Phirewriter Posted January 19, 2015 Posted January 19, 2015 The owners of Happy Hobby actually accused us (GNH) of torching the National Ave location! Never mind all the building code violations and the general dirty, disorganized conditions in the store. I had it on good authority that they were close to having the building condemned due to all the violations and the general state of disrepair of the structure. And yes they are a really weird bunch, the family owns a couple of other businesses. They are all run in pretty much the same odd way. They seem to have not been socialized very well during their formative years.
southpier Posted January 19, 2015 Posted January 19, 2015 Phirewriter, on 10 Jan 2015 - 2:08 PM, said: ...... It is amazing, given their attitude towards customers much less all their other offbeat business practices, they have survived as long as they have. ... ha ha. guess you've never been to the Apponaug Color Shop (I think it's Apponaug Hobbies, now) in Apponaug, RI. 30 years ago, looking for stripwood the owner's son told me "we don't carry that any more because no one is crazy enough to buy it." there you go; another satisfied customer! internet business is thriving for many reasons.
Tom Geiger Posted January 19, 2015 Posted January 19, 2015 30 years ago, looking for stripwood the owner's son told me "we don't carry that any more because no one is crazy enough to buy it." Many years ago I asked a hobby shop owner why they didn't have the model car magazines. He rolled his eyes like I was an idiot and said, "Modelers want to build models, not read magazines!"
High octane Posted January 19, 2015 Posted January 19, 2015 And being a hobby shop owner, does that qualify him to give an answer like that? I know of MANY model car builders that have liked reading model car magazines for MANY years.
Tom Geiger Posted January 19, 2015 Posted January 19, 2015 And being a hobby shop owner, does that qualify him to give an answer like that? I know of MANY model car builders that have liked reading model car magazines for MANY years. It qualified him as an idiot!
Casey Posted January 20, 2015 Posted January 20, 2015 (No great loss there however) I disagree, and I bet I'm not alone in enjoying the experience of walking through an old, cramped hobby shop, surrounded by vintage kits, supplies, and basically walking into a time warp. It's an experience some of us enjoy, and we can look past the negatives (leaky roof, narrow, cramped aisles) and focus on the positives, especially the kits. HH has a pretty good selection of OOP kits, and while they aren't all steals, there are still plenty of good deals to be had if you know your stuff and are willing to look. Where else can you walk in and walk out with an MPC "Pumping Iron" Dodge pickup, IMC Lemon Popcycle, and a Monogram Chevy Luv Stepsider? They (at least the Burleigh store) have a good selection of supplies, too. I just found all three specific pieces of Evergreen sheet styrene I needed, two lengths of aluminum bar stock, some vintage Detail Master photo etch pieces, and a kit for a fellow forum member. I guess I liken HH to a salvage yard which has been open for many years and has lots of vintage vehicles. I would survive just fine if they disappeared, but the experience of walking through and finding a few hidden gems would be something I'd miss, and something which wasn't nor couldn't be equaled at any other hobby shop locally.
Phirewriter Posted January 20, 2015 Posted January 20, 2015 (edited) I guess if the Jones's weren't such a bunch of jerks I might feel differently. As stated I stopped going to Dennis's store and the north 76th store was run by Scott who wasn't much better. Cool junkyard or not, I have a problem handing my hard earned money to them. I've known Alex Geiger and his family (Milwaukee's original Hobbytown, now Model Empire) for many years and he's always been great to deal with. I have been able to find most everything I need hobbywise there or at Greenfield. Edited January 20, 2015 by Phirewriter
mikemodeler Posted January 21, 2015 Posted January 21, 2015 Actually our closing has nothing to do with online shopping or anything else for that matter. The owners simply wanted to retire - PERIOD! One of Milwaukee's oldest and best art supply stores (Artist and Display) is also closing this spring. Their reasons are exactly the same, they are a very successful business, however the owners are getting older just want to retire and enjoy life. With no family to take over the business they just pulled the plug and that's that!! It's a shame someone could not take over the operation but it is understandable why. I am sure the overhead for someone who didn't own the building would be high and there seemed to be at least 5 employees there when I used to stop in there (10 years ago) and they need to earn a living too and that would add to the costs. I think the reason why GNH is closing is probably true for many hobby shops- owners want to retire and there is no succession plan. I remember a hobby store in my hometown closed over 20 years ago when the owner died of a heart attack; his wife was left to figure out what to do and had no clue as he was a small shop. There was a friend or two who would help him run the place when he was on vacation but they couldn't pony up the cash for the business. She sold off the inventory as she was grieving the loss of her husband and no doubt was taken advantage of by some vultures.
TheRX7Project Posted February 8, 2015 Posted February 8, 2015 For those of you in the Milwaukee area, you may or may not know that one of the best, biggest hobby stores is closing their doors. Greenfield News and Hobby is closing after almost 50 years. The owners are retiring and couldn't find a buyer. Another great local shop we're losing to attrition. Sad to see this place go. They had anything and everything, from trains to r/c, from military models to art supplies. They were also the place to go for niche-market magazines, comics, and books. I wish the owners well in their retirement, and thank them for their dedication to hobbies. They put up a sign Wednesday and the place has already been pretty much cleared out. I was there today and there were lines like I've never seen before. I picked up a couple kits and a bunch of cans of assorted spray paints, and actually bought one of their store displays for my Hotwheels collection. If you have a chance, stop by, maybe you'll find a thing or two that you've been looking for. There's not a ton of model car stuff left.
High octane Posted February 8, 2015 Posted February 8, 2015 James, my friend and I stopped there last Wednesday morning at it was a zoo! Lot's of people there buying anything and everything. As long as we were in the neighborhood, we also stopped at the "Empire" and then at Hooters in Brookfield for lunch.
The70judgeman Posted February 8, 2015 Posted February 8, 2015 Stopped in a couple of times over the last week and picked up a lighted display case(see non model related thread), a model, and paint(see non auto model thread). Also talked to Jay for a few minutes. Sad to see the store go, but I understand where Jay was coming from and the reason(s) for closing the store. I wish him and his wife well in their future endeavors.
Phirewriter Posted February 9, 2015 Posted February 9, 2015 (edited) After the dust settles at GNH as Paul Harvey always said, stay tuned for the rest of the story. Edited February 9, 2015 by Phirewriter
TheRX7Project Posted February 10, 2015 Posted February 10, 2015 I hope there is more to the story but with the situation as it is I doubt it. So unfortunate.
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