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Author Topic: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?  (Read 23873 times)

Offline Frank Imbriaco

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AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« on: November 10, 2016, 04:08:27 PM »
Long, long  before Tower, Horizon Hobby, and all the other major hobby suppliers, there was AHC in NYC owned by Bernie Winston. Likely, the first mail order hobby supplier .Opened in 1931 , it advertised  full page ads in magazines like Model Airplane News, Flying Models, RCM Modeler and other magazines everything you needed for the model airplane fraternity- Free Flight , Ukie , R/C plus  powered cars, trains and boats. You know, back when everyone built and used silkspan, silk and dope.
Their discounts were excellent and if you were in the hobby during the 40s, 50s, and 60s , that was typically a modeler's  first stop.
 I remember their engine trade in program. Mail in any old engine , regardless of condition , and you got 25% off a new engine of your choice. Like most kids of the day, I had precious little money and swapping a tired O&R 23 for a new McCoy 35 back in 1964 was an amazing deal. Another time, I raided my coin collection and taped(both sides) Barbary quarters,  Mercury dimes and Buffalo nickels to buy a Berkeley Bulp Pup kit. They probably laughed and no doubt made out better), but they were dealing with an 11 year old kid...
Guys who lived in the city made  frequent trips to AHC, but it really wasn't a huge place. But  every square inch was utilized. One of their employees, Sam Bridges, was an ace combat flyer. I hear that he's in the Chicago area.

In the 80s, AHC sort of lost it's luster. Bernie had passed and the business had a much smaller profile under his son. I just googled them and what came up was a new address- but not sure if they are still in business.

Offline jose modesto

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2016, 04:45:35 PM »
Yes. Many times. Great place. Got to see Sam Bridges at a recent Nats,in muncy.
My good friend Milton Graham had a part time job at AHC
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Offline TigreST

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #2 on: November 10, 2016, 04:46:45 PM »
I use to look at those ads and dream.  I did order Model Railroad stuff from them once. A box of Athearn freight cars and a Miller mini air-pump and spray gun set.  Circa 1974-75 as I recall.  My dad was stationed at RAF Wethersfield in England at the time, excellent service to APO addresses as I recall.  The model plane stuff came later, but the local BX/PX at RAF Lakenheath did a not bad job of keeping Sterling kits and Fox engines in stock.

  
Tony Bagley
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Online peabody

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #3 on: November 10, 2016, 05:01:23 PM »
I visited their store in Manhattan and got to know Marshall a bit.....he didn't tolerate folk who just wanted to "look".....after all, it was New York!
You had to climb about 100 steps to get to the place, or so it seemed.
I did pique his interest once to the point that he invited me behind the counter and into the massive back room, which also had a stairway down a flight to what was the store bellow's mezzanine.....cool stuff, and not a computer in sight!

His son, Rob opened a branch in River Edge NJ , WITH a computer....he gave it a pretty good try.

Then the whole deal moved onto Kennedy Blvd with a warehouse and a RC car track on the roof.....

I only saw Marshall there once....

Offline Mike Keville

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2016, 05:27:31 PM »
Pretty much anyone over the age of 50 remembers those full-page AHC ads in 'Model Airplane News' (back before it became an RC rag).

I could be mistaken, but I think AHC's stock was bought-out by one Curtis Mattikow (aka 'Easytiger') sometime in the '90s.  Anyone know something about that?
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Offline proparc

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #5 on: November 10, 2016, 05:43:03 PM »
I was the first black person they ever hired. The first day there, I sold a $450.00 Graupner RC helicopter to a Frenchmen. The other sales people went ballistic. They said a black has no business being here, much less selling expensive equipment. I was just a young teenager at the time.

