I’ve seen posts here and on other boards saying what a wonderful selection they have. Well we finally got one here in Phx Az and what a joke. I’m sorry but 1 aisle is IMO poor selection. Alocal chain called Hobby Bench is far superior. Not just models but accessories and aftermarket parts and paints. Rant over!
Yeah, my local Hobby Lobby used to have hundreds of kits to choose from. Not any more, lucky to have a couple of dozen.
It seems to be regional. The Hobby Lobby near me has two rows of kits. One is all cars. That row is always full and seemingly untouched and the one with aircraft, armor, etc. is always picked through. I can see the trend, I wonder why the manager can’t…
In a similar vein, when I was in Virginia, the Hobby Town USA near me had tons of kits. The one near me now has one very small section. They have a really good selection of paint but, like most Hobby Town’s, unless you are into R/C or Thomas the Tank Engine, you are better off looking elsewhere.
Jeff
While the local Hobby Lobby has reduced the size of its models from two aisles (with kits on both sides of the aisle) to one aisle (with kits on both sides still), they still have a considerable number of model kits. The majority is automobile kits (¾ of the aisle) and sci-fi kits (¼ of the aisle) on one side and aircraft (½ of the aisle), armor (¼ of the aisle) and ships (¼ of the aisle) on the other side of the aisle. The endcap has clearance models of various genres.
Between Hobby Lobby and WalMart I think we will all be scratchbuilding in 20 years.
Dave
Hobby Lobby is honestly terrible. The one near me has one isle of models, one side is cars (16 ft worth) and paint (8 ft worth) and airbrushes (4 ft worth) and then the other side has “other” kits, including boats (4 ft), accesories like figures/walls/etc in 1:35 scale for military things (4 ft), a tank/helicopter section (4 ft wide, top half is tank bottom is heli), aircraft (8 ft), sci-fi stuff (4 ft) and display cases (4 ft). It’s pitiful but I’ve already bought most of their aircraft that interest me (except the B-29 and a few small higher priced fighters, I only deal with prop planes, so mostly WW2 and before), most of the cars can be found a lot cheaper online and I rarely buy from that side, the tanks are all overpriced, and I’m not really into boats. Other than going there to buy paint (cuz its closest to me) I never really go there cept when they have a really good sale. Though they do carry these nice brush sets that are like 30 or so brushes in a tube and they work really well.
@ djrost_2000 - Even though there selection was horrible and was all cars, I wish walmart around here still carried kits, because the few they did have were about $5 cheaper than any hobby shop, sometimes as much as $10 cheaper.
Get to know your store manager and tell them the models that you would like to see.
75% of the models stocked are what is known as baseline models. These are models that Hobby Lobby corporate says must be maintained at all times. The other 25% are known as manager order or customer request. If the manager doesn’t place an order that month, then the computer picks them. This is why you see a new model in stock for a short time then it disappears.
Last month I requested the Trumpeter 1/32 F-100D, my manager ordered 3 of them. I got one of them and with in a week the other two sold. Now this kit has moved to the baseline of this store and will be stocked till sales fall off. Every month I request a new kit and most sell very well.
The sad part is my manager says that I’m the only modeller who has spoken to her about models in the 3 years that she has been there. Come on people speak up! Talk to your manager, this is the only way that you will see new models stocked in your store.
I just wish I had a hobby store period. The closest one to me is 1 1/2 hours away[banghead]
~Dave
Ya know, I’ve heard of Hobby Bench a few times, but haven’t yet had the pleasure. My relocation to Arizona will be in a couple of weeks, and would sure like to know more about what is better with Hobby Bench. How much wider is there selection in kits, aftermarket parts and supplies?
To quote Gunny Highway…“Adapt and overcome.”
Though we do have a local shop, it isn’t the plastics mecca it once was. For me to visit a store well stocked in plastics, I too have to drive over 100 miles. I do this once a month (when I can) to attend one of the two club meetings I attend, as well as make the rounds of the local hobby stores in the area. Oh yeah, we usually car pool to ease the individual cost…especially when gas prices were so high.
I keep myself a shopping list of things I need for modeling projects tucked in my wallet. When we make the trip down, I refer to the list to make sure I take full advantage of the trek and opportunity to shop at a fully stocked store.
You don’t have to go every week or month, though seeing others with the same interests is great, but when you carry out a bag full of stuff it seems (at least to me) a bit more of a worthwhile trip.
I had this same discussion with a friend, it amazes us how many people say they won’t drive certain distances to shop at a specific place, yet they’ll drive an equally lengthy distance to dine or do something else.
Exactly what I do… “My” Hobby Lobby’s manager is a friend of mine (now). I made sure I got to know her within a week of moving here. She’s got no problems with ordering what I ask for, and not just kits either… Any of the tools, supplies, and stuff like that, she’ll order as well… They don’t know what the folks want if they don’t ask…
I can tell you that you wont always have as much luck as these guys, (don’t mean to be a debbie downer) When I got out of the Corps I worked at a Hobby Lobby for over a year while I went to school at night, I was within 4 months put in charge of the Hobby/Crafts section, in which I was responsible for ordering and keeping track of merchandise within 4 isles including the Models. I spoke with my Store Mgr. (who had the hots for me I might add[8D] LOL) about ordering some new stock, and different kits, she told me to stick to the reccomended kit list, Corporate gave us these lists that we could order from, the funny thing was there was over 2,000 kits on there but we could only order whatever the store approved, everyonce and awhile I would order something for myself, that was different, and I could get away with it, I used to get special request all the time and had to turn the guys away, so you guys are lucky because most store managers want to stick to what corporate tells them to order this is why you almost always see the same kits at all hobby lobbys.
I have indeed done that. I get EVERYTHING online! Never will I shop at a hobby store over 100 miles away until I can cheaply optain steroids that would enable me to ride my bike there without breaking a sweat[:D]
Dave