Hi there

A recent post rang alarm bells with me:

"I'm now even buying my glue and paint on the internet..."

Now, I'm the first to admit I use HLJ etc. to get 'round Tamiya's exorbitant UK prices (for instance), but I've always argued that we should support our local model shop wherever possible to maintain that convenient point of supply - exactly so you can just "nip out to buy some glue or paint". Is the day dawning when the LHS has finally become redundant? It's ironic if it has - a recent newspaper report in the London Metro said high-street shops were fighting back this Christmas against the pressure from the Internet.

All the best

Rowan

To be perfectly honest, this doesn't worry me in the slightest. LHS either compete, or they close. Yes it would be nice to have somewhere around the corner to buy glue and paint, but I'm not going to start paying more for the privilege.

Vinnie

I still buy glue, paint, brushes and the occasional kit from my local shop, its also nice to be able to talk to someone face to face, but the internet does have everything you want and usually cheaper.
Andy (++)

I mostly support my local model shop, but do have to buy many of the update kits and such from internet sources, for instance Lou Stener models, because he carries what I want in stock, where as my local shop does not. Although I buy Humbrol and Tamiya paints from that source, they do not stock Vallejo, which are rapidly becoming my preferred medium.

The local shop does not have the space to keep every brand and accept that I get some things elsewhere.

I suppose that this is where the more specialist model supplier will always win and with the advent of growth in internet trading, they do not have the expense of premises along with the massive increase in sundry service charges which allows them to keep the prices down.

All in all it is a question of supply and demand, so when I demand something if a model shop cannot supply it, I like the options available to get them from a wider circle of those who can.

Another thing is that often the small 'enthusiasts' shop [maybe modellers themselves] often has a website that is simple to navigate, whereas although for instance Hannants is a superb resource, I do find their website quite frustrating at times because they carry such a great level of stock ,that searches can meander in all directions.
I would love to do more with them but find it hard to justify the cost of a hundred mile round trip and I live quite close to them.

These are my thoughts, but still do hate it when shops close as there is nothing like the experience of the smells and atmosphere that you cannot get in an electronic purchase

Regards to all,

John

Notoriety at last, I'm now being quoted...

The reason I now buy most of my modeling supplies on the net, is simple. I don't have a local hobby shop. What has tried to pass as one for the last two years is now trowing in the towel, he told me that he is not ordering any new kits or supplies anymore. He makes money with the bicycle repairs and fishing tackle, and model just don't sell... For crying out loud, he doesn't even sell glue. I just to buy my Tamiya paint from him, and have bought a few kits, but now he has nothing left that takes my fancy. Or it's to expensive. My 'nearest' LHS is now a good 20 minutes away, and involves paying for diesel, parking and even that shop, which is a toyshop with a model desk, doesn't carry what I want. If I happen to be in Throwbridge I'll pop in and usualy buy something, but I won't go there for the purpose of.

I would consider moving to Sheffield, but SWMBO is having none of it.. :-)

Cheers
Henk

Hi Henk

I'm in a similar boat in Sutton, Surrey - the only "true" model shop closed years ago after being burgled - times were so hard the owner hadn't been able to afford insurance and when he lost his stock, that was that... Nowadays, we've got a ModelZone - but it increasingly stocks toys and diecasts, with kits getting pushed into an ever-shrinking corner.

So - getting to the "LHS" involves travelling to Croydon (nearest - and a good branch of ModelZone), heading across London to Hannants (usually a 3 hour trip, there and back) or going out to Ewell or Dorking where there are "old-fashioned" model shops.

It seems amazing; when I was a kid growing up in Bromley, there were 4 model shops within walking distance of home - all with a wide range of kits and happy to help and advise a youngster. It was a Saturday ritual among my friends to buy a kit every Saturday morning and have it ready for battle by Sunday (we built them carefully! LOL!) - not exactly feasible in these days of international Internet shopping...

