Order Online or LHS

[Mike McKnight]

Ok I gotta vent a little and ask a question. So I'm curious. How many of us in the boating world actually visit your local hobby store anymore? I know there is always this thing out there of "Support Your Local Hobby Store" but I'm finding that more and more difficult of late. Basically there are two reasons I don't go to an LHS anymore. First, I don't really have a LHS anymore. Most shops around here have gone away. I do have one shop here in town but they are first and foremost a Railroad shop. They have a small car and truck section and are so woefully out of touch and not very knowledgable that it's pointless. They are only good for grabbing a bottle of CA or maybe some brass tubing. The only other option is to burn a ton of fuel and drive 45 miles away to a big store in Sacramento. But even they are an issue since they do not carry a lot of the parts that I USED TO be able to get there. The stock there has decreased dramatically and it's not worth it to even go there anymore which sucks because I liked going to the hobby store! I have now HAD to order from Tower because I cannot get the stuff I used to get at the HS. Not that I dislike ordering from Tower I just miss going to the HS. Am I in the minority on this? I guess I shouldn't complain because I don't have to pay the governor and the cost of shipping less then what I would spend in fuel. Still....

 

[Kevin Krogness]

I try to support them but if they don't have it I try a small hobby shop with a website before tower...

 

[moparbarn]

i guess i'm lucky. my lhs is first & foremost a truck & buggy oriented place. lately they have gone more towards fe & away from nitro. that being said, they are close & will gladly order anything i need from tower, order twice a week & receive the orders twice a week. no shipping is charged, because their normal twice a week stock orders only involve a few days wait. if they cannot get something, due to not having an account or needing a minimum order, i check here, then a hobby shop with a web site. then the manufacturer, if they will sell direct. as a last resort, i will shop an internet only business. do try to support your lhs, you can't race on the internet :lol: :lol:

 

[tom galdys]

Us boaters and all other rc people are very lucky here in Buffalo NY. Our LHS has a complete line of eveything. If they are out of something they order it for you right away and usually comes on Wednesdays. Thank you Doug and Jason Field. Tom

 

[Hydro Junkie]

It really depends on what I'm looking for. There are four main LHSs that I use:

a car/ARF mom & pop place that I can get most of the screws and attaching hardware, some wood.

3 general LHSs that has some of everything but not much of anything, good for ply and props and not much else, though one does have flex cables and attaching hardware.

Add to the other three a Hobby Town USA, not good for much since the store is only a cubbyhole in a strip mall.

What I'm seeing is more and more, the LHS caters to the predominant hobby groups in the area. In my area, what I see is more and more car/buggy heavy shops that carry primarily ARF aircraft with a few building kits and nothing for boaters. I was in two of the shops over the weekend and found a few Midwest Lobster boats and a couple of Dumas kits and that was it for R/C. Even building materials are getting hard to find locally. Spruce over 36" is basically unobtainable unless I want to cut it down myself from home center 2X4s. I have started to order over the web just what I have to to get things done, though most of what I get is from local small shops. I get some of my hardware from locals like Jensen Marine and Mike Hughes, FG parts from the now defunct R/C Sportcraft or Logan Unlimiteds and everything else from the manufacturers themselves or through a local distributor. Needless to say, I have placed Octura and Speedmaster in the "My Favorites" area of my PC and laptop. As for Tower Hobbies, that is a last resort kind of place that I try to avoid as much as possible while Fleabay is avoided like a plague due to the horror stories I've read in the forums from many other boaters.

 

[Kerry Norton]

I was having this conversation just the other day. I worked in a very well stocked hobby shop some 35 years ago and watched the slow demise of many small hobby retailers. At any time someone would walk in and see an aircraft kit on the wall, pick up a copy of RCM magazine with the 5 page Tower ad and ask why we couldn't sell the kit for the same price as Tower (really hurt that we were Canadian and had to deal with currency exchange, duties, shipping, taxes, middlemen.....). We would try to explain to them that where a large mail order retailer would sell hundreds we would sell a couple (serving the local market). The customer , not convinced, would spend a $1.59 on quick links and leave. The boss realizing he couldn't afford to maintain retail space and feed his family from the proceeds of quick links closed down. You've got to keep in mind that these shops were set up to service the local clubs and supply peronalized help to newcomers for planes, boats, cars or whatever. We even put on shows at the local mall to help generate interest.

 

[Mike McKnight]

I must just be stuck in a void or something then. Like I said...here in the valley of Northern California it is a barren wasteland as far as hobby shops go. I used to have one about 2O mins away. They were an older couple that did cars and planes but almost always had building supplies. Used to be a place here in town that was similar but smaller. He couldn't make a go of it and disappeared. Used to be that you could at least count on them for supplies like ball links or pushrods or whatever. Not anymore they are all gone. Now even Sacramento is falling off. They used to be awesome for building materials... The Bay Area has a bunch but that's too far to drive at an hour and a half. So I guess I'm stuck with online

 

[Chris Wood]

i am kinda in the same boat.. my hobby shop don't care about much of nothing.. if it ain't RTR they don't want to mess with it.

