So I was thinking the other day about all the great brick and mortar hobby stores that I used to just drop in and check out. I sometimes travel and when I do I try and and check out the area hobby shops. In my area I had San Antonio hobby, which was one of my favorite stores around. The last holdout in the area is D & J hobby and even they have been pared down from a grocery size store to a closed blockbuster store. So my question is: what are your favorite hobby shops that are still around? I would base this on selection, supplies, rare kits, off the wall stuff (or hard to find stuff). Tell me what you think your favorites are, and where they are - if I’m in the neighborhood I may just stop in!
Kings Hobby on North Lamar, Austin, Texas.
Well Irish I’m an architect and the good old San Antonio hobbies was bulldozed a while ago for a mall next door to my current project.
My long time favorite Franciscan, out in the Ingleside in SF, just closed.
So did Riverside Hobbies last year where John Eaton and I used to meet and then go for lunch.
The only one left is the one in the basement of Ace Hardware in Berkeley.
The owner has a stash about 5-7 times as big as what’s on the shelf. Tell them you r looking for that 1/32 revell Tony and they just might have it.
My guy there is Robbie
In Sacramento, CA a must stop is RC Country. It’s a huge store, one half devoted to RC and the other to kits, supplies, and publications. Lots of interesting stuff for any modeler.
I try to check out hobby shops when on holidays too. Hobby Bunker in Boston is fantastic. Wheels and Wings in Toronto is excellent. Hornet hobbies in Toronto is also very good.
Avenel Hobbies in Colonia NJ,about 20 minutes from my house.Yhey truly have everything,a great variety of kits of all kindsLots of AM,painting and weathering supplies.Run by modelers.Gotta stop in if your in NJ
Hobbyland in Columbus, Ohio - two convenient locations, Graceland Shopping Center @ 206 Graceland Blvd and East at 6919 E Broad St
Local modelers meet around 5pm on Fridays for “nerd night”
If you’re ever in the Louisville area, check out Scale Reproductions at 3073 Breckenridge Lane. Good selection of kits and supplies as well as trains and RC.
Don
FSM member FlyItLikeYouStoleIt recommended Scale Model Supplies in St. Paul, MN to me and it is awesome. They have a HUGE supply of model kits and modeling supplies. As well as a VERY large model RR section.
It’s a wonderful place that I can’t wait to get back to when I’m in the area. Address is: 458 Lexington Pkwy., St. Paul, MN
This would make a great sticky to help people visiting different areas
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In Eastern IA:
Major Art & Hobby - Davenport IA
Box-Kar Hobbies - Cedar Rapids
In the L.A. area, south of the Orange Curtain, there is Brookhurst Hobbies in Garden Grove, and Military Hobbies in Orange. Both are well stocked, staffed by knowledgable folks, will order most anything you desire that they can get, and really take care of their customer base.
G&G Hobby shop. Near Downtown Houston (Rice Village). Good selection of just about everything.
Sadly, Larry’s hobby’s shut down last fall (North Houston). I hear their rent got doubled.
I made it to Brookhurst hobby as well as another store near Cal Poly in LA - had a big airplane on the building - great selection and a little bit for everyone - when I was in Sacramento (I don’t recall the name) there was this store that was really small but it had a ton of great stuff that was crammed in every nook and cranny - loved that they had rare sci-fi stuff, a great bargain bin and a old kit section that were flea market specials. I miss that kind of place you can go in and discover the rare find, can’t get that kind of excitement and satisfaction on eBay or an online hobby shop
Great topic Irish.
The Hobby Hut in Grand Junction, Co. They have been in business for well over 40 yrs. and they are still going strong. It’s a smallish shop and although they have RC and model RR sections the vast majority of the store is dedicated to plastic models. Great selection of models, AM, paint and supplies. It’s a 2 hr drive for me here in Moab, Ut. but that doesn’t deter me from making several trips a year. The folks there are awesome and very knowledgeable.
For me it’s crm hobbys ,5101 eichelberger in south saint Louis.kinda small but jam packed.and I believe they have a website
The best shop in the metro Philadelphia area is AAA Hobbies in magnolia N.J. Great selection of kits, paints and tools. They will also order anything they don’t have for you.
BnB Hobbies, Spokane Washington, they seem to have whatever I’m looking for, shelves never change but for some reason the odd kit manages to show up there. Wite Elefant is another store that has a reasonable selection AND fantastic prices. Our local Hobbytown isn’t to bad I usually buy paint and other supplies there. IMHO the best hobby shop is the one where you walk in and the propieter knows you by name, long gone is that store but we’re kinda lucky here to have what we got.
Central Connecticut there really isn’t much left. Amato’s in New Britain is ok. Pretty decent selection but not much for aftermarket. Time Machine in Manchester again has nice selection but not much for aftermarket and staff doesn’t have a clue. I did find an old Hasegawa YF-16CCV kit there