Reading the various departments on the forum it is obvious that we are truly scattered over the globe and seeing some peoples comments got me wondering how far we have to go to visit our LOCAL model shop. When I first moved to Warsaw I thought I was Hard done by because I had to travel 20 klm to the city centre were I have a choice of 6 purely model shops within walking distance. One of them is the main ABER/ retail outlet in Poland. What about you guys. Do you have to pack sandwiches when you visit your local shop???
Mine is only about 4 or 5 miles from where I work and is the only “all plastic” shop around. Now from the house it’s 45 miles so that’s a little bit of a drive. I just go 2-3 times a week at lunch to get my fix. [:D]
Eric
I’m very lucky in that I’ve got quite a few very nice, very comprehensive hobby shops within walking distance. The closest is about an 8-minute walk.
Life is good here in Japan!
I’m lucky that way, too! I’m only about 45 min from Tokyo and if one knows where to look you can find a shop just about every other block! - Calvin
5 miles, I’m there Monday thru Friday, 2 more with in a couple miles of work.
2 minutes with a bicycle to the local model train shop (ideal for supplies); 15 mins on the train to the first decent model shop, an hour and a half by train and tube (underground) to Hannants, the modeling mecca…
My model shop is the mail box. Our local shop really stinks. I am a regular with Squadron, Greatmodels and ebay.
Bummer, the fish has to make a 90 mile round trip to Memphis to find a decent shop that specializes in plastic kits. I think there are only about 4 shops (not including Michaels/Hobby Lobby which only sell Impalas and NASCAR Trucks) in this area. There used to be more, but mail order did 'em in.
-fish
Closest pure plastic store is about 1 1/2 hours away. I usually make the trip once every 6 weeks or so. There is a local store that specializes more in trains and if he has something on his shelf I will buy from him.
Nothing that doesn’t need several months planning, a team of sherpas and gps… Good thing I’ve got a Landy…
But seriously… One I know of in town, about 20 minutes drive, one in amsterdam, about an hour or so away… There’s also a seriously well stocked aviation hobby shop (and I mean STACKED! Vac form, resin, PE, decals, pilot helmets…), but their prices could make a grown man cry like a chicken.
I have about 12 km from home (but 5 km only from my job ! ;o)) - it takes about 10 minutes to drive - but I still think it is too far ! Regards ! Aleksander
I’m a good hour and a half away from any hands on store and if I need any paint I call first because the odds are they don’t have it, so I have to come up with reasonable alternarives. Pretty sad for an area pop of 55k.
HEY,
Well, my nearest hobby shop is about 30 min away, unless you count one of the best hobby shops around, Wal-Mart, which is only about 10 minutes away. When i visited my uncle in Fla, i must have seen about 20 different model shops throughout town.
Randy
The really good one-- Hobbytown-- is about 45 minutes away-- but it is on the busiest street in Albany [:(]
I have a few closeby that I use for paints-- but they specialize in either R/C cars or trains…
My main shop, Phillip’s Hobby HQ, is only about 12 minutes away and has nothing but plastic. There is also a Hobby People about 10 minutes from home, the have mostly RC but a pretty good selection of kits and paint too.
Hmmmm My closest shop would be about 1/2mile from the house. Then theres one about 7miles from the house. Both of these are open M-S. Then theres the shop in the mall which is about 9miles away open M-Sun…The other one is about 20miles away(Small shop if you consider by sq ft.) Its located in a guys garage who sells as a hobby, but he has everything that the big shops have and more(lots of vintage kits!) Full line of paints,supplies,etc. Our local clubs meet there. Hes open when he’s not at his “real” job as his wife puts it. But he’s more than happy to meet you in his garage(shop) anytime before midnight if you call him. Now thats service! Our next shops would be about 35/miles to the East I dont make it over there much because thats where all the darned Snowbirds hang out and all the tourists are. Then we have 4 or 5 shops over in Mobile 45miles to the west. With Hobbytown being the biggest. So Im pretty well covered!
Chris
About an hour away for the hobby shop. And about 15 minutes for the craft store.
Other than that, its 2 hours of driving for a hobby shop that even comes close to having a selection of kits other than RC stuff. Figures…thats as close as the UPS guy is willing to get to my front door. No one handles figures here. (That I know of, and belive me, Iv’e looked.)
Mike
Man, where have all the hobbyshops gone?
The closest one to me is about 15 miles but I rarely go there.
It’s one of those that if you don’t speak R/Cese, you’re a 2nd class citizen. Not much in the way of plastic.
My hobbyshop is pretty much at my fingertips now, but it’s not as much fun as actually being able to go inside the real deal and touch the stuff.
I have 2 around 20 miles, although one is a pawn/ gun / hobby shop and only has one shelf of kits and the other has other things like artist stuff and trains. Since I drive all over Atlanta for though I can normally manage to get by one down that way regular. There is a Hobby Lobby about 20 miles down the road to which is where I have gotten most of the recent ones.
There’s a Hobby Lobby directly across the street from me, and three others that specialise in rc/railroad stuff, so I don’t go that often. A Hobbytown just opened up 5 miles or so from here, but I haven’t visited it yet. There are Hobby Lobbys and Michaels all over town really. The one that I visit weekly though, is about 15 minutes or so away, in a suburb of town. It’s the best shop in the country I think, literally thousands of kits in any category you want, tons of aftermarket, resin, pe, what have you, gobs of supplies and paints, all kinds of paints. The best thing, they’re cheaper than any other store I’ve ever been in. I love that shop! I find myself going even when I don’t need anything, just to look around. Tulsa is great for hobby shops I guess.
madda