The Local Hobby Shop

[Ed Neuzil]

I guess I am fortunate in living within 1/2 mile of a large hobby
shop - but after an 8-year absence, boy have things changed.

The shop is (was) one of the largest RC aircraft oriented hobby
shops in the area, but they had many things useful to C/L, even
a few Brodak kits. They had hundreds of airplane kits in 2004,
but now just a handful of kits. They have quite a few ARF/RTF
planes, almost all of the electric foamie type.

In 2004, they had the biggest selection of IC engines I had ever
seen, from .049 to big gassers. Now they have a handful of OS
2-stroke, and Saito 4-stroke. They used to have a huge supply
of engine parts - NVAs, needles, backplates, venturis, carbs, etc.
What is left of that, about a dozen pieces, are in a clearance bin.
They seem to be moving to electrics, there is a decent selection of
those.

In 2004, they had an enormous selection of wood; balsa, spruce,
maple, basswood, specialty shaped pieces. Now, they only have
a basic selection of balsa and basswood, half of it out-of-stock,
and what they do have is of questionable quality and often
badly warped. They have no plans to rebuild stocks to their
former levels.

They still have a decent selection of parts, such as DuBro, Sullivan,
SIG, & Hangar 9. But their finishing supplies are a shadow of what
they used to be. No dope, a few cans of LustreKote. They carry
Monokote & Ultracote, but are out of about half the colors they
stock.

About the only plus is they now carry SIG fuel; formerly they only
had Wildcat & Omega.

The only departments which seem to have increased in size and
stock are RC cars/trucks, & RC helicopters.

They used to have a large model rocket section, which has been
reduced to a few feet of shelf space. They discontinued model
railroading completely.

I found out the store has changed ownership 3 times since 2004, the
second owner nearly ran it into bankruptcy even before the economy
tanked.

Going there, I used to have to be careful not to go hog-wild
buying more than I should. Now, going in there is just depressing,
remembering what it *used* to be like.

[john e. holliday]

This sounds like the local shop I still frequent.   Was not all that big, but they usually had what I needed at the time.  Went in to get some balsa and was appalled at the selection they had.  Same with the SIG dope they used to have a lot of.  Wanted some 1/2A props and there smallest prop was 7-5 or 7-6.  Was told nobody flies 1/2A any more.  Now I only go in to buy CA or SIG glue.  The Ambroid they carry is the little itty tubes of glue.  I am use to the 4 ounce tubes.  So now I wait until I get an order big enough to order from Lone Star for balsa and Brodak for the other stuff.  I do get my props from MBS Model Supply when I need them.  Also lines in bulk from MBS Model Supply.  I mean almost $20.00 for a set of .015 cable that are not even made up yet.   But, I am glad we have CLC(Control Line Central),  RSM Dist. and another place I get engine parts from.

[Steve Helmick]

One of the problems with being (staying) in business, is that as product prices increase, you have to increase the price you put on the stuff you already have in stock. The reason escapes many, but fact is that you have to replace that kit with a new one that costs more, and if you don't increase the selling price of the old one, you have to dig into your savings and invest more $ into your inventory. Eventually, it comes down to carrying less and less, stocking 3 kits instead of 4, 3 engines instead of 4, etc.

You're lucky. Our LHS went out of business Memorial Day Weekend. They didn't have chit for the last 3 or 4 years. Nobody understood why they bothered to open the doors.  Steve

[dankar]

There are a few H/Shops here in Tucson.  One is big into brain dead Rc car guys. The one close to me makes me wonder how they keep the door open. No new stock in a couple years. Foam cooler aircraft and electric. Electric stuff is vintage. I was going to put a few RC planes up for sale but afaid one day door will be locked and hobby shop a thing of history. They do import some hi-end big RC birds and may keep it going. plus they are doing fibreglass moulds and foam cores of vintage Pattern ships. Depressing to go there. Online is only game in town I guess ?

