I believe that model building is more popular than we might think

[clovis]

Despite the number of threads and posts about the forthcoming doom and gloom of model building, I am always surprised to see how many people visit the model aisle at Hobby Lobby.

I've been in our local HL about 5 times in the past two weeks, looking for building supplies. There hasn't been one single time that I've visited that at least two other people stopped in the aisle to look and browse, On my last visit, there were five of us in the aisle at one time, which makes it pretty crowded.

I realize that kits aren't flying off the shelf, and there aren't crowds of people fighting for kits, like you might see on a Black Friday at Best Buy, but I am at least encouraged. I haven't always been in HL at peak shopping times either. Often, my visits are in the middle of the afternoon, on a weekday.

The selection of kits at the local HL never appears to change, and if it does, it isn't really enough to notice, IMO. I did see three kits sold this week though.

Our local HTUSA...their stock does seem to change, but I rarely see any other builders during the odd times that I'm there. Most of the time, that store is like a ghost town, but they always have at least 4 employees on the floor at all times, so they must be doing something right to keep the doors open.

Sure, these are small signs that the hobby is alive, but it is still encouraging!

[martinfan5]

So many people forget that building models extends outside of the US, the hobby is not going to be dying anytime soon.

[Dragfreak]

The real problem is new builders, I'm 15 and I have a lot of friends. I do not know a single one that builds models or is interested in what I do, I notice most kids my age are too busy with either sports like me, or interested in things like playing video games, skate boarding, riding bikes. Etc. it's not that they don't have time for it, I have football practice everyday all summer long, when football season is over, pre season track starts. I handle all of this plus dealing with AP math, language arts, and science, yet I still find time to build. The problem we're facing, is interest in other things and zero interest in cars, mechanics or really anything automotive which in turn, does not open the door to building models. I know there is more reasons why younger kids do not start building but I started after my interest in racing and mechanics really took off.

[Pim]

I'm 15 and I build because it relieves stress and it is really good fun. Yes my builds aren't super realistic or detailed but they express me and what I like about cars.

[Ridge Rider]

My local HTUSA seems to cater to the RC hobby and doesn't seem to restock aftermarket supply's but does have a decent model selection but at full retail. Right now I would imagine the hobby is stagnant, meaning even though the population of the world is increasing, the young modelers are starting to replace the the first gen baby boomers(modelers) Unfortunately, like society itself, we are going to be losing this generation and not replacing it. The hobby will live but the future will most likely be e commerce and a dwindling market. Most kids today will never be exposed to the hobby unless it's through an adult or projects such as your 4H and the recently posted school project. But for now the hobby is in a resurgent because of the boomers and we are all benefiting so let's enjoy the ride.

[slusher]

The hobby must be some what strong with all the new kits that Revell has put out. Round 2 has brought back some classics as well. I have enjoed picking up these newer kits and some old classics. When I got back into the hobby in 89-90 it was the same old kits except for a few AMT kits..

[martinfan5]

The hobby must be some what strong with all the new kits that Revell has put out. Round 2 has brought back some classics as well. I have enjoed picking up these newer kits and some old classics. When I got back into the hobby in 89-90 it was the same old kits except for a few AMT kits..

And Aoshima is putting out more new and modified issues then Revell and Round 2 combined , but thats my point, people only want to see the hobby as its only in the USA, but its not, and even if Revell and Round2 were gone tomorrow, the hobby would carry on .

Just because the youth here in the USA may not care about building models, that doesn't mean that the youth in other parts of the world dont either, we can not judge the health of hobby just by how it is in the USA.

[AC Norton]

the hobby is still going worldwide, but in a much smaller numbers of builders compared to even 10 years ago. kids generally have no interest in anything unless its on a computer screen, and the older guys are, well,...getting older. I'm 60 next year, and have been building drag cars and a variety of other things since 1968. life was different back in those times,..and hobby items and toys were a huge part of kids lives back then. a car kit was 2-3 bucks, paint and other supplys were cheap,..and a weekend or anytime could be enjoyed creating a car that cost your parents less than 5 bucks,,,,spray paint and all. now a can of Tamiya spray alone is almost 10 bucks. the products for the last 15 years or so are geared to adult builders, and I do not think the younger set will pick up the pace of the hobby 10-15 years from now. speaking just for myself, I know that I can not crank them out like back in the 80s or 90s. some of us find it more of a challenge to sit for hours and concentrate like years ago. I tip my hat to those guys that still can bang out car after car in their late 50s and 60s . wish I could...a.c.