Milton "Proparc" Graham

Offline Jim Oliver

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #6 on: November 10, 2016, 05:47:49 PM »
Saw their ads many years ago in the "real" Model Airplane News, just inside the front cover.
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Offline Rick Bollinger

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #7 on: November 10, 2016, 05:58:24 PM »
I bought my first engine from them. I was maybe 14 saved and collected pop bottles and ordered a Cox golden bee. Seemed like forever before it came in the mail. it went on a brand new baby flite streak.
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Offline Tony Drago

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #8 on: November 10, 2016, 06:04:25 PM »
Mike. I had a long conversation with Curtis A few years back. AHC had a small show room for a hobby shop with the amount of inventory they had on had. ( Their customer service Sucked...) When Curtis bought them out. The inventory was astronomical to say the least and then some. There was a basement the size of the buildings foundation. Plus another 7 sub basements each about a 5th the size of the main basement... I could relate  about the size of basements being like that. My grandparents owned a grocery store back in the day. The model train inventory was around $2,000,000.00 alone. When they ordered product it was always by the case. Inventory control needless to say was nonexistent...  Curtis had to rent a airplane hanger to warehouse it all, about the size to house 4 single engine planes to relate to the
size of the inventory.
 He also bought out Elmer Roth's Hobby's warehouse inventory sometime in the late 90's. That was 2-18 wheelers loaded to the gills.

Offline dennis lipsett

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #9 on: November 10, 2016, 06:55:16 PM »
All that I remember about AHC was the crappy engines they produced and hoodwinked the modeling public with. Bad kits, never had the items that I really wanted and their service flat out sucked. Oh and those catalogues continuously advertised items that had gone out of production long ago. For laughs we used to call to order one and berate the guy who answered the phone why he didn't have it if it was in their catalogue. after all we were W/A teenagers. I remember the empty cases with old catalogues on them the very last time I ever wasted my time going there. In comparison Polks was modelling heaven.
They were at the WRAMS show and a friend of mine bought about $300.00 worth of engines and stuff. He asked about a bag for some of the items and the old lady complained that those bags cost her a nickel apiece. That was the AHC I remember.
Good riddance to them.
Dennis

Offline Tony Drago

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #10 on: November 10, 2016, 07:10:52 PM »
Wasn't aware AHC produced their own engines.

Online Paul Smith

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #11 on: November 10, 2016, 07:18:05 PM »
I mail ordered a lot stuff from AHC in the 1957-1960 time frame.  Then I was able to get LHS's including Royal Craft & Joe's.

I had a very negative experience with "easytiger" on one of my first Ebay deals.  He was kicked of "the bay" soon after due to many other borderline deals and bad feedback.   

When I mentioned his "handle" at club meeting everybody's hand instinctively went to their wallet.
Paul Smith

Online Dan Berry

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #12 on: November 10, 2016, 08:03:52 PM »
Wasn't aware AHC produced their own engines.

It was called a Deezil. Horrible engine. One problem was the liner would rock in the case.
Mark Troutman has won a FF event with one and that REALLY augers Bill Schmidt!


I walked up the stairs to AHC in the 80s. I was expecting to enter a fantastic place and I was underwhelmed.
The guy working the counter was pretty much a vinegar/water solution dispenser.
I heard a story about a wholesaler who got stiffed real big right before they shut down.

Offline Tony Drago

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #13 on: November 10, 2016, 08:23:57 PM »
Thank you for clearing that up.
  I called and ordered a Jetco Sabre Stunt back in the day. They didn't even put it in a shipping box  or a brown paper wrap. They just put brown gummed shipping tap around the box. Totally messing up the box label. At least the kit wood was very good.

Offline john e. holliday

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #14 on: November 10, 2016, 08:55:29 PM »
When the folks decided to move to southern Missouri my Junior year of high school I would order stuff from them.   If not in stock they would supply a better item.   Still have the little booklets they include with my order.   Usually my brothers would ask what I needed and bring it down from Charley's Hobby Shop in KCK.  Then I moved back to KCK in late 62.   Had no need for them after that.   By the way did get to Polks in Chicago while at the 70 NATS.  My brother and my self were in awe.
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Online Brett Buck

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #15 on: November 10, 2016, 08:59:54 PM »
I was the first black person they ever hired. The first day there, I sold a $450.00 Graupner RC helicopter to a Frenchmen. The other sales people went ballistic. They said a black has no business being here, much less selling expensive equipment

   Bastards.

    Brett

Offline BYU

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #16 on: November 10, 2016, 09:21:45 PM »
I was the first black person they ever hired. The first day there, I sold a $450.00 Graupner RC helicopter to a Frenchmen. The other sales people went ballistic. They said a black has no business being here, much less selling expensive equipment. I was just a young teenager at the time.