[Tim Wescott]

I used to own my  own business, five years and two months.. In some states you have to pay an inventory tax, thus it does not pay to keep things in stock over a year. The taxes eat up any profit, take up space you want to use for what SELLS. Not what looks good to the guys that just look. This plus it is now much easier to go on line and order exactly what you want and have it in 48 hours. Saves on sales tax, gas, time, etc., and  stoopid hobby shop help. The shipping is even less than the above.

Our local hobby shop will order in just about anything in the Tower or Hanger 9 catalogs -- then sell it to you for what you could get it from those folks, only without the shipping charges.

'course, I'm in Oregon where we don't have sales tax.

[Howard Rush]

MBS is my local hobby shop.

[bob jablonski]

I used to own Starlight Model Rockets (which I closed last year) our yearly production was 8,000-10,000 kits a year. I went to the hobby shows (as a manufacturer) and talked to numerous hobby shop owners I had 4 distributors and sold direct to over 60 shops.  The consensus was between the internet and Greatplanes selling through Tower Hobbies at nearly the dealer cost and the lack of mark up. A typical 4 channel R/C radio had to be sold at "street price" not MSRP so  the profit after shipping is $15.00 - $20.00. The traditional Hobby shops are dying, (unless they sell on the internet one shop told me 70% of there revenue came off the web) Ad that to more folks are not building any more. that's why the RTF planes and diecast models and RTR R/C cars are so big.  The last 4 years of Starlight I gave away over 2,000 kits and sold 3,000 kits at cost for National Model Rocket Day, just to try and get more interest in kids building something and getting off the video games. ( video games....another thing hurting the shops). I could go on but you get the idea.
Bob Jablonski 

[Bill Little]

While I do have a Hobby Lobby about 20 minutes away (recently opened), I feel my "local" Hobby Shop is about an hour away (used to be less, but security at Ft. Bragg/Pope AFB) has changed that.

One of the owners is a member here, Alan Hayes.  The shop is Hayes Hobby Shop in Fayetteville, NC.  I have been doing there for almost 50 years!  It is the epitome of the old time Hobby Shop and the people who own/work there know about everything they sell.  Same family owned all these years and outstanding service.  You can basically get what you need for any craft/hobby, and if not, it will be ordered for you.  My thanks to the Hayes family for their service to the hobby for so long!

Bill

[Mike Griffin]

You would think that a city the size of New Orleans would have a couple of really great hobby shops.  Well they don't.  The best one we have is an hour away in Baton Rouge.  When I lived in Georgia, Mac Hodges had a wonderful hobby shop out in the middle of nowhere surrounded by cotton fields.  Mac has the big B29 Bomber that drops the X15 from its belly.  If you ever have the chance to see this at Joe Nall or any RC event you should make it a point to see it.  Even as great as Mac's shop (Hodges Hobbies) was, 99% was geared toward RC planes and helicopters.  A few things for control line but not a lot.

It is people like Eric Rule, John Brodak, Tom Morris and other cottage specialty suppliers that furnish what we need that keep control line going for us.  The majority of models that fly today are RC fixed wing and rotary and that is what these kids and big kids want.  They come from China as a ARF or RTF package and that is what the generation of today wants.  INSTANT GRATIFICATION and that just does not apply to modeling, it is everything in their lives today.

I think the true control line hobbyist is a dying breed.  The guy or gal who either builds from a kit or scratch builds from a set of plans is fast disappearing.  The hard core stunt guys will always build and finish their own ships but a lot of weekend warriors just had rather buy a ARF or RTF from China and throw it together and go fly.  Guys like me, who love to take a pile of balsa and perhaps a plan and create something that might take months to finish are getting few and far between.  I would say that 95% of them are on this forum.

I hate to see control line fade into the past (and it might go kicking and screaming) but I hear of many more who have left the hobby or passed away than are getting into the hobby today.  To me it will be a lost art when it goes...there is absolutely nothing like the feel of your airplane on the end of those wires.  It makes you one with the plane and that is a feeling you cannot ever have with Remote Control.

