Where did all the hobby stores go?

Velocity173

Velocity173

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Velocity173
In previous threads we've talked about reasons for the decline in GA. One of the many influences I had in getting into aviation was visiting hobby stores. As a kid I would spend my allowance on plastic model airplanes, Estes model rockets and RC planes. I was thinking the other day that I can't remember the last time I saw a hobby store. Do they exist anymore or is everything online now?
 
When the economy tanks, they are one of the first to go.
 
I know of one or two in my area, they're kind of far away and hidden. Also the prices are easily beat by amazon or other online hobby shops.
 
Hobby Lobby near me has the plastic and balsa models. Can't remember if they had any Estes rockets or not.
 
Velocity173 said:
In previous threads we've talked about reasons for the decline in GA. One of the many influences I had in getting into aviation was visiting hobby stores. As a kid I would spend my allowance on plastic model airplanes, Estes model rockets and RC planes. I was thinking the other day that I can't remember the last time I saw a hobby store. Do they exist anymore or is everything online now?
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The last few hobby stores I visited turned out to be craft stores. They had all sorts of ribbons and bows and picture frames and bags of potpourri and plastic flowers and other stuff that might interest someone else.

I miss the hobby shops of which you speak: Like you, I used to save my pennies and nickels and buy model ships and airplanes (along with real GLUE, ummmm sniff sniff). They had lots of other stuff to. I just don't remember all of it as I went straight to the model section.
 
All the big box craft stores also have models, as do all the toy stores. We have lots of smaller hobby stores here that carry models as well. And they have them at Walmart.
 
I recently built a 'drone'

4ft wingspan foam RC plane. Thing has AHRS, GPS, A/P with return to home function. If it ever loses signal, it will fly to where I launched it and circle at 300 feet. Keeping it in class G although some bozos fly these things up as high as 2-3k feet.

Also have a glider
 
The RC guys at work keep talking about a hobby store they use, but I can't remember the name. I think they get a bunch of their toys online. But, I know what you mean. The local stores that used to suck up my allowance when I was a kid are gone.

And talking about plastic models, you couldn't see the ceiling of the basement of our house for all the planes I had hanging there. :D
 
write-stuff said:
Atlanta Hobby is one of the biggest and has a storefront north of Atlanta. Their website, www.atlantahobby.com is full of flying toys of every type imaginable.
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Thanks for the link. That's only about an hour south of me. I'll have to check it out on my next day off.
 
MAKG1 said:
Wal-Mart put an end to quite a lot of small specialty stores.
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How so?

In answer to the original question... kids now have a gazillion ways to keep them selves busy with Legos, computers, and stuff... When I was a kid we had what, our imagination and Revell to keep us busy.. Oh! See if your 14 year old can buy airplane glue on their own.

You can always order the stuff on line.

Ghery said:
And talking about plastic models, you couldn't see the ceiling of the basement of our house for all the planes I had hanging there. :D
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The memories..
 
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Ventucky Red said:
How so? Aren't these store specialty where Waly World is for the masses.
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Walmart will take well selling local specialties and contract them in for their products to be sold at Walmart which will in effect kill the smaller local businesses.

As for the hobby stores, I see them around, but never very busy. I agree on the plastic models as a way to solidify a dream at a young age. I built many with my father when I was a child, they may be some of my most prized possessions to this date. No matter how awful the paint jobs may be :D
 
LifeInverted said:
Walmart will take well selling local specialties and contract them in for their products to be sold at Walmart

:D
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Are you pulling this out of the air.. or you're listing to the Grocery Worker Union Propaganda on NPR and Pacifica Radio. And I think you have Wal Mart confused with Target.

Wal Mart has a formula for each region. And much of their merchandise is pretty generic.. Are they going to beat out Bob's Bait and Tackle on a fishing rod and reel, yes, but is it the same quality? Are they going to beat out the local pharmacy on drugs, maybe with generic stuff.. your co-pay the same no matter where you get it. Do they have sweatshirts cheaper than the local sporting good store, yes.. but again is it the same quality. They don't want to compete with the specialty items. They know this is not their nich as this is too much inventory to manage.. Wal Mart is all about just in time inventory that is going to turn in 30 days..

BTW... got kids? Check out the Lego prices at Wal Mart... Target gives you a better deal..
 
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A nice young couple opened a toy/hobby store here last year. They tried to make it by selling their stuff on-line, too.

