This is an interesting question! I would bet it's in Southern California some where, but I guess you never know. Here in the St. Louis area, it would be Schaefer's Hobby. I think it's on it's third generation. Some of you old timers out there that have been to town through the years and visited the shop on Virginia Ave. in south St. Louis know of that location. It was in what we call the "scrubby Dutch" neighborhood of town back in the day. My Mom was raised in that neighborhood. She said that she used to go to Schaefer's as a teen age girl to get sewing and bead craft stuff, before it was in the location at Virginia Ave. and Meramac St. I think she said the Art Sr's dad started it out of their basement in a four family flat south of corner location that some of you may remember. My Mom was 87 when she passed away in 2013, so that may give you some idea. I remember their add in the Yellow Pages that mentioned, at the time years ago, 60 some odd years in business. Art Jr. runs the store now near Gravois Rd. and Lindbergh Blvd., not far from Buder Park. Might not be the oldest in the country but it has been around a while! If you have ever been in the old shop, you will be pleased to know that they still have some of the old control line models that used to hang in there on the wall at the newer location. Planes like Kostecky's Formula S, one of the original Tucker Specials, and numerous other speed models and such, along side a Yellow Jackets club shirt!
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee
Topic: Oldest hobby store in activity (Read 1702 times)