here in New Jersey we lost another one last summer ,shut down! and one in Maplewood now caters to gamers (??) We had quite a few ,but were down to one that I can think of, in Ridgefield and hes very expensive. You can attend the local shows in your area ( April 2 , In Wayne NJ ) they have a lot of vendors but lately they haven't been so great either. I think were stuck with online shopping and shipping cost, like it or not !!

Let's face it, the Internet has changed the way people buy things. Brick and Mortar stores of all types are going under. That's just the way it is.

I supported local hobby stores until they closed up or morphed into gaming stores. I have switched over to online stores (Squadron, Sprue Brothers, Hobby Link Japan, Lucky Models) and haven't looked back. I mean I can buy all my hobby gear at 3AM in my underwear!

It also doesn't help that ours is a solitary hobby. Most of us hole up in our "man cave" to build and paint. There is some social aspect to the hobby like sharing our progress (or lack thereof), information on subject matter or some build technique, and showing off our final build and getting feedback, but we even get that online (Armorama, YouTube). The actual building, painting, decaling, weathering is accomplished alone. It's not a social thing to share in like playing role-playing or miniatures gaming where the playing together is a large part of the hobby. There are two comic book stores where I live, one was still primarily a comic book store and was quite empty when I visited there, while the other catered more to the gaming crowd and was quite busy. I think the only way for Brick & Mortar store to survive is to become a part of the community, not just a place to buy things. I think what that means is devoting space for people to build (not all of us can afford a "man cave"). This could mean having locker space to keep models in progress and equipment. It could mean having compressed air hookups, paint booths, and maybe even airbrushes available for those who don't have their own.

This is an interesting topic and being a business man myself I can go on and on as to why I think "LHS's" are closing down. Before I do I would like to express my opinion as it relates to younger modelers. For one, I am 44 and grew up in the glorious 80's where I spent my childhood playing Atari 2600, C-64, D&D, building models and playing outside as much as possible. Until I had a job I barely had a dime to spend in the hobby shop. Of course, Christmas and my Birthday would merit at least one model and some modest supplies. What's my point? My point is I think it is not accurate to think that LHS's are closing due to the fact that there is a perceived lack of interest from younger people in this hobby. They don't have the type of money to keep the doors open anyway.

If you want to blame anything I think it comes down to a few things such as the internet, poor management (I think it is a miracle that my LHS has remained open for as long as it has), failure to adapt (they all should have a true website) and competition. Let's face it, you can order new Tamiya kits from Japan for about half the price that it would cost you at your LHS.

Of course, I am oversimplifying things but you get the point. I just got back into the hobby last year after taking about 25 years off. The most shocking thing to me was the variety of kits and supplies that are available. Not to mention all of the new companies that are popping up. So, unless these companies are doing this for the love of the hobby, there must be money it somewhere.

Anyway, thanks for reading my rant!

Italeri start i think 6 months a go with a "new" line of tanks in "easy to build" kits from the game "World oF Tanks" with the insigna of the game and special code to use in the game...i think in a very good idea!!

I would lament the loss of my LHS. True, I don't buy all of my kits there. And only a small fraction of paint. But all of my glue. I make it a point to buy a kit on most visits because I consider it worthwhile as a trade-off for time to stand and gawk at models that were only a dream when I was a teen modeller.

Women call it retail therapy...

My 150km nearly 1h 45min with my old little car!!...

Hmmm... a tricky one. While I agree that it's nice to have the chance to look at a model before buying it and the chance to go into an actual 'physical space' rather than a virtual one there is a strong element of commercial reality at play...

Perhaps (and it's only a possibility) many LHS' never really adapted with the times. The assumption, for many, was that their customers lived in a 'catchment' área with many enthusiastic shoppers prepared to make a short journey to buy and browse. They never really, in many cases, were prepared for the 'net and the competition that this would créate. Nor were many all that good (in pre-'Net days) at offering a good mail-order service either. Add in the stranglehold that the distributors held (and still do) and the prices are way above those of the on-line (Far-Eastern) stores. Frequently, and i've seen this myself the 'personal' service was somewhat lacking - poorly informed, unhelpful and in many cases indifferent. Try asking in the 'Antics' chain in the U.K. and you'll see what I mean. The other side is (or at least was) in Jamieson's Models in my home city of Glasgow. Worth paying a little more for a superb and knowlegable service...

Nowadays, i'm lucky. If I want an armor or aviation model, I buy from HK. What I have locally is principal a games store although not the monster that GW is. As most of what i'm doing now are 28mm Historical figures (with the odd fantasy group thrown in) I can get locally at great prices (yes it's a LHS) along with anything I need from Vallejo in a couple of days. It isn't a LHS in the 'traditional sense' as probably 99% of their business is on-line and yes, they know what they're talking about and it's a pleasant environment to browse.

So, yes, I do have twinges of nostalgia for the real LHS but also a sense that things move on....

Wow just found out my LHS from when I was a kid growing up in Kingston NY closed down recently. RIP J&J Hobbies.....

Al's Hobby Shop is Elmhurst, Illinois is gone. LaGrange Hobby Shop near me may soon be gone, and it's been around forever.