[Ridge Rider]

And Aoshima is putting out more new and modified issues then Revell and Round 2 combined , but thats my point, people only want to see the hobby as its only in the USA, but its not, and even if Revell and Round2 were gone tomorrow, the hobby would carry on .

Just because the youth here in the USA may not care about building models, that doesn't mean that the youth in other parts of the world dont either, we can not judge the health of hobby just by how it is in the USA.

While this is true, the youth of the world that can actually afford a Aoshima or the like have similar lifestyles and distractions as here. Distribution to a world market has changed but the distractions of the youth worldwide is also changing similar to the US. So I wonder on world stage if it's just the bigger market and population growth or has the actual percentage of people in the world who build models increased? My guess is the percentage by population is dropping. When the day comes that models are no longer stocked in brick and mortar stores, the main exposure for anyone will be from someone who does the hobby. Just my thoughts.

[Tom Geiger]

I've been in our local HL about 5 times in the past two weeks, looking for building supplies. There hasn't been one single time that I've visited that at least two other people stopped in the aisle to look and browse, On my last visit, there were five of us in the aisle at one time, which makes it pretty crowded.

Jeff you have stumbled upon the 90% of kit buyers! Yea, these casual guys who build an occasional kit pay the freight for our hobby. Remember those of us motivated enough by the hobby to be super involved, build very detailed models on a constant basis and participate in the organized hobby, both on line and in person are something like 5-10% of the market.

I've bumped into those same guys at Michaels. Some are happy to talk to you about models and such, a few want a recommendation on a kit, and others seem embarrassed to have been seen in the toy aisle!

I used to work with a guy named Bob. At work there were no outward signs that he was into cars or models at all. One day he told me that he saw someone in Model Cars Magazine had the same name as me... well, it was me! That's how I discovered he had some model cars. Learning about him, he was one of those guys who would occasionally hit the hobby shop. And when there he bought a magazine once. He was eternally working on a Revell 32 Ford. He was interested in talking about building better models, but wasn't motivated to actually follow through. He asked about wiring his distributor and I gave him a resin predrilled one and the needed wire. Never heard what he did with it.

I was encouraging him to come to our club or even to NNL East to see what we were all about. He never did. He just wasn't that interested. And he represents the majority of kit consumers.

[clovis]

Great post, Tom!

It is funny, like you said, about the differing reactions of those looking at kits and supplies. Most of the time, I don't say a word, but on occasion, if I see someone, I'll ask "What do you build?"

A few like to chat, but sometimes, they act like they've been caught on a TV news show with a hidden camera about grown men looking at children's toys, LOL.

[Greg Myers]

Two young modelers respond with great clarity , Jason and Brayden. Read their post #3 and 4 above. All is not lost.

Edited July 12, 2014 by Greg Myers

[Harry P.]

Building model cars may not be dead, but it'll never be as popular as it once was. Never. Not with all of the things today that kids are into... facebook, twitter, etc... the internet in general... video games... back in the "golden age" of model cars, none of that stuff existed. There simply wasn't that much other stuff to attract kids, so more of them built models back then. Heck, even something as simple as watching TV is way more diverse now... we used to have 4-5 channels... today we have hundreds!

As far as building model cars as a hobby, the numbers have been dropping steadily since the '60s... yeah, there will always be certain people who build model cars, but never again in the numbers there used to be. It's a different world now, and today's kids have a lot more varied interests. No way will any one particular pastime dominate kids today like model building did in the '60s.

[Brett Barrow]

When I was 15 none of my friends built models either. That was 22 years ago and the hobby's still alive. I work in the business, it is what it is now. The hobby has found its niche, and that's what it is, and that's what it's going to be - a niche. We're constantly comparing the state of the hobby at any given time to the 60's, when it was a fad. Will it ever be a fad again? I doubt it. But I think it's found a comfortable spot, we've gotten the large toy companies out of control and actual model people back in charge and I think the hobby is better for it.

I've heard a story about how one of the model companies (I believe it was Revell, but it may have been AMT, the storyteller had worked for both) that they saw their revenues cut in half the year Pac Man came out. So video games aren't some new force the hobby has to compete with, it's been competing with them for years.

As to American car modeling in particular, I have a theory - "As Detroit goes, so goes the hobby". If Detroit can get young folks (and adults) excited about cars, then they'll get excited about building car models.