All the best

Rowan

I know what you mean Rowan, but in those days there was no playstation or computer... and afternoon T.V. was non existant (well in the Netherlands anyway). I think that is a large part of the problem, kids have so much more to do these days, building 'plastic toys' is just not cool enough.

Cheers
Henk

Henk & Rowan - my experience exactly - I have to buy everything online because I have one 'toy shop with a model display - Airfix/Humbrol only, no liquid glue' and a 'Modelzone with increasing diecasts'.
From experience with my own son I reckon one of the biggest problems with starting youngsters now is the patience factor - they want everything instant. My pocket money at his age bought me a series2 or 3 Airfix kit and a couple of paints which with homework etc would last me most of the week - on the few occassions he's sat down with a kit he's fed up after an hour and never goes back and finishes it!

Hi
Perhaps if I had a local hobby shop I would support it but all I have in Norwich thats any good is a langleys Toymaster that has a very small model department compared to the absolute millions of models I can buy online and for cheaper. There are also a couple of over small shops in the area that have one or 2 things but certainly not any AM products and resin figures-huh I think not. I do support the langleys and will always go their first fro mainstream kits but even now I can buy cheaper kits from abroad and in bulk.

The problem is as many of you have stated that the model 'corner' shop simply does not met the modellers demands-certainly not in my experiance in the UK anyway. I think that this problem could be more of a UK thing than the rest of the world. When I went to Holland I immediatly found 1 awsome shop in Arnhem that was packed with rare OOP Dragon figures, lots of Dragon vehicles, books, dio materials some resin figures and plenty of AM stuff, the same happened when I went to Austria, there was again another awsome shop and I was spoilt for choice. The shops ive been into in England simply havent provided the stuff I want and wahat I do want is pretty expensive.

Its a real shame becuase I love to be able to look and hold what im buying and actually open the box and check things out, but on the whole In the hobby I buy 1 plastic vehicle to about 5 sets of AM products (be it figures of PE) I need resin figures and photo etch detail sets. Perhaps if Local shops started to expand their markets a little more then they would get more trade, if my hobby shops sold the latest warriors figures or accurate armor sets then id be down there all the time but im afraid at the minute i will continue to buy from the net-im spoiled fro choice, kits are cheaper and with paypal I can send the money by the click of a button with no going back if im in the shop i'll spend hours debating weather to spend all the money-lol.

Thats my view-When I can I do use Hannents in Lowerstoft, they are pretty good but some of the staff dont apear to know to much about models.

My nearest true model shop (Halifax Modellers World) is over in the next town, it adds a fiver to anything I buy in bus/train fares. However it is such a great shop that I do go whenever I can as the guys who run it are friendly and are willing to spend some time chatting about models. They also stock the more specialised stuff.
However I do use the interweb to buy as well. I guess it comes down to buying at the cheapest price. As Rowan said, it works out cheaper to buy some Tamiya kits from Japan than to buy them here.

Hi all

That's what mystifies me - I know sweet f.a. about economics, but common sense says it must be cheaper to import in bulk than to buy individually from abroad. Hasegawa kits are often slightly more expensive on HLJ than Tamiya, so why are Tamiya kits SO much dearer over here? I assume it's down to the importers - but it makes it very hard to support a model shop when you know you can import the kit yourself for almost half-price...

All the best

Rowan

My nearest LHS is Halifax Modeller's World, but it's a 2 hour round trip, plus the time in the shop. My spare time is severely limited, so that's time spent driving that I could spend modelling! Having said that it's a great shop and there is a lot of pleasure in browsing :-)

On the other hand, on line suppliers like Lou Sterner are like a LHS - enthusiasts with good, personalised service and a very interesting range of stock.

When it comes to price online is nearly always significantly cheaper, and it leaves me with more time to actually follow the hobby. The down side is that I don't have the luxury of nipping out for a bottle of dunkelgelb when I run out if there's no hobby shop: so I need to keep an eye on my paint stocks and have some spare bottles in the stash.

It surprises me that more LHS don't start some on line selling: either in their own shop or via ebay.

