A Chicago hobby landmark disappears

[fumi]

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.

Funny you mention Model Empire, I get a lot of kits from them regularly, which would probably not happen if not for the Internet.

Maybe the Internet didn't kill all the hobby shops, afterall.

[Tom Geiger]

Hmmm a hobby shop / deli...

hobby shop / liquor store ... maybe!

[Art Anderson]

FWIW,

Hobby shops have been closing ever since the first ones opened up roughly 80 years ago. Let's face it: The vast majority of hobby shops are just that, shops a/k/a "mom & pop" sole proprietor operations (regardless of whether or not they have "Inc." or "LLC" on their letterheads.

As such, they, like most small retail establishments, tend to be built around the interests and practices of their owners, and if successful, like Al's and Venture were for many years, their "formula" for success isn't necessarily something that can be packaged up, sold to a new owner wanting to get into the business. And of course, there's also the matter of location. While I'm not gonna comment one way or another as to the wisdom, over time, of a store such as the two mentioned, being in the wrong area, this has been the problem for many hobby shops over the decades (and a good number of other small retail establishments as well). What was a dynamite location at the outset or in the particular store's heyday may not always remain that way.

Another issue, of course, is the financial strength of whomever might buy up a successful retail business such as a hobby shop--that's almost always a huge obstacle to survival/success.

In short, too many unknowns here--but I agree, Al's will be missed, and for a long time to come.

Art

[ChrisBcritter]

So what will happen to the stock - off to eBay? I'm ashamed to admit I never heard of this place, but with Hobbytown USA being so close I haven't kept up.

[teardrop96]

I go to a placed called Hobby Town (Locally owned). I go during the week, it's less hassle driving than on the weekends. I have never seen more than 4 customers while I am there. I usually just buy paints, as I can get I can get kits online $5-7 cheaper. I am on a limited hobby budget, hence, I go that route.

[Joe Handley]

So what will happen to the stock - off to eBay? I'm ashamed to admit I never heard of this place, but with Hobbytown USA being so close I haven't kept up.

I know of a few people that bought some of the remaining R/C vehicles they had, one I think was owed money for special orders that were prepaid but never filled, so that could have been some of it.

[Joe Handley]

I go to a placed called Hobby Town (Locally owned). I go during the week, it's less hassle driving than on the weekends. I have never seen more than 4 customers while I am there. I usually just buy paints, as I can get I can get kits online $5-7 cheaper. I am on a limited hobby budget, hence, I go that route.

The customer count can change quickly during the week, we can go from just being myself and the owners in the store to all of us trying to help customers and run the registers and phones within moments and carry on for much of the afternoon.......usually right as there is a BIG order to try and price then stock.