Valpo, never had a chance to go there (don't get over that way much). Do they have much of a selection for car kits? I normally go to G&G in Griffith. They still carry a great car kit selection (almost the whole east wall of the shop. Parklane in Dyer is still going, but barely has anything except train stuff anymore. Ownership has changed a few times, and the last time I stopped in afew weeks ago, they had maybe only about 2 dozen car/truck kits...

[rmvw guy]

You guys are looking at it all wrong! There are thousands of little hobby shops across the country in our hobby rooms. Think about it, we have more kits in our stash than a lot of retail stores. I have friends that have hobby rooms well stocked as well as mine. We order supplies on-line the same way hobby shops do. I always wondered why I should go to the LHS to find what I need to only watch them order it on-line and tell me to come back in 2 or 3 days, when I can do the same thing and have it delivered to my door. Just put a sign up! Or you could have an on-line store.
On a lighter note they will be opening a new Michaels here soon.

Edited May 5, 2014 by rmvw guy

[TexMexSu]

I was there about 3 weeks ago and bought a kit, I had no idea it was gonna close, and nobody gave an inclination it was going to do so either. Very sad...

Jeff

The decision to close the doors was made Thursday evening. There are many rumors on the exact reasoning behind the decision but suffice it to say that the end result is still the same.

Gone.

Those that still frequented the store saw the decline in stock and the changes that preceded the closure.

A real shame as the girls in AL's model department (Cathy, Donna and Carol) were big supporters of our Model Car Contests back in the 1990's.