Phil's Hobbies in Farmers Branch, TX (at Josey and Valwood for those that live in the Dallas, TX area) is closing it's doors in June. This was my favorite hobby shop. Phil's has (had?) everything from planes to armor to figures and tools...they even had sci fi and monster models. It was a great place to haunt after work or on a Saturday afternoon. I order things off of the Internet, but always loved going into the store and holding the shrink-wrapped box I wanted to buy or shaking up that bottle of paint to see if it was really the color I needed. To me there's nothing like walking the aisles of a modeller's hobby shop to see what I could find in some nook somewhere.

Anyway...to the point of this post. Does anyone in the Dallas, TX area know of a good hobby shop? I'd prefer to take someone's word and recommendations over looking up a listing for "hobby shop" and hope I find one that's worth my time.

Greg B.

Greg, I can't recommend any shops, but I could get you some help to stores that claim they carry military models. These are all within 10 miles of your ill-fated shop.
Give em a call maybe and ask what they have.

HOBBYTOWN USA
8041 WALNUT HILL LN STE 870
DALLAS, TX
Ph: 214 987 4744

M A L HOBBY SHOP
108 LEE ST
IRVING, TX
Ph: 972 438 9233

MIKE'S HOBBY SHOP
1605 CRESCENT CIR STE 300
CARROLLTON, TX
Ph: 972 242 4930

WILD BILLS HOBBY SHOP
535 E SHADY GROVE RD
IRVING, TX
Ph: 972-438-9224

Here are some links to the shops listed above:

HobbyTown USA

MAL Hobby Shop

Mike's Hobby Shop

Hey everyone! I just don't understand, this is the forth hobby shop that I know of that is closeing their door forever. Why is this? Is our hobby really going down hill? Is it just us the old horses that keep this great hobby alive and none of the new generation wants to keep it up?

Or might it be people buying things off the net and not going to the LHS to buy kits...

MY LHS, which sells R/C stuff too, contantly has people come in ask 100's of questions about stuff, walk out without buying anything, and then return a couple of weeks because their new 'whatever' doesn't work right and then throw a fit when they get charged a service fee. (which wouldn't have happened if the 'whatever' was bought there.

Folks ya gotta support your LHS by buying stuff there and not online or they're all doomed.

Rant mode off....

According to Phil it boiled down to sales tax not being charged for Internet purchases (except if the purchaser lives in the same state that the online store is.) Even though the vast majority of his prices are at least a few dollars less than the prices you can find online, he said he just can't compete with the online stores because the shipping charges for online purchases are less than the sales tax being charged (at least in Phil's case.)

Phil's situation, however, is most likely a problem a lot of traditional stores are facing. And the bad thing is if this trend continues municiplaties will receive less revenue from local sales taxes and will have to tax Internet purchases to make up the difference. This will cause us to pay both shipping AND sales tax for online purchases...which will cost us more in the long run.

And Gstealer is right...we should support all types of mom and pop stores or we'll wind up paying for it in the long run.

Greg B.

You know that when you buy something on line, it's your responsibility to go to the Govt office and pay sales taxes on the products? Wait'll we all get audited...

I hear from the owner that this sales taxes for online purchases is pretty hot topic right now and is being pushed hard (in NY at least). If (when) it passes online will not be a better deal as tax and shipping is going to be costly.

Sorry, didn't mean to jump down anyones throat...it just irks me.
I too buy online for stuff my LHS can't get, but I will try to get him to order it 1st and I buy ALL my supplies at his shop.

This is partially true...

Though some stuff you want is either not available, or incredibly expensive... some stores do know that they are the only ones selling this stuff only all too well. So they jack up the prices... The same with literature.. for a book costing $ 69 online, I have to pay at least € 98,- if not more... It is sometimes rediculous... The same with some of the Osprey boks... at the prices some of the shops are selling them, they are about 60% more expensive then the net prices... if I buy them of the net, I get three books for the price of two in the store... and if I I order more, the difference only increases......

I am no lawyer but I don't think the internet sales tax is gonna fly.

"No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State. No preference shall be given by any Regulation of Commerce or Revenue to the Ports of one State over those of another: nor shall vessels bound to, or from, one State, be obliged to enter, clear or pay duties in another." —Article 1, section 9 of the US Constitution

GStealer - I know I run into the problem of the nearest hobby store (about 15 min away) hardly stocks any model tanks, and those they do are over priced. Another store (about 40 min away) has a huge selection, but they too overprice. I'm a college student who works two jobs but still doesn't have a huge income and I really can't afford to support the local shops if I find what I'm looking for. In my case, the Internet is the most economical way for me to get my models. As much as I would like to keep the local shops going (though I do buy paint off them for what it's worth), I really can't afford to.

Maybe...Massachusetts law says that sales tax must be paid on any product purchased by phone or mail (presumed internet) only if the vendor has a site within the state. Therefore, I can call, mail or make an internet purchase from Squadron without paying sales tax, but would have to pay sales tax on a Hobbytown purchase.

What do you mean, "Overprice?" Do you mean they sell at retail? That is not overpricing but selling for what the manufacturer feels is a fair price. Are these prices higher than you can get online? They also have to stock a lot more stuff to allow for sales to keep themselves in business. Probably. But the store owner has to pay rent/mortgage, salaries, benefits, insurance and taxes, overhead the online dealer, possibly working out of his garage doesn't have to pay. The same goes for the guys who only vend at shows. Our hobby has always been a niche market, as such, we've rarely had large choices at discounted prices.

