Another one bites the dust uh

[mikemodeler]

I was just wonder about the Amazon users here, how much is that convenience worth to you?  If LHSs continue to fail and there is nothing but online sales, there will be millions of US workers, voters, tax payers without jobs. Biggest problem is less income for the US government.  They will change that immediately by taxing internet sales!  Amazon has already vowed to do this on their own.  Secondly UPS has already announced that because of the increase in Web sales and home delivery it will be raising its prices.  This is all basic economics.  As online sales grow so will the price of shipping, and having your precious models stolen right off your doorstep.  

Something else to ponder.  If the LHSs fail it will stop a lot of first time model buyers from ever buying.  Most modelers do not just one day turn on the internet and say hey I want to get into model building.  It almost always starts at a brick and mortar store.  This is already happening and the model hobby and industry is hurting for it.  

Oh and lest we forget if you buy from Tower Hobby, they are owned by Hobbico who is nearly bankrupt and having a hard time paying their bills.  Hobbico owns Revell.  Bye-bye Hobbico equals bye-bye Revell and Revell of Germany.   

I'll add one more thing just to toot my own horn.  Recently my shop sponsored the local model clubs annual model show.  I paid for advertising, I paid for the Best of Show award which was over $160, and I sold the club two cases of models to give away as door prizes at my cost.  Just try to get you online model retailer to give you that kind of support.  

Some good points there Rusty but don't forget one thing- Amazon needs people to pick and pack their orders. While a local business is good to have, a large corporation with many employees making a decent wage is even better.

The trouble plaguing many LHS (at least in my experience) is that when it comes time to sell the business, the only option is to go out of business. There aren't that many people waiting to step up and enter the hobby shop biz because of low margins, long hours and competitive pressure. I see the same thing in the auto parts biz, margins have been compressed because of corporate big box stores, internet retailers and the need to be open later and on weekends because that is what the competition is doing. And much like the hobby biz, we go to that local place when we need advice on our cars but head to the corporate retailer for the perceived bargain!

Many retailers have been able to flourish while others have been left behind. How can Target stay relevant and thrive while Sears struggles? Did one change with the times while the other wasted money trying to attract customers that had already left and vowed to never come back?

 

[peteski]

 Amazon needs people to pick and pack their orders.

 

Ha!  Not for much longer.   Here is some interesting info: Amazon is using robots in their warehouses

Amazon is one of the leaders when it comes to automation. Not only the robots will be quicker and more accurate than humans, but also much cheaper. Robots don't need salaries or benefits.

[TomZ]

As far as I know the last LHS around here went out of business about 25 years ago when the owner retired. Since then, a Michaels has been my only option and I have bought literally everything from Hobbylinc.com. Recently a Hobby Lobby opened and I was terribly excited about finally getting a little local hobby access. Much disappointment ensued when I found how little they actually stock. I will buy a can of Tamiya primer or some such on the 40% off coupon on occasion, but everything else still comes from the fine Hobbylinc folks in Georgia. (FWIW I initially picked Hobbylinc out of the crowd because of their exceptional web site. I'm sure there are many other equally excellent vendors.)

 

[High octane]

My local hobby shop is 10 miles away and is a "mom & pop" store, and I try to support them as much as I can even though I have a Hobby Lobby only 1/2 mile away. If the mom & pop store closes, the nearest hobby shops are 40 & 50 miles away. Of course the grandson works a lot in the shop, so if mom & pop decide to retire i feel that the grandson will keep it going. I can only hope.

[Joe Handley]

My local hobby shop is 10 miles away and is a "mom & pop" store, and I try to support them as much as I can even though I have a Hobby Lobby only 1/2 mile away. If the mom & pop store closes, the nearest hobby shops are 40 & 50 miles away. Of course the grandson works a lot in the shop, so if mom & pop decide to retire i feel that the grandson will keep it going. I can only hope.

Which shop is that Nick?  Since I'm not shopping at the store I used to work at by choice, I've been going to the area HL and Michael's stores, wandering up to Schaumburg HTU from time to time, and going to Lombard Hobbies when I have time and they are open (last 3 tries were on holiday weekends and the weekend of a big train show in St. Louis).

[High octane]

Which shop is that Nick?  Since I'm not shopping at the store I used to work at by choice, I've been going to the area HL and Michael's stores, wandering up to Schaumburg HTU from time to time, and going to Lombard Hobbies when I have time and they are open (last 3 tries were on holiday weekends and the weekend of a big train show in St. Louis).

I go to Ron's Mundelein Hobbies, and sometimes to the Model Empire in West Allis, Wi. and also America's Best Train,Toy, & Hobby Shop in Itasca,Il.

[Joe Handley]

I go to Ron's Mundelein Hobbies, and sometimes to the Model Empire in West Allis, Wi. and also America's Best Train,Toy, & Hobby Shop in Itasca,Il.

Ah, thanks Nick, a friend of mine who still works at the Schaumburg HTU had mentioned America's Best (he worked there for a little bit), I'll have to look into Ron's at somepoint  too.  I know a couple guys who I met through the HTU I worked for that have been up to Model Empire and talked about it in a very good light.

[High octane]

Ah, thanks Nick, a friend of mine who still works at the Schaumburg HTU had mentioned America's Best (he worked there for a little bit), I'll have to look into Ron's at somepoint  too.  I know a couple guys who I met through the HTU I worked for that have been up to Model Empire and talked about it in a very good light.

The Model Empire is a "car" hobby shop with LOTS of kits, old kits too, decals, photo etched parts, funny fur, wheels & tires, resin bodies, die cast cars, paints, magazines, slot cars and a slot car track, modeling tools & supplies, HO trains, some military kits, etc. It has been my fave hobby shop for a long time now.