Are hobby shops dying?!

[Fendt936]

It's not just the kids that dont have the time anymore. I buy only F1 models but I have so many that are not built yet. Between work and coaching soccer and other family activities it is difficult to find time to build. The internet does not help either, instead of building I am spending time typing this . Another fact is that I get discouraged when I see other peoples awsome models that I can only dream of building. So I keep postponing my favorits kits until I get better but I never get better because I do not build any kits.

[LeoH]

In the present economy, I suspect that hobby shops are struggling too. And I think you're right that the younger generations have less interest in building, and more options to fill their time, than we did as kids. Despite a concerted effort on my part over the past few months, I too have a large back log of un-built kits and too many demands on time to imagine ever getting to them all, let alone buying new kits.

But as to your last point, build for the fun of building; build for the same reasons you bought that first kit when you were a kid; build because you love F1 and you want to hold a small piece of it in your hands. My builds can't hold a candle to the masterpieces we regularly see posted here, but I love the act of building just for my own enjoyment, results aside.

Lee

[CBartholomew4677]

Fortunately, we've had a recent addition to the local hobby shops around me, somewhat offsetting the loss of three others. It's pretty good, stocks a good amount of kits, paints, and has started stocking Detail Master parts, which is great!!

I'm sad to see kids only interested in playing video games, rather than taking the time and patience to actually make something.

Personally, I build models for my own enjoyment, not so concerned about it being perfectly correct. It's something that calms me down and allows me to relax. As high-strung as I normally am, I can sit for hours at my table, with small outcome at the end, and I love it!! If something goes wrong, or I make a mistake, it can always (mostly) be fixed.

Cheers,
Chris

[Brooklin1]

Fortunately, we've had a recent addition to the local hobby shops around me, somewhat offsetting the loss of three others. It's pretty good, stocks a good amount of kits, paints, and has started stocking Detail Master parts, which is great!!

Chris,

What new hobby shops are in your area? I live an hour or two away and have visited Michigan from time to time.

In my area, the hobby shops within an hour or two seem to be doing okay. Haven't seen many close for quite a while, but this might change with this most recent downturn in the economy. Generally not huge money making businesses to begin with.

[CBartholomew4677]

Unfortunately Riders's hobby in Sterling Heights and Livonia has closed.

What we have now is :
- Nankin Hobby: New in Farmington, MI. It's located at the corner of 9Mile and Farmington. They stock plastic kits, a lot of paint and suplies and Detail Master parts.
- Auto Zone : Birmingham, MI. This is not the car parts store. They stock plastic kits (some hard to find), multi-media (S27 & MFH : kits, p.e., decals), and die cast, and a lot of automotive books, kind of a toy store for adults, I love this place!! It's located on Woodward north of 13Mile road.
- J-Bar Hobbies : Tecumseh, MI : They have a a huge selection of hobby stuff. They have a lot of out-of-production stuff, don't know where they get it. They're located at 117 E. Chicago Blvd., Tecumseh, MI, 49286

Please come keep the Michigan hobby stores alive.
Cheers,
Chris

[Peterpools]

I just came across this thread, as I am new to both the Forum and F1 modeling. My modeling interests went from 15 years as a military modeler (IPMS), to many years as a model railroader and now coming back to pure modeling again (62 and counting). The topic of closing hobby shops, dying hobbies and the failure to attract young people to the hobby seems to be universal. We are competing for a generation that has virtually limitless choices for their time, money and interests. Kids for the past 20 years or so have grown up in the computer age and it's a computer world. The skills to learn and play virtual games, is new and exciting to their generation and it's what they do and what they are.
Hobbies that capture our imagination, are rooted in our childhood. We've spent a lifetime learning the skills and techniques to build exact replicas and take pride in our achievements and creations. But the world is changing and the generations after us have different dreams and desires.
The old days of walking or as a kid, riding your bike to the hobby shop is long gone for most of us. The hobby shops are closing. High rents in metropolitan areas, discount chains, mail order ( pre-computer) and now on-line offer buying is a tide most small hobby shops can't overcome. Lets also be honest and admit we all tend to buy on line: price, selection, convenience and our fingers just do the walking.
It's said to say, but it's the world we live in.
Someday, we'll all get aboard an airliner and there won't even be a pilot. Just the changing times. Gee I long for the good old days or do I.
Just my two cents worth.
Peter

[eyckles]

Hi,

Here in Belgium the local hobby stores are taken a serious fall, because with all the webstores and ebay, they don't sell that many kits anymore. I know somebody who ownes one and he told me the same thing. He allmost doens't sell any F1 car or cars in general, but he sell alot military stuff and has a huge stack of tamiya paint. He can survive because he can make a living of a huge archive of military reference formodeling and others. He also told me that the last year almost half of the lhs where closing because of coming of the webstores and ebay.

Lesley

[43rdMichael]

In Melbourne, one of the three CBD stores is closing and another halved its floor space in the same month. Sad times.

[Peterpools]

Agreed to a point. Internet and eBay, sure they have more then taken a huge share of the market in general and not just the hobby market. Hobby shops have breed disappearing at an alarming rate and most that are still around in my case, are full retail, take about 45 minutes to an hour to drive to if the traffic, isn't too bad each way. It's hard to find what you're looking for and the response to a missing itlem is: I can order it for you. Thanks but no thanks, I can order it myself for less, have it delivered to my front door and not have to drive back to the shop to pick it up when it comes in. For me, on line buying is convenience and value. Yes I miss the LHS but I'm a fringe buyer, looking for items they normally don't carry. Even paints and supplies are never fully stocked. Years ago there were very few option, today we have choices.
Peter

[ubik801]

Well, i haven't been out to check lately but there are three hobby lobby stores and one hobby town within a 20 mile radius of me and that is about it. I will have to get the yellow pages out and see if there are any local stores left. I get my f1 stuff from Mac and I haunt ebay for the stuff i built as a teenager in the 60s. I would kill for a reasonably priced man from uncle car kit but am willing to pay if i have too. the days of the mom and pop lhs are fading. the one i used died almost 10 years ago. we have more choice but a lot less face to face contact.

don