Whats is killing the local hobby stores?

[rcgood]

	Quote: Originally Posted by classclown
	Sounds like a big ***** sandwhich, and your eating it. I live for this hobby. Move!!!

[classclown]

	Quote: Originally Posted by rcgood

Just got home an hour ago from doing just that.

[BobPhx]

Gotta rant.

One of my LHS's happens to be next door to a joint that I occasionally go to for lunch.

(Oh, ***, I'm annoyed so I'll name names: Adventure Hobbies at Dobson and Ray in Chandler, AZ. For the record, this is not the LHS I refer to in my earlier post, that is Viper Hobbies at Greenfield and University in Mesa, AZ. Viper has really been on the ball lately. I'll be heading there after work.)

Today, I needed some building materials and actually had time to leave the office for lunch, so we went and ate then popped next door. I needed CA, some sandpaper, some H9 ball-links and clevises, and a few other things, most of which a LHS normally stocks.

Last time I went in, there was a guy about 20 yrs old who was too busy flying a Blade MCX to talk to me. He finally landed after his pack drained, then was not particularly polite or helpful.

Today, what looks like the same dude is in there on the phone. He is setting up a flying date with somebody and trying to give them directions to some field. I circle the store looking for a few things, not finding what I need and periodically walking up to the counter. I've been there probably 5-6 mins and he is still yapping away about nothing.. not tech support, just BS (my perception.) I finally stand at the counter for probably a minute, waiting for an acknowledgement, a nod, eye contact.. something! (A minute can sure seem like a long time) Nothing. Finally, I gotta go, lunch clock is ticking. So we left. At no time did he show any sign of wrapping up the call, make eye contact with me, tell me he'd be with me in a sec, nothing.

Funny thing was, I noticed the shelves are looking a bit thin.. where there are usually a hundred little blister packs of parts, there are 20, sort of spread around to make it look well stocked.. does not look good.

Adventure Hobbies had been around a long time, although I think ownership changed within the last couple of years. It will be interesting to see where they are in another year or so. Wherever they are, it will be without my business, there are too many decent stores (local and on the web) who act like they appreciate my meager funds.

Rant over I feel better now!

Bob

[Baj]

Lack of inventory / price points./most of the manufactures are selling their own stuff through large outlets on the web,% of profit margins for LHS's/ Competition from abroad/ high over head costs to name a few.

What are they good for, Small stuff linkages, glues, paints, foamies, small inexpensive stuff for new people entering the hobby. Today’s tipical LHS's are reduced to a small hobby supply house, with little next generation expensive merchandise. My 2 cents

[flyracer]

Gonna miss Royal Hobbies (corner of Ocotillo and Arizona Ave).....

-Flyracer

[phippsj]

Lack of a Hobby Shop where I live now has practically cut my flying to nothing.

There are tons of other on-line sites that have everything you need. I buy everything on-line. LHS have nothing I need. If I want to find rude people and zero customer service, I can go to Wally World to get my fill anytime.

[ae4nr]

I agree our LHS wants to wait to get a big order so they can save on shipping so sometimes it can take a good while to get in what you want. So off to the internet and have it on your porch in a fair amount of time no wonder they are slowly slipping away.

[juicesqueezer]

	Quote: Originally Posted by phippsj
	Lack of a Hobby Shop where I live now has practically cut my flying to nothing. There are tons of other on-line sites that have everything you need. I buy everything on-line. LHS have nothing I need. If I want to find rude people and zero customer service, I can go to Wally World to get my fill anytime.

My LHS is but a click away! Thanks to places like Don's Hobby, ValleyView, Southeast Engines, Tower, Smart-Fly, WildHare, Horizon, etc. Oh and Wally World, I don't do business with that place. Stupid and Rude in the same location!

[xtraflyr]

A fellow club member had a problem with an online hobby store,not going to name it but --- it's a really popular one in Florida..

He was asking about a price for a DLE30 in the back single page add of the new Model Airplane News. After he asked a few times about it. Well it ended up with the salesman Hanging Up on him !! Then I called about it and they said they were out of them ! So whats the deal ?!!!

[Dewayne Vaughn]

We have 3 Hobby shops here in okc.
One caters to heli's and cars and he does good business and takes care of his customers quite well.

One has been here 20 years and is a good guy to know. He doesn't stock alot of product, but he does stock things you need, and you get the feeling that he'd rather be flying. ( I like that ) He gets alot of my business. He is always there with the info you need, and he can get you anything he doesnt have in three days.

One is a well stocked airplane store. The owner ( software business owner full time ) is a flyer and wanted a well stocked store in his town, and he built one.
The guy behind the counter is hired help, and doesn't seem to care if the place lives or dies. Seems bitter alot of the time... I pointed out that his prices were wrong on monokote ( it was marked too cheap ) and he tells me it isnt his problem, do I want it or not. I only go there when the other shop is out and I need it today.
I hear the same story from the clubs about him, they want to like the store, but they dont like the counter guy.

I've run a hobby shop, and have alot of years in retail, and know how to look at the problem from both sides of the counter.
You have to love retail to run a store.... a few of us do, but most of you don't.
So I voted service as the main reason for the LHS dying.....

For the most part, we can tolerate out of stock if the service is really good, but we will never tolerate a bad attitude.

And some folks on here complain that their LHS isnt stocking 300oz servos and 100cc engines... for every one of you there are 96 sport flyers... so you need to remember that you are a fringe group and not the bread and butter of the hobby.
It would be like complaining that they didn't stock a variety of turbines or profile ships..... He only has so much money to use for stock and he has to put it where it will turn fast. ( he has to eat ya know )

[flying skunks]

how about a hobby shop that has two showrooms , and one filled with Giant Scale planes that are TRUELY Plug & Play .........here's a few pix ..this is Chief Aircraft in Deland Florida

[Al Lewis]

That's awesome and Chief is a great company to deal with but hardly a LHS.

[flying skunks]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Al Lewis
	That's awesome and Chief is a great company to deal with but hardly a LHS.

for some of us lucky ones , it is our local hobby shop ..... they have two show rooms at their Deland store ...

[Al Lewis]

Yeah they're just south of me in Oregon but hardly local.

[flying skunks]

I have never been there , but the one in Deland is about 10 miles away from the house , and 1/2 mile from one of the flying fields that I fly at .....................