I just noticed their storefront was empty the other day... :no:
 
Jay Honeck said:
A nice young couple opened a toy/hobby store here last year. They tried to make it by selling their stuff on-line, too.

I just noticed their storefront was empty the other day... :no:
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A lot of small business fail in the first year... Much of this is due to being under capitalized.. amongst other things..

Credit managers from suppliers have been tight as there have been too many write offs.. Having a strong lines of credit is essential to your business surviving especially if your in retail..
 
I used to go to Michaels all the time with their 50% or 40% off any one regular price item coupons... and use them on the model airplanes or model rockets. For a kid growing up slightly pre-Internet this was by far the cheapest way to get fun toys :)
 
Ventucky Red said:
How so?

In answer to the original question... kids now have a gazillion ways to keep them selves busy with Legos, computers, and stuff... When I was a kid we had what, our imagination and Revell to keep us busy.. Oh! See if your 14 year old can buy airplane glue on their own.

You can always order the stuff on line.



The memories..
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Looks like Revell and Monogram merged? Didn't realized that. Of course I haven't built a model in 25 years though. I was always a Monogram fan. Detail seemed to be better. On rare occasions I saved up for a Hasagawa or Tamiya.

Walmart used to have a decent model section. Now it's almost non -existent. I think that reflects the interests of our current youth.
 
oldShar said:
http://www.hobbytown.com/
http://hobbylobby.com/
http://www.michaels.com/

All the above have them, although HobbyTown is dedicated to modeling and modeling advise

Oh, yeah, and Amazon, too
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NONE of the above are hobby shops - not the hobby shops I remember and have been to recently.

Internet pricing killed the local hobby shop - plus - most of the chain stores noted above only stock mainstream low quality models from other large corporations, like Revell and Airfix - ONLY. Quality, easy to put together accurate models do not come from Revell or really Airfix - perhaps a few 1/72 scale and airliners from Revell AG.

But accurate color paint, decent quality knives etc - cannot be found at Michaels or HobbyTown or even Hobby Lobby - its ALL cheap chinese crap.

And no one want to pay the extra $5 for a kit to keep a store in business now.

I do 1/32 scale WWII aircraft - these are not sold ANYWHERE locally - at least not in any choice - and finding accurate color paint for German [forget Japanese] aircraft? Hahahahahah.

And I'm Southern Calif, less than 5 miles from Pegasus Hobbies and about 30 min from Brookhurst - two of the largest remaining hobby stores in the nation . . . . in a metro area of ten million.
 
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Mostly, hobby stores went under because kids can't afford the products anymore. Most models are $15+, then you get the glue (not the good stuff either) and all the paints and you're easily in for $25-$30 for a 1/48 scale Mustang kit. 8 year old kids can't afford that, so they never grow up to be the 14 year old who builds the 1/72 scale B-17, B-36, or whatever.

Building plastic models is *expensive* these days...

Besides, today's kids aren't as interested in cars, tanks, ships,and planes anyway and they prefer Xbox to the hobbies many of us grew up with.
 
kyleb said:
Mostly, hobby stores went under because kids can't afford the products anymore. Most models are $15+, then you get the glue (not the good stuff either) and all the paints and you're easily in for $25-$30 for a 1/48 scale Mustang kit. 8 year old kids can't afford that, so they never grow up to be the 14 year old who builds the 1/72 scale B-17, B-36, or whatever.

Building plastic models is *expensive* these days...

Besides, today's kids aren't as interested in cars, tanks, ships,and planes anyway and they prefer Xbox to the hobbies many of us grew up with.
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If you've played any of the modern video games, or the newest flight simulators, it's hard to argue with the kids' choice.

Building a model -- or learning to fly -- is hard work. With an XBOX 360, you can experience 90% of what we do without ever leaving the couch. It's hard to compete with that sort of low-cost immersive experience.
 
People today,,,, kids and adults alike, want instant gratification.... They have no time to actually build something.:no:..

Some of my favorite days being a kid was browsing the aisles of the Heathkit and Olson Electronics places....

Those were the GOOD ol' days ya know...:yes:
 
kyleb said:
Mostly, hobby stores went under because kids can't afford the products anymore. Most models are $15+, then you get the glue (not the good stuff either) and all the paints and you're easily in for $25-$30 for a 1/48 scale Mustang kit. 8 year old kids can't afford that, so they never grow up to be the 14 year old who builds the 1/72 scale B-17, B-36, or whatever.