I'm just like grasshopp12.I'm a student,and there are only two model shops around where i go to college.Thy're pretty expensive and at the moment they just don't seem to be getting taht many new models in.It's a buyers market out there and if the shops don't try to be competitive,then we can't be blamed for their lack of competitiveness.

Here in the Triangle region of North Carolina, the only "hobby shop" we have is a couple of locations of Hungates (and one local one in Durham, but they are more of a toy shop). These locations of Hungates all charge about 10% over retail, since they're located in the malls with expensive leases. They are also a general art supply retailer, and have other toys, so the space for this nice hobby is about 1/4 of the store square footage, so they only have the really mainstream stuff. PE? Forget it. Gunze paints? Alclad? Nope. Casting resin? The clear stuff only.

The end result is that I shop online for 98% of the stuff I buy. Kinda sad, for an area with a population of over a million (combined).

Mika

Hi

Coming back to the original post, I can't believe Phil's is closing!
That is very sad news. I just moved from Denton TX, and Phil's was one of the few good things about living in the DFW area (sort of joking).

Anyway, that shop had an awesome selection and OK prices.
I know Squadron had been messing around with a lot of stores in some ways, given they are a distributor and do mail order. Of course, Squadron is probably just trying to stay in business too...

There is a place called HobbyMaker in Bedford that was OK. Not as good as Phil's but a decent store for armor and accessories. Other than that, there is the regular bunch of HobbyTown USAs, which are hit and miss (mostly the latter).

Cheers
Andy

Crap! I live in Washington state, but have been to Phil's! I am sorry to him close. My sister moved to Texas several years ago and last fall I went to visit. I, of course, planned for one day of hobby store hunting. We found Phil's and I got a kit. I also sent her in on several occasions to buy me birthday and Christmas gifts...I will never forget the whole wall of Photo Etch parts, It spans the entire length of the inside of the building. I nearly passed out from ecstasy... I am gonna have to ask her if she can troop down there one last time and see if anything is on sale...Unless Phil is selling his contents to some other local hobby store. What is funny, is that today I was at my local Hobby Town and I asked the owner how sales were. He said pretty good! I was surprised because I know a lot of us buy at ebay or off the internet, or in my case direct from Japan (Hobby Link Japan). I try and go at least once a month and buy a kit or two from Hobby Town, just because I know how hard it is to keep a retail store open. I have noticed a slump at ebay too, so was concerned that the whole hobby market as a whole was headed downhill, thanks to world events and economic realities. Good luck Phil, thanks for being there! (Crap, was gonna head back maybe this year or early next, and take my wife this time, to see the Alamo and stuff..and of course fit a Phil's shopping spree in there too..)

HOLY CRAP!!!!! Phil's is closing????? That was the best I've ever been in. There is a good one out in Bedford off of 183. Past the 121 merge. It's called Hobby Maker. Fairly ample kit selection (the Armor is way in the back). They aren't too hot on PE or resin stuff. Wild Bills in Irving has got some stuff that's useful. Mainly car kits and no PE (they like r/c cars there. There is also a pretty good Hobby Town off of Cooper and I-20 in Arlington. Have to hit Phil's this weekend see if I can get some discount closeouts.

There was an advertisement in our local newspaper a week ago for a "going out of business sale" for the HobbyTown store here in Clarksville, TN. With the closing of this shop there isn't an LHS that I am aware of in the area. Nashville has two Hobbytowns but as has been said before they are hit and miss. I am finding that the things I need can be found on the net and obtained within three to four days in most cases and with no more cost that it woud take in gas anyway. I don't think that sales tax is the primary factor in internet shopping I am going to say it is selection, convienance, and customer service. I find that good net stores provide all three in droves. I have to wonder, from a business standpoint, why those brick and morter stores don't attempt to have a web site and do business on the web rather than talk about how they can't compete with it. I have to say that the internet has brought me back into modeling, has given me access to more information, new friends, and new products than any shop ever did.

One shop owner told me in response to a similar question that he would rather his deals and bargains for thelocal guys, rather than strangers elsewhere. Quite the strange business philosophy.

There you are on a Saturday afternoon getting ready to airbrush that Stug III -G in Panzer yellow . Open the bottle and what you've got left is sticky gooy residue. Now what ? With places like Phil's still around... pop in the car and go buy a bottle yak 5-10 minutes with the guys then home and paint. OR get on computer, find a website, wade through 4 -5 screens order and wait a week. That's why we need the stores for when you've got to have it NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now for big ticket stuff, like TAmiya's 350 Enterprise, I went ebay for $110. shipped to my door. So I'm not innocent.

Didn't know that Phil's was closing... thought he had a great business! I know that he certainly has the best selection of Resin Figures in the US (with the possible exception of San Antonio Hobby in San Jose, CA), and Terry and Phil are just great guys. He also has a WONDERFUL selection of books and magazines, not to mention a huge display of local artists work.

Truly a shame... I've been thinking about opening a full-fledged hobby shop - this may be the deal. Need to go talk to the guys and see what they are thinking.

As for remaining stores, the HobbyTown in Plano has a nice selection of Military models and diorama materials, but no resin figures AT ALL.... HobbyMaker is far larger than both Phil's AND Hobbytown, and has a nice assortment of military plastic, but they are strictly mainstream... you never see any of the wierd international brands and vendors that you find at Phils.

Didn't know we had so many Dallas/Plano members here on the board... we need to get together for our own Armorama/Dallas get together... email me ([email protected]) if you would be interested.

Also - WHEN in June is Phil's closing?