Appalling and ignorant behavior. And more the worse as you were young and impressionable.

Online Brett Buck

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #17 on: November 10, 2016, 09:41:42 PM »
Appalling and ignorant behavior. And more the worse as you were young and impressionable.

  Completely despicable, but I bet they didn't have even a twinge of conscience about it. I grew up in the south and I saw crap like this all the time.

    For the most part, people who do things like this are of such limited capability that they *have* to find excuses for their shortcomings by finding someone to pick on or scapegoat. They feel threatened by anyone showing even the slightest spark of capability.

 I think this sort of overt racism is largely a thing of the past. The new versions are far more subtle and far more insidious - undermining success to try to keep minorities of all types dependent on the largesse of others. And yes, that's a political point.

     Brett

Offline Bill Adair

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #18 on: November 10, 2016, 09:51:48 PM »
Well said Brett!

Years ago, my wonderful Grandfather ordered my first model airplane engine (OK Cub .049 original), and some kind of hollow log kit from AHC. I had no fuel, and no battery, so neither kit, nor engine every made it into the air!

Years later he bought me a McCoy .049 diesel, and a Jim Walker Firebaby ARF, both of which flew great.

I taught myself, and all my farm friends (both of them)  ;D to fly with that combo. We enjoyed many flights that Summer, until the poor Firebaby got so fuel soaked, it wouldn't stay together.

I used to drool over the AHC slag engine ads, but Grandpa was a little wiser than I, and no doubt saved me a lot of grief by not ordering any of them.

Bill
Not a flyer (age related), but still love the hobby!

Offline Norm Furutani

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #19 on: November 10, 2016, 09:58:08 PM »
As a kid, I used to dream over the AHC and the centerfold Scientific ads. Circling the items I wanted, hoping Dad would fulfill my wish. He never did, worst, he would laugh at me with that "you don't know what you're wishing for" look. Instead, he would come home with goodies like an AJ FireCat with an Enya 29 (airflow exaust) or the best, a California Models Spacer with a Torp 23. When the Spacer was finished, we went to Vessels Ranch and got Sal Taibi to help trim it!
Later in life, I lusted after a Yamaha 80 motorbike. Dad said I should get a Hodaka. I laughed at my Dad and said you don't know what you're taking about, it's not Hodaka, it's called a Honda! Dad said get in the car- went to Hockies motorcycle shop, came home with a Hodaka!

Back on topic- later as an adult, I placed an order for a half dozen kits with AHC. Only got one and shipping was twice the cost of the kit. Dad was gone, but I could here him laughing!

Norm

Offline Keith Renecle

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #20 on: November 10, 2016, 10:37:08 PM »
On my first ever overseas trip in 1989 I was in Manhattan and I just had to see AHC that I had seen since the 60's in the model mags. Like someone said, I was also underwhelmed because I had visions of this huge, glamorous hobby shop. I saw just one stocky guy named Marshall in there and there was a lady customer with a young boy before me. She asked Marshall in a very larney voice "I would like to buy something for my son that doesn't break". Marshall replied in a loud voice.........."Lady, everything in my shop breaks, NEXT!" I was almost afraid to be ........NEXT, but I did buy a Carl Goldberg Stuntman and a Cox Black Widow for a good price and way less than I would pay in South Africa. Marshall was however not too unfriendly to me.

Keith R
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Offline Andre Ming

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #21 on: November 11, 2016, 04:47:53 AM »
Ah, AHC. Dreamed n' schemed about some of the kits there. Still well remember the Sneeker, and its ilk being advertised.

Norm said:

"Dad said get in the car- went to Hockies motorcycle shop, came home with a Hodaka!"

I'll bet 'cha still don't have the Hodaka, huh? Too bad if'n you don't. Vintage vinduro bikes are fun.  Here's my latest acquistions:

1973 DKW (German mfg.)...




1972 Zundapp (German mfg.)...




Searching to find my new place in this hobby!

Offline Jim Oliver

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #22 on: November 11, 2016, 06:04:32 AM »
I was the first black person they ever hired. The first day there, I sold a $450.00 Graupner RC helicopter to a Frenchmen. The other sales people went ballistic. They said a black has no business being here, much less selling expensive equipment. I was just a young teenager at the time.