For me its down to choice and convenience.

My LHS doest have the choice, and the internet is more convenient.

I was talking to the chap that owns my LHS the other day, he is struggling to keep the shop open at the moment for exactly the reason dave mentioned. He cant sell traditional kits, be they plastic or wood or whatever as kids arent interested these days.

In stocking more stuff like diecasts and pre built stuff he has less space for the old fashioned LHS stuff, which drives away customers that do buy that stuff.

The other factor for me is time, i usually dont have time to get to the shop due to work. I dont usually buy from far east shops like HLJ, but i do get a lot of stuff from some UK based online sellers.

I can have the kits in my hand via mail order faster than if i had to wait until the next time i can get into town.

Central London is a bit of a wasteland these days for modelling. There used to be several shops when I first started work here in the 80s, but they've closed one by one over the years. The last one left is ModelZone (them again! LOL!) on the site of the old Beatties in Holborn.

But where I am lucky is bookshops! If we have a quiet day and I get a lunch break, I can run down to Motor Books and pretty much guarantee to find anything I need.

I guess I can't complain too much...

All the best

Rowan

My LHS is expanding his model lines he only did Airfix but now hes into Academy he had the late production Tiger in the window along with the Memphis Belle which caught my interest, Model Zone in Romford I consider that a toy shop the holborn branch used to carry some good stuff but i dont get up there that much cost an extra seven quid in fares. I remember the halcyon days in the eighties there used to be a little shop around the corner from Bishop gate nick did he have some gems in there i got AFV in profile in there for about 20 pence a copy they were old but the content was terrific.

This is interesting. LHS's are few and far between, and so often don't stock much at all. I internet retailers usually don't have the added cost of a highstreet shop front, but from my experience, if you know where they are based, many are more than happy for you to visit them, that allows first hand assessment of what you're buying.

Of course it helps if you live close to them, but if you happen to be in the area, it may be possible to pay them a visit (I'm simply lucky in that respect - Lou Stener is in the sdame town, Models for Sale and PDI are under 15 miles away, there's a guy selling fantasy miniatures 10 miles away, and I was born and bought up in Oulton Broad so when visiting my parents, Hannants warehouse is 5 mins away from them)

Although it's sad, the internet has allowed for an expansion of this hobby unimaginable before.
The saddest part is that youngsters are not exposed to the hobby through shops as before - but then again so many have access to the internet, and even bigger shop.

Hi Guys, Re: Demise of the local hobby shop. I guess I am lucky cause I can go to probably the best hobby shop on the planet! That being Hobby Island, located on Richmond Ave. In Houston Texas. Not only is the owner friendly and helpful, prices are below full retail, plus you get a 10% discount if you are a member of IPMS. Not only will they order what ever you want, they have a great in house stock of Kits and after market parts. If you stop by on a Saturday morning you can sit around drink free coffee and talk models. If your ever in Houston stop by hobby Island!

The nearest LHS to me is the Sussex Model center which specialises in radio controlled kits, but does have a small selection of plastic kits. No AM kits though and the plastic kits they do have are always at full retail. I mainly use them for paints and glues, maybe tools if there are any i want.

The other shop that is not too far away, half an hours drive, is LSA.Both Jason and Matt are friendly and helpful, but the shop is very small, reminscent of a how an old sweet shop might look. Jason does his best ot cram in as much as he can, but this can limit the items you can see, and you do have to go digging for them. I buy most of my kits from here, unless it is a limited run kit, like CHC.

Now as i see it theLHS has one major disadvantage when it comes to what it's customers want......they do not knwo themselves so how can they keep up with our "demands"? It is far eaiser for an online shop to have a catalogue that they do not update....so you go to your LHS and ask for said item, they do not have it....so you go home login and order it on the net...only trouble is you do not know for certain that they have it in stock.....but it seems ppl are more willing to take a chance online rather than order it from the LHS.