Mike

[john e. holliday]

Well I visited the local hobby shop in Topeka last Saturday, Dee & Mee's Hobby.  I walked into the shop seeing all kinds of ARF RC planes.  Also one wall covered with packages of stuff for Heli's, planes and cars.   Found a fuel tank  I want to get when and if I get back in there.  Some arts and craft things, plastic kits and some electric trains.  Walked around the store with another couple that was there also.  None of us was approached as to what we needed or was looking for.  Never did find the propellors.   Seen the engines & motors on the way out.  It may be a while before I get back there again.

[Andrew Hathaway]

In Dee & Mee's defense, a few years ago I heard they had some really good deals on C/L stuff, so we made the drive over.  In talking to the guy behind the counter (owner?) he explained that the C/L items weren't selling.  He was very happy to sell the items I bought that day.  The last time I was there (it's been a few years) they still had far more C/L specific items than any other hobby shop I've visited in the last 17 years.  When we lived in Topeka and visited various local hobby shops out of town, the only C/L specific items we found were usually old stock in the bottom of some bargain bin.  You can't really expect them to stock items that don't sell, or restock items that have been sitting on a shelf for years. 

[bob jablonski]

This may not be the place to add this (Mr. moderator if this is not the correct area could you move this?). After closing my model rocket company (Starlight model rockets) I took some time off and then opened County Line Cycles Last fall in  M/C trade magazine there was an article on M/C shops adding gun shops etc. so it got the gears turning and took a corner of the shop and put in a mini hobby shop. We will concentrate on model rockets and airplanes (including  good amount of C/L). We will be starting the hobby end for Black Friday weekend with 15% off all rocket and airplane kits. Any manufacturers looking for another vender shoot me  PM.
Bob Jablonski
County Line Cycles and Hobbies
11960 E. 500 North
Grovertown, IN.
574-767-0660
M-F 10:00 - 3:00 Sat 10:00 - 5:00 EST 

[FLOYD CARTER]

The successful local hobby shop must be just that: hobby.  Hobby includes toys, feathers, beads, trains, kites, and anything else of general appeal.  Our local shop has been in business 79 years!  They carry 90% of everything I need.

F.C.

[Paul Taylor]

The successful local hobby shop must be just that: hobby.  Hobby includes toys, feathers, beads, trains, kites, and anything else of general appeal.  Our local shop has been in business 79 years!  They carry 90% of everything I need.

F.C.

Floyd,
Are you talking about Tammie's in Beverton?
Been there. It is a great hobby shop. It does have a little of everything and a lot of model plane stuff.

I am going to put that on my list next time I'm out there.

[Steve Helmick]

Paul, Floyd is referring to Eugene Toy & Hobby. I get there every time I go to NW CL Regionals.  They have a lot of SIG stuff, including fuel, decal sheets, canopies, etc. 

I used to stop at Tammie's on my way through Portland, but not anymore. I prefer to go around the I-205 bypass and down SR 213 from Ocity, through the boonies to Salem before rejoining I-5. Scenic...there's a junkyard with lots of old cars (pre-WWII) in there, and something parked out front. Obviously a better route!  Steve   

[Jay]

I have a local hobbyshop just a mile away.  While they are mostly RC guys they will order anything I ask for. 
They have Brodak handles and Sig lines hainging on the shelf.  Also have the second generation Brodak .049
They even ask me for suggesting on what kits to get.  While they don't always follow my suggestions they do try.
The wood selection could be better but if you find out what days the deliveries are made you can get your pick.
They just started carrying Brodak dope and thinner, but they rather carry the Sig stuff.
Every year about this time they have coupons mailed out.  I have my eye on the Sig Twister kit I told them to order last week.  At $10 off it makes for a good deal.

[Paul Taylor]

Our LHS will order stuff for us too but by the time you pay their prices and shipping it cost more in gas to go pick it up. I can order it myself cheaper.

They had a groupon a few months ago. $15 for $30 worth of stuff. I thought that was a deal. I got 4 APC props, two packs of control horns, 4 -4:40 rods 12 in with threads, and a great planes accu-throw. Came to $37 and some change. I came home added it up on Tower's site and it came to $28. Add $9 for shipping.

Add my gas and time to go to the LHS and the groupon cost me more. 

Won't do that again

Hobby Town USA