[Greg Myers]

I think it's hording.

Edited July 12, 2014 by Greg Myers

[Brett Barrow]

And speaking of video games vs. modeling - do they not get video games over in Japan? Because I'm pretty sure they do, and on top of that they're waaay more into both video games and modeling than the US. Modeling participation numbers in Japan are off the charts compared to the US, thanks to the genius of Bandai's Gundam series (50%+ of the Japanese market) - Gundam doesn't even try to hide that's it's a big model kit commercial, the current series is actually about kids building Gundam models! And in true "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" spirit, Bandai even makes video games (makes - they don't just license them, they are a video game company - Bandai/Namco Games). Plus Bandai now makes video game tie-in models, we just got these Halo figure kits in the other day -

[Greg Wann]

Andy of Andy's Hobby Headquarters at 59th and Greenway says his business is doing very well. With the economy the way it is, people are staying home and building models and not traveling much or doing other things. When I go to his store he is usually building some kind of military model.

[Luc Janssens]

And speaking of video games vs. modeling - do they not get video games over in Japan? Because I'm pretty sure they do, and on top of that they're waaay more into both video games and modeling than the US. Modeling participation numbers in Japan are off the charts compared to the US, thanks to the genius of Bandai's Gundam series (50%+ of the Japanese market) - Gundam doesn't even try to hide that's it's a big model kit commercial, the current series is actually about kids building Gundam models! And in true "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" spirit, Bandai even makes video games (makes - they don't just license them, they are a video game company - Bandai/Namco Games). Plus Bandai now makes video game tie-in models, we just got these Halo figure kits in the other day -

When my dad and I were involved with Verlinden back in the 70s and 80s, I remember Francois visiting Japan once or twice, meeting Mr. Tamiya (who released a book about Verlinden's models) anyway he told us that the hobby was a national sport/past time there and IIRC back then Japan was already computer game crazy...

[Harry P.]

If tying together models and video games is such a success in Japan, why don't any of our manufacturers do it here? If the Japanese can do it, why can't we?

I suggested a model kit/video game combo long ago, but was "debated" down.

I still don't see why such a promotion wouldn't work.

Hypothetical example: Kit maker A and video game company B decide to run a joint promotion... specially marked kit boxes will have a coupon inside for X amount off the price of video games from company B, while game company B markets a game (or games) that features and promotes vehicles in it that kit maker A will produce.

[Luc Janssens]

Maybe it's easier to connect in Japan then in the US, where the game crowd sees itself as new gen vs old gen model building, dunno, just guessing...

Edited July 12, 2014 by Luc Janssens

[Brett Barrow]

If tying models and video games is such a success, why doesn't any of our manufacturers do it?

I don't know that it is or will be a success, those Halo models just came out.

The memory of this flop (and the $8 million down the drain to develop it) looms pretty large over the US industry...

[Harry P.]

Could the fact that it was called "European Racers" have anything to do with it?

Hello? Marketing Department? What's that? They're all out to lunch? Ok, thanks..."

[Mike 1017]

A number of years ago well over 15.I went to Al's Hobby Shop {RIP} in Elmhurst IL to get some rockets for the Boy Scouts. I saw the models but what really got me back into the hobby was the SAE in the magazine rack .After bringing it home reading it and doing some web surfing I discovered that the hobby was alive and well. I was amazed by all the after market stuff. The rest is history.

Model cars are only one segment of the hobby. I think that there is enough diversity to keep the manufactures from deserting any of the segments.

I know that my son and his Anime friends are into building those kind of models. Who knows maybe when our kids reach adulthood they might be building a Revell plastic model of the first Apple computer. A Round2 I Mac kit, or a Moebius kit of the original cell phone in a bag, so on and so on.

The future is bright

Mike

[vintagestang]

I'm 15 too and I enjoy building models because I can build cars that I can't have. I have been away from the hobby for a little while because I have a 1966 Mustang, 1979 H/O, a 1971 Camaro, and a 2001 Dodge Dakota so they keep my pretty occupied.

[Brett Barrow]

Could the fact that it was called "European Racers" have anything to do with it?

Hello? Marketing Department? What's that? They're all out to lunch? Ok, thanks..."

Revell-Germany was still part of Revell-Monogram at the time, so it would have also been sold in Europe. There were others IIRC, that was just the first one I found on Google.