Whats really disturbing is that (in my opinion) these days are second only to the 60's as far as golden times for our hobby. The 60's was my first intro to modeling and now we complain if a certain variant of a piece of armor isn't being produced or that it's not quite up to expectations. Its hard to believe all the kits and accessories available and interest seems to be high so why are we losing stores?
We all know the answers about online sales with cheaper prices, convenience etc, but are we at least partially to blame. Maybe a few years back I shouldn't have ordered so much from home and got my butt out to hit the store(s). I'm from S/E Michigan and we still have a couple stores so I do my best to give them all the business I can. I know they can't stock everything but they do offer most of the decent kits or will order what you need if we're patient enough to wait a week for a new kit.
I'm really not bashing on us or anybody else but I hope we can hold on because I consider each build a small work of art and we care so much for what we do.
Terry

Initially on line prices are lower, but when you factor in shipping costs, I dont think they are. Indirectly your paying for gas online too. I was never more then 30 minutes from LHS sometimes a lot closer. and most of the places where great people to ask questions or advice .

He had one in Sterling Heights on Warren and the other was in Inkster (I think). Both were called "Old Guard Hobbies." He was also partners with Walt Lezenski at one time and they owned "Walt's" in Dearborn for many years.

Walt, BTW, ran some of the "Squadron Shops" in Detroit and Chicago, along with being part of the staff at MMD in Texas. Walt died of pneumonia suddenly several years ago while living in Michigan.

Incidentally, both Walt and Al said to their dying days that the Squadron Shops could have been very successful if managed properly. The owner of MMD at the time, Jerry Campbell, just got tied of the management drama.

Pat
MMiR

Not to hog this post, but...

Based on my vantage point, there are a couple of particularity relevant points in this dialog:

-There is no doubt that we are in a golden age of modeling. The plastics hobby in general has exploded in the last twenty years.

–In our hobby, this explosion has meant more of everything and this means more competition in the marketplace, More competition can also mean more attrition. That's a capitalist fact.

-Getting younger people involved is great, but what we really need are MORE ADULTS. Why? THEY HAVE MONEY, aka BUYING POWER. Exposing kids to the hobby is terrific. Hopefully, they will grow up and spend more money! How much did any of you out there spend on the hobby when you were ten, versus now???

Pat
MMiR

Lou,
you have to search,I even use ebay,the guy in Maplewood had the Tamiya/Tasca Easy 8 for $75.00 he wouldn't budge off that price,I got it from a guy in Korea for $54.00 including shipping,now that's substantial savings.

So when you go to Maplewood stop by,I'm 5 min away

It's quite simple, maybe it's an issue of a prejudices preventing the understanding of differing views.

Folks have made the decision to pay extra to continue the accessibility of things like consumable supplies, or perhaps to have someplace to to hang around and talk about models. They are getting something for their money. The fact that you don't ascribe value to those doesn't mean that other people are wrong for doing so. Last I heard, David McKeever was not the World's Final Arbiter of Value.

KL

This tread is cursed! Just left my LHS retirement sale. Picked up a Dragon 1/4 ton armored jeep, Alpine US heads and hands and a bag full of paints for 38.00$ But damn all on line for me now.

Toward that point, I grew up in the '70s before real video games or the internet. Of the about 750 kids in the grades around mine there were maybe five of us who had ever built more than one model kit. I don't think modeling has ever been very popular, and I doubt the popularity today in those under 25 is much different than it was 40 years ago.

KL

I've read through all the posts and there has been some great points discussed. I live just outside of Barrie Ontario. There is a hobby store in Barrie that carries a modest supply of kits, paints, tools. Their prices can be quite decent to absolutely head shaking crazy. One of the staff is a modeller and quite helpful, the rest aren't and are mostly RC guys. The store has diversified with mainly RC, some models, and a small RR section. I try to support them if their kit costs are reasonable. They have a sign saying to shop locally, but they won't support our local mode club by allowing us to put up a club flyer on their bulletin board......seems counter productive.
Often it's still much cheaper to order on line even when I include shipping. Another thing I've noticed is more modellers trading kits from their stashes.
Just my humble opinion.

Boy, you just made me realize I am lucky and spoiled. Here in Connecticut I have six hobby stores within a 20 minute drive from my house, and another amazing store an hour away which has more armor stuff than a wet dream. Between them you can find all major paint racks, and weathering supplies. We also have two Hobby Lobby's which have a decent plastics section and good supplies like Vallejo paint. But to do my part, I buy very little online; I buy just about everything locally and try to spread my business between all of them (and as insurance agent, I have two of them as my clients!). If you browse there and buy online they will close. If they ignore internet pricing and charge list on everything they will close. Stores have to find a happy medium, and the ones in my area are busy almost all the time. Its a happy thing when I discover I'm out of flat black paint at 2 PM on a Sunday afternoon and I still have stuff to paint!!

If I may: My personal theory on this subject is that a lot of our collective angst may be rooted in nostalgia. I mean, who among us has not had the experience of browsing through the shelves of a well-stocked hobby shop, money in hand, when we were younger and newly enthusiastic about plastic modeling? In my case, it was San Antonio Hobbies in Mtn View CA, with a couple of others in Texas, years ago. I miss that dearly, but I think it's most likely gone.
I've been in business, competing with large establishments, and the internet, and I can say from experience that markets change, and to survive, businesses must change too, whether that change being finding a niche and exploiting it or direct competition with the gorilla in the room, or a business will go away. The old adage about the buggy whip manufacturer comes to mind here. So if my local Hobby Lobby (all that's left here now, really) makes a good profit by selling games, paintball accessories, die casts and lots RC stuff in order to MAKE MONEY, and also keeps a good selection of plastic, paints and other accessories in stock to cater to yet another market segment, I'm good with that.
I just have to adjust, and do what little socializing I do at shows, and places like Armorama.