Hard to believe racism would exist in liberal New York.........(sarcasm)
Racism is a heart problem, not a geography problem.
« Last Edit: November 11, 2016, 06:54:03 AM by Jim Oliver »
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Offline Frank Imbriaco

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #23 on: November 11, 2016, 06:16:54 AM »
I'd believe that the service AHC gave in the 50s and 60s when Bernie Winston ran the business was actually quite good. Yes, things came slow- there wasn't Priority Mail , Fed X or UPS. Just lowly Parcel Post, but the shipping was cheap by today's standards. And, I don't recall ever getting stiffed back them. They treated young customers quite well.

There was a definite change when Marshall Winston took over in the 70s.  No doubt, he was short on social graces. Like others, I was turned off by his curt behavior ;particularly at the WRAM Show . He had a hustler's approach.

Too bad he wasn't like his Dad who truly knew the hobby. I still have my little handbook " Glow Engine Guide". Bernie wrote that and others.

Anyway, the mag ads gave me something to dream about when I was a kid .

Online Ara Dedekian

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #24 on: November 11, 2016, 07:09:09 AM »
Pretty much anyone over the age of 50 remembers those full-page AHC ads in 'Model Airplane News' (back before it became an RC rag).

I could be mistaken, but I think AHC's stock was bought-out by one Curtis Mattikow (aka 'Easytiger') sometime in the '90s.  Anyone know something about that?



         The story of Easytiger Models can be found on the Hip Pocket Builders' Forum, described by Easytiger (Curtis Mattikow?) himself. It was on, I think, around the end of last year when he started a build thread. Tried to find the link and put it on here but I'm computer challenged when it comes to gleaning past info off these forums.

        Ara 

Offline tom hampshire

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #25 on: November 11, 2016, 10:24:07 AM »
         I had one bad time with Marshall, circa 1972.  Went to the city, wanted a 26.995 Ace pulse rig, on sale for about $23.  Asked Marshall for it and he snarled that he could not do a frequency spec.  So the black kid clerking there walked back halfway around the shelves, where I could see him but Marshall couldn't.  He then held up the items until I nodded to him that the brown flag (26.995) was the one I wanted.  He brought it up, made the sale and I went on my way.  I dunno why it took an act of rebellion to give the customer what he wanted, but Godspeed to him anyway.  Marshall W. never got another nickel from me.

Offline Terry Caron

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #26 on: November 11, 2016, 10:27:47 AM »
I also pored over those late 50's AHC ads, trying to decide which plane I would buy IF I had any money. And oh! a kit and engine combo!! Don't dare to even dream!  ;D
The thought of something built by my own hands that could actually FLY was enthralling! And it still is to this day.
While I never ordered from them, in 1957 my older brother managed to order the kit (don't remember which) that began our journey into model building and flying.
So my memories are all good.
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Offline Fredvon4

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #27 on: November 11, 2016, 10:35:09 AM »
I remember well the AHC adds, and like so many like minded kids circling and saving and coveting and wishing

Army brat mostly overseas and fortunately the PX/BX system (or Sears catalog) kept my dad and us kids fulfilled with enough hobby free time stuff...that and the HeathKit catalog

We never ordered from ACH, but during the same time, I did save my allowance for crap from the back of comic books.... Dad let me do it  ( I am sure as an object lesson)

I can not comment on the business or quality...but I fondly remember the winter days reading every inch of the ACH ads and dreaming
"A good scare teaches more than good advice"

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Offline Scott Richlen

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #28 on: November 11, 2016, 07:18:29 PM »
Back when NVCL hosted its first or second Musciano Contest Curtis Mattikow attended.  In the back of his Explorer he had these huge Tupperware trays of .049 engine parts from engines I had never seen before.  Growing up we bought Cox 049s and we saw the OK Cub advertisements in the magazines.  But there must have been a lot of manufacturers churning out small engines...

