I may be in the western suburbs of Chicago in the near future. I would like to know the best hobby shops in the area around Naperville (rt 59 area).
I will have little time to look around need advice on shops, location and time of opening.
Joe

Well, none that I know of. There is Venture Hobby in Wheeling, and Al's in Elmhurst. But outside of them, the only place to pick up kits around Naperville is a Hobby Lobby...unless someone else has found a gem I've missed?


Mike

Ah...your in my area{well...aurora}...not a whole lot of places, but here goes. On rt59 close to 75th is hobby lobby - they usually run some kind of a sale coupon @ 40% off anyone item...some greedy people have been known to bring 3 or 4 coupons{you can print these out from they're site on the web} and go in 3-4 times for a kit{I don't do it as much as I used to-lol}. The now closed hobbytown usa by the old country buffet is closed{as of last week}.
The hobbytown usa in st charles is the closest, but I can lead you down rt59 to proseks green house{they sell models} but they don't have a huge sellection - but hey, when in rome...
If you have a car and want to go to Al's hobbies in elmhurst, take I-88e to I-355n, then get off at rt64{go west}. I can post hours and good parking instructions{one way street half way down and a bite to get out of there during rush hours}
You could also head farther north on I-355 to dundee road to Venture hobbies...very nice sellection of kits on LH side of the store.
What's you time frame here and what's your poison...I'll help you out direction wise...

Al's seems to be catering to the R/C people. Though they still have a decent selection Venture in Wheeling I think has a larger plastic model section these days.

Gentlemen, I appreciate your input. I may not have enough time to hit anything this time around. I plan on returning in Oct for a weekend visit. If I can get my son to take me to M & M hobby shop in Oak Lawn http://home.earthlink.net/~mmodels/
I think I can find anything I want.
Joe

It's a ways from the 'burbs, but Royal Hobby in Rockford, Illinois has a good selection of kits, figures, magazines, paints etc. There's also a Hobby Lobby nearby. Rockford is home to the Testor's Corporation.