Building plastic models is *expensive* these days...

Besides, today's kids aren't as interested in cars, tanks, ships,and planes anyway and they prefer Xbox to the hobbies many of us grew up with.
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They are too busy with the cell phone, Facebook, Twitter, etc to have any real hobbies.
 
N801BH said:
People today,,,, kids and adults alike, want instant gratification.... They have no time to actually build something.:no:..

Some of my favorite days being a kid was browsing the aisles of the Heathkit and Olson Electronics places....

Those were the GOOD ol' days ya know...:yes:
Click to expand...

Man, I REALLY miss Olson Electronics. No one else has ever come close. :no:
 
JOhnH said:
I miss the hobby shops of which you speak: Like you, I used to save my pennies and nickels and buy model ships and airplanes (along with real GLUE, ummmm sniff sniff). They had lots of other stuff to. I just don't remember all of it as I went straight to the model section.
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I still remember buying my first P-38 model in 4th grade. I'd played around with some snap together planes and some ships before, but this as a high level, really detailed model. I got all my supplies together, cleaned out my 4' X 5' closet, set up a small work bench, arranged everything, walked in, set down, closed the door and started to work.

Lucky I didn't kill myself. I was "self-trained" as a modeler and no one ever told me about the fumes thing. I got good and high, then sick as a dog, but I still remember sitting at that little black desk and working away at the turbo-super charger on the top of one of the fuselages.
 
N801BH said:
People today,,,, kids and adults alike, want instant gratification.... They have no time to actually build something.
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True, well, the instant gratification part. I think they have the time, but choose to use it in other ways. I used to build/fly models as a kid (started with plastic kits around age 7 and moved to R/C around 13). I spent a couple summers working at a small hobby shop (that specialized in R/C planes/helicopters; I worked for parts). It seems to me the decline came with Almost-Ready-To-Fly (ARF) models. Back when I was a kid, the primary method of flying models was to buy a kit and build it. Some people scratch built from plans. A few would come up with their own variations on a design. After ARFs came onto the scene, it all changed. Now if you go to a hobby shop (if you can find one), it seems like kits are few and far in-between. And if you're not building a kit, you're not buying much glue, or that set of screws, or some specialized tool, etc. Times change. I'll always cherish the hours it took to build a kit. It was quite a feeling of accomplishment to turn a bundle of plywood and balsa into something like a Super Chipmunk. And quite a heart break when it turned back into a pile of plywood and balsa in a mid-air collision. Watching months of work go down the tubes is not so nice.
 
Ghery said:
The RC guys at work keep talking about a hobby store they use, but I can't remember the name. I think they get a bunch of their toys online. But, I know what you mean. The local stores that used to suck up my allowance when I was a kid are gone.

And talking about plastic models, you couldn't see the ceiling of the basement of our house for all the planes I had hanging there. :D
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You can still see the ceiling in my lab.

But a lot of the stuff is mail order from China...
 

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Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
You can still see the ceiling in my lab.

But a lot of the stuff is mail order from China...
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Nice. I see you have a couple of them copters. I haven't dabbled in the copters yet.

Most of my stuff is mail-order from china as well. The foam kits are pretty good - I have a bixler 2 that I put cameras OSD and other stuff on - plus a phoenix 2000 motor glider.

Basically get the kits from china and then upgrade all the electronics with better stuff from china that is still cheap. As an example I had a bearing go out in the motor of the bixler, then later an elevator servo failed in flight. I managed to bring it to a respectable crash landing with the stuck elevator. Nothing a little glue could not fix
 
N801BH said:
People today,,,, kids and adults alike, want instant gratification.... They have no time to actually build something.:no:..

Some of my favorite days being a kid was browsing the aisles of the Heathkit and Olson Electronics places....

Those were the GOOD ol' days ya know...:yes:
Click to expand...

I built a few Heathkits back in the day. Up to and including a 21 inch TV set. That was an expensive TV - between the electronics and cabinet (nice furniture) I had about $800 tied up in it. In 1975! I was making about $1000/month at the time. IMHO, what hastened the demise of Heathkit was surface mount technology. I can handle through hole parts at home, but SMT? No way. Sure wish I had purchased the HW-9 and associated accessories when they had their going out of business sales.
 
When its cheaper to order a kit from Japan and have it shipped here- than it is buying one here - something is seriously wrong. A lot of it is that the wholesalers here buy the kits from importers - so we have two middle men instead of one.
 
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