Offline Steve Helmick

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #29 on: November 12, 2016, 12:34:59 AM »
A couple of our group in Pullman, WA, ordered steel fin Fox .15/Ringmaster Jr. combos from AHC, including me. About $8.99? I recall that service was slow, taking a good month or likely more. USPS might have been a part of that, or maybe they held Mom's check until it cleared? That was enough for me, I guess, because I didn't repeat that exercise in frustration.  :P Steve
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Offline Roy DeCamara

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #30 on: November 12, 2016, 12:55:53 AM »
I remember the AHC ads in the model magazines.  They listed stores in several city's. New York, Chicago and San Francisco come to mind.  Sometime during the summer of 1950, I ordered a BUZZ 35 from the San Francisco store.  The BUZZ was listed in several sizes up through a 60.  I think the price for the BUZZ35 was $4.95 plus s&h.  The motor was a real piece of junk, what we today call a "slag" motor.  The piston had two grooves, but no rings.  I guess maybe they were there to help lube the cylinder and piston.  The thing was made like a Chevy Vega.  I mounted the thing on a block of wood and did actually get it to run briefly a couple of times.  It vibrated badly and never would have worked in a model.  I never ever bought anything else from AHC!!!  I guess as a ten year old boy, I sent in the money and hoped for the best.  I wonder how many of those things they actually sold??

Offline Dennis Moritz

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #31 on: November 12, 2016, 04:34:14 AM »
Marshall did all right. He sold the air rights and building on 23rd and sixth.

My best friend and I took the D train. Or rode our bikes. Went up there often. Save a fifty cent allowance in the late fifties and it was possible to buy what we needed. We were kids. Real kids. Flying UC wherever we could. Dealt with the father and the other old guys. Always sold stuff as featured in the add. Loved the newspaper print catalogues. A post World War II catalogue of what was available in the hobby. Better discounts were elsewhere. Rays in Brooklyn or Jamaica Queens sold Fox35s and Johnsons for around five bucks.The British engines in the display cases of AHC always fascinated me. Polks was strictly list price by the way. In the early 21st century, as I got back into the hobby, desperately needing R and R, I tried to find AHC at the old address. Gone. I stumbled on an AHC add somewhere. For a short time Marshall had opened a retail store near Broadway in the 30's I believe. There he was. Hairpiece flopped askew. Barking like on Orchard Street. "This business cost me three marriages and most of my money. Dammit, I'm doing it again." Faded. Gone. No current record of AHC.

Offline Frank Imbriaco

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #32 on: November 12, 2016, 05:48:33 AM »
Dennis :
You probably also remember Brown's Hobby ( not to be confused with George Brown's shop in Staten Island) in NYC ,too. The wife asked a friend who worked in the city to pick up some stuff for me there. Still have my  shellac -coated  R/C  plywood flight box from them ; circa 1974.

Some finishing comments about AHC. The president(co-founder) of the Union Model Airplane Club (Union , NJ) in the 40s,50s and 60s was Mr. Vernon Davies. I never called him by his first name because he came to our weekly meetings wearing a suit and tie. Mr. Davies worked in NYC and had an arrangement with Bernie Winston. AT EVERY Thursday nite meeting , he took our orders on small slips of paper for kits, engines, props , glue - you name it and delivered it the FOLLOWING week at the Thursday meeting. Repeat and repeat. Oh, and we got all of it at 40% off !!!

The club had nearly 100 members , most of whom were kids. Fellow members Larry Scarinzi, Bob Hunt, Red Reinhardt, John D'Ottavio and many others all benefitted from Mr. Davies and Bernie Winston's belief that kids were essential to the hobby.

Suddenly (and sadly), Mr. Davies didn't show one Thursday meeting- he had retired and phiff ! - the deals were gone.

Scarinzi began a hobby business of sorts -selling out of the trunk of his big black 58 Dodge. It was rumored that he hooked up with Bernie as his supplier.
By that time(1969-70), other big hobby outlets appeared on the scene.

I will always remember the news print AHC ads -with the cartoon" little guys" leaping for joy or holding a megaphone or some other emphatic expression , announcing/referring to this price and that sale...
 Today, the internet has no such  memorable catch. Kids of our day will never forget this stuff. Kids of today will never remember the internet ads because they come in a blur and so frequently. I stared at each and every AHC ad to the point I could memorize them. Looking back, I  probably would've done much better in school had my mind been free of that clutter.