The other reason for the demise of the LHS is price....why pay £30? plus fopr Tamiya kits, when you can buy them cheaper online? Same goes for Dragon, Acasemy, AFV etc etc. This is not always the case, but if you shop around it can be. This is the biggest reason for the LHS's demise, price. They have to pay rent, taxes etc etc, but only reach a small market...an online company reaches such a wider market that they are on to a winner.

The biggest advantage a LHS has? That feeling you get when you can actually touch the boxes and see inside them.......that will never be replaced by an online store.

Regards from the Swamp

Hawkeye

Hi, I will always try a buy from a LHS if I can but I'm finding it harder and harder to find the kit that I want. I have a LHS 10min drive from me but the shop is devoted to trains including its range of paint colours, the one kit I did find that I wanted a Tamiya HMS Nelson 1/700 I brought, got home and unsealed it to find that it was second hand and had been started, This shop has lost my custom selling second hand items as new and at new prices.

I do have the choise of 'Modelzone' in Bromley or Croydon though and also with a big detour home from work on a Saturday if I finish early I can get to KitKrazy in Bexley who because they now know me offer me a cup of tea and sometimes even a ham roll. Kitkrazy do also have a on-line shop but I have found it very hard to search also there are no pictures - I do like to see a picture of what I'm about to buy.

So most of the time I use ModelsforSale, Hannants and WEM. I also rely on the model shows to find that one buy I have not been able to find and get a hands on feel of the kit.

Ciao
Luciano

I'm also about 1/2 hr from LSA, and agree it's great shop, but Brighton & Hove council have a downer on cars and it's impossible to park anywhere within a couple of miles of the shop - even my mother-in-kaw only gets a visit on Sunday's now!!

Hi Dave,

luckily i can get there quite early in the day and usually find a parking place, or i go on my motor bike and that way i can leave it outside the shop. There are some extra spaces round the backj of the shop, in the small industrial estate there, just becareful not to park in the "vouchers only" spaces.

Regards from the Swamp

Hawkeye

The west midlands has a few hobbyshops but I don't use them. I drive modified cars, they're great for attention and as a hobby, but I don't like leaving them parked in towns.

Hobbyshops tend to be placed so far out the way that going to them, as Henk says, involves buying fuel then finding a parking space - only my idea of finding a parking space is finding somewhere that

1. doesnt have a 23 door family wagon festooned with teddies in the next space so the kiddies can bash my panels with the doors

2. doesn't have a million speed humps on the approach

3. doesnt have a million pot holes as well

and

4. doesn't have a gang of 20 chavs loitering roung wanting to steal the stereo gear out of my boot.


I'll stick to the net I think. I use modelsforsale.com and so far I have had nothing but the most incredible service from them. I did use antics a couple of times, but they ripped me off for half an order and gave me the worst customer service known to man.

I was walking into my local shop and had to take another look in the window, they had the Fast attack jeep from Hobbyfan in there, there only a small craft shop that sells toys and craft things with a few models
i asked why they had the Hobby fan kit. they said that some one had ordered it and a recovery truck and never came back for them
luckly they cauld send the truck back but now there stuck with the FAV
i just hope it dosnt stop them getting anything else in

About Antics - the only trouble I had with them was trying to get their site to accept my CC details, and that was mostly my fault as I couldn't remember which variation of my address was on the account. Everything turned up as ordered, and nearly as quickly as Models for Sale (who are the best I've dealt with so far).

As far as LHS go, there's one across the road from where I work and one on the way home. Both are mostly model railway, but I have picked up some goodies from both.

Hi all,

My answer would be yes. The reason I started modelling again was directly because of the Internet. The model shop where I live closed down year ago and the nearest one was miles away. When I did drive down they only had the same old stock that had been on the market for years. It might take them several weeks to order a kit on the net I can get delivery usuallly in 2/3 days.

On the internet I discovered a whole new range of products and companys that I didn't even know existed. It's made modelling interesting again and I have a choice of suppliers and can easily compair prices.

Al