Offline C.T. Schaefer

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #33 on: November 12, 2016, 07:16:20 AM »
Ditto on that last sentence Frank. For me it was airplanes and then Hot Rod mags. No hot rods of course. That took money! But the dreams they inspired.........

Offline Ted Fancher

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #34 on: November 12, 2016, 01:48:28 PM »
Don't remember the year but on my very first New York layover the first place I "had" to find was AHC!  Wandered around looking for this fabulous hobby skyscraper.  Eventually discovered the stairway!  Wow!

On the good side I strolled around and around looking at every nook and cranny, amazed at the conglomeration of "stuff".

The wandering ended when the man behind the counter advised I would have to buy something, leave or be escorted out; my choice.

Thus the first was the last visit.  I'd grown up in hobby shops where you could shoot the whatever for hours...usually with the proprietor.

Ted

Offline Ward Van Duzer

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #35 on: November 12, 2016, 02:24:48 PM »
Wow! Frank from UMAC! When I finally got a real job on 23rd St. in NYC I HAD to go to 22nd st just to check it out. By that time I was married with chillun's but yes, AHC got me fired up again. I had mail ordered from them while in private school in New Bloomfield, PA. Never a problem...But Marshall's venomous voice  became a source of entertainment for me. Then one day I took my new bride to the store (fully warning her of what to expect). As expected, he teed of on me, and I learned something about my new bride! Man, she cut him off at the knees........... He never teed off on me again!

Off subject: Mr. Davies, what a guy! I'll bet you remember TightNine Clear dope and mystery fuel by the gallon! And little Bobby Hunt tripping over your lines. And "Red" flying fuel soaked airplanes it 55 gallon drum trash barrels. Fox .35's bolted to the picnic tables with fuel lines stuck in a can of Testors 39.

Ah yes!

Ward-O
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They are easier to handle than dumb mistakes!  Ward-O AMA 6022

Offline Avaiojet

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #36 on: November 12, 2016, 03:38:21 PM »
I believe I purchased my Aristocraft Grumman F3F from AHC. But it could have been Polk's Hobby, I believe also in NY.

Trump Derangement Syndrome. TDS. 
Avaiojet Derangement Syndrome. ADS.
Amazing how ignorance can get in the way of the learning process.
If you're Trolled, you know you're doing something right.  Alpha Mike Foxtrot. "No one has ever made a difference by being like everyone else."  Marcus Cordeiro, The "Mark of Excellence," you will not be forgotten. "No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot."- Mark Twain. I look at the Forum as a place to contribute and make friends, some view it as a Realm where they could be King.   Proverb 11.9  "With his mouth the Godless destroys his neighbor..."  "Perhaps the greatest challenge in modeling is to build a competitive control line stunter that looks like a real airplane." David McCellan, 1980.

Offline Dennis Moritz

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #37 on: November 12, 2016, 04:20:38 PM »
Yep 22nd St. D Train stops at 23rd.


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Offline Frank Imbriaco

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #38 on: November 12, 2016, 04:35:07 PM »
Off subject: Mr. Davies, what a guy! I'll bet you remember TightNine Clear dope .



Ward-O
[/quote

Ward : Like so many of that era,  Vernon Davies was a man of the times. Never a cuss word ,kind with kids and never an
argument. A perfect gentleman and representative of the hobby. How refreshing. Where have they all gone ?
Scarinzi and I had a recent conversation about Tite Nine.  His ancient fleet still looks great and he used that stuff exclusively . Young Hunt a line tripper ? Not long ago, our group( Weider ,Hampshire) were out for some line jerkin'. Bob instructed me to hold the handle/lift the lines  so that they weren't in contact with the ground. Naturally, I faded out  and when he reach me at the center of the circle ,  he wasn't all smiles.

Offline Mark Mc

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #39 on: November 12, 2016, 05:50:47 PM »
Wow!  I never knew AHC was so bad.  I bought my first radio controlled airplane rig from an AHC ad in flying Models.  Back around '79, I think.  It was a Kyosho Papillon with a Futaba 2-channel radio.  I don't remember if it was a package deal or not.  The directions were in Japanese, and I'd never built a plane before.  The results weren't pretty.  It flew exactly once, and that was because I tried and crashed it so many times and repaired it each time with thread and glue that one day it must have magically balanced out just right.  But the landing broke something off, and the new thread and glue threw it back out of balance it it never successfully flew again.  Ah, the joys of self discovery...

Mark

Offline Mike Keville

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #40 on: November 12, 2016, 06:28:32 PM »
". . . the man behind the counter advised I would have to buy something, leave or be escorted out; my choice."
Ted
===================================================
Obviously didn't realize who he was talking to!   LL~

FORMER member, "Academy of Multi-rotors & ARFs".

Offline Tom Niebuhr

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #41 on: November 12, 2016, 08:07:39 PM »
Yep been there many times. I took Linda there on a visit from St Louis when we were engaged. She couldn't believe the caustic Marshall. I just laughed.

Milt.
I didn't know you worked there. I am sure glad that you are now with us in Texas, my friend.
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Online Ara Dedekian

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #42 on: November 12, 2016, 10:13:35 PM »
Pretty much anyone over the age of 50 remembers those full-page AHC ads in 'Model Airplane News' (back before it became an RC rag).

I could be mistaken, but I think AHC's stock was bought-out by one Curtis Mattikow (aka 'Easytiger') sometime in the '90s.  Anyone know something about that?


        Found it!

Online Ara Dedekian

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #43 on: November 12, 2016, 10:20:03 PM »
        Found it!


          Failed to mention that Reply #48 has the AHC info.

          Ara

Offline Ted Fancher

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #44 on: November 12, 2016, 11:09:05 PM »
===================================================
Obviously didn't realize who he was talking to!   LL~



At the time, Mike, neither did I!

Ted

Offline Dennis Moritz

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #45 on: November 13, 2016, 12:57:36 AM »
Hi Frank,
My friends and I lived downtown on the Lower East Side. We never made it up to the Bronx, where Brown's was. (Was Brown's in the Bronx?) It would have taken an hour to get up there by subway, if we had known about it. Someone told us about Ray's. Price was right. We took the Jamaica line out there. I think it's the L-Train now. The swaying wooden elevated of that era freaked me out. Too far to bike ride. We rode our bikes all over Manhattan tho. Sometimes in the snow. These days, driving through Manhattan in my Civic, I wonder how we did it. Was traffic thinner then? We felt safe enough. Too bad Van Cortlaund Park was over an hour away. We heard stories of great times there. Gene Martine told me a few years back that he rode the subway with his airplane, traveling up to Van Courtlandt Park.

Offline Bruce Hautamaki

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #46 on: November 13, 2016, 04:21:03 PM »
  Found this is a book....  The name of Gotham Hobby is closely linked with America's Hobby Center ( AHC ) because both organizations were founded by brothers of the Winston family. AHC was started by four Winston brothers before WW2. When WW2 started, two brothers took their share of AHC and went into the service. When they returned the remaining two brothers were not interested in having the returning brothers rejoin AHC. Therefore, the returning two brothers started Gotham Hobby. Gotham made engines like the Deezil and other bargain engines. Bruce

Offline Tony Drago

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #47 on: November 13, 2016, 07:48:57 PM »
 According to their adds, Browns Hobby Shop was across the street from the Van Courtland Park in the Bronx. Which is 1,100+ acers. 
 The story goes a free flight plane it a car. That ended all model airplane flying.

Offline Garf

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #48 on: November 13, 2016, 11:25:51 PM »
I bought a couple of combos (engine & kit) from AHC. Tword the end, I bought the TF Tudor kit from them. I still have it.

Offline bob jablonski

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Re: AHC( America's Hobby Center) - Who remembers it ?
« Reply #49 on: November 14, 2016, 01:36:58 PM »
Ah, AHC. Dreamed n' schemed about some of the kits there. Still well remember the Sneeker, and its ilk being advertised.

Norm said:

"Dad said get in the car- went to Hockies motorcycle shop, came home with a Hodaka!"

I'll bet 'cha still don't have the Hodaka, huh? Too bad if'n you don't. Vintage vinduro bikes are fun.  Here's my latest acquistions:

1973 DKW (German mfg.)...


I still have may 1947 Hodaka and 1974 Canam 250
Mr. Bob
Countyline Hobbies
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1972 Zundapp (German mfg.)...







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