I asked them about getting bulk discounts on wood glue's ect for my boat kits i build. i can't even get them to stock 36" pcs if k&s tubing so i have to order that online as well

he don't want anything to do with it so i have no choice to buy online.. i live 45mins from SIG MFG. they won't deal much either.

so i feel your pain

chris

 

[steve wood]

my lhs only has 1 source(horizon),since he screwed over the rest.if they don't have it,you can't get it

 

[RodneyPierce]

i order nearly everything online. With the small exception of glue, or fuel tubing, or hardware that I need in a pinch. Otherwise, its all ordered online.

 

[Andy Greene]

I guess Im WAY spoiled. Otto (Technology Hobbies) is about 15 mins from the house with a Hobby Town in between. Granted the H/T is really only useful to me for paints/brass tube/pushrods ect-

and of course- something for Kaytlin every time we go

Other than that, I purchase online or phone from venders here that have proven a quality product, there are plenty.

Trust me when I tell ya- its not a bad thing- NOT- to have a good hobby shop "too close" by , $$$

Andy

 

[Ray Sametz]

I guess Im WAY spoiled. Otto (Technology Hobbies) is about 15 mins from the house with a Hobby Town in between. Granted the H/T is really only useful to me for paints/brass tube/pushrods ect-

and of course- something for Kaytlin every time we go

Other than that, I purchase online or phone from venders here that have proven a quality product, there are plenty.

Trust me when I tell ya- its not a bad thing- NOT- to have a good hobby shop "too close" by , $$

Andy

Andy, my LHS has turned into an "is it just me". The old man turned it over to his son, gone is 36" K/S tubing, gone any ply or wood over 12" long. If it's not plug an play they don't have it, bring it in I'll fix it is there answer to any questions. I would'nt pizz on him if he was on fire. Had to go online all the way, or a phone call. <_<

 

[mark holton jr]

i have three lhs,s and they all suck as far as boat stuff goes. one has props at good prices but thats it , and the other two forget it,rtr cars and thats it so for me its all online.

 

[Ron Olson]

I'm somewhat blessed to have 3 hobby shops in town that deal with RC, hobby-sports.com, Extreme Hobbies and most recently a Hobbytown USA. Most only carry a few RTR boats but try to buy locally when I can and let them make a few dollars to help them keep the doors open. We used to have a Rider's Hobby Shop in town that did have boat kits, props and some hardware but they went out of business. There is another shop that does carry wood plus a few other RC-related items but are mostly into model kits. Hobby Lobby used to carry wood from Midwest but I was only in there once shortly after they opened.

Gary Preusse is only a phone call away so I call him a lot. I just got in yesterday around $200.00 worth of parts in from him.

 

[CySlyde]

I miss the GR riders.. they were always happy to answer any question i had even if the answer involved i dont know let me ask... or look it up. I could order anything I wanted through them, and even if it wasn't from their distributors if they could get it they would do it.

however now i have to drive to lex to get it... they only have some rtr boats, no accessories. but they are pretty decent on the rest of the stuff... I found one that caters to planes and railroads, and one other that is closed alot but caters to cars FE and has a indoor track. when the last one is open they are really cool and seem to want to help, but dont have a lot of connections, or inventory.

so I normally go to the first, however most of the time i walk out of there frustrated. I guess i'm old school, I want to see in the box, take a look at the kit pieces and instructions... i'll leave em in the plastic I just want to feel it and inspect it. and the radios and all the other stuff before I make my selection... they hate that. and that's why I ordered my radio through on online acquaintances shop. even though it's not something he normally carries, he did it for me... yeah i'd save $20 going to tower, but this guy isn't them, and I know he's doing me a favor, and I know the struggles he has been through to get started, i dont mind giving a little extra to keep him open another day.

 

[LarryConrad]

Local shops around here are pathetic unless you are building static display models. Gary Pruesse has or can get within a matter of days most any item I need. For boats I go direct to the manufacturer for kits or hulls, for hardware not manufactured by the builders,I contact Speedmaster or Mike Hughes.

 

[Mike McKnight]

Don't get me wrong I know they can't carry a lot of stuff we need and obviously I wouldn't expect them to since we are a small market share of the RC world. I too order hardware and other stuff from various sources. But I'm talking about just basic building materials. I literally had to stop my work this past weekend because I needed some pushrod stuff. The closest place I can even buy some Du-Bro parts is the store in Sacramento 45 mins away. They USED to carry some other pushrod ends and carbon tubing and other stuff I needed not anymore. They have the Du-Bro stuff but all the other stuff...not a chance. I talked to the one of the owners on Monday and asked him what's up? Basically his response was they have to cater to the ARF and Car customers to make a living these days. They are getting less and less builders coming in so they don't stock a lot of stuff anymore. Even the wood selection is about half what it once was. I told him I was sorry to tell him that I was gonna have to buy elsewehere and online from now on and the crappy part for him is I used to spend at least $100 to $200 every time I went in there. Obviously I'm in the minority...sad.

 

[Grimracer]

Mike,

Something to keep in mind..

Some of the trends we are seeing might contradict what you have experienced. Wood and foam sales are up..

On that same note.. Most of the airplanes at e-fest this last weekend were some kind of scratch built, glued together thingamajig. What we have found is that the market is being filled with pilots . the buy it fly it group.. and (LOTS OF THEM) some (not all) are looking for the next challenge. We have found this trend to be BUILDING.

Now.. im not saying this is the case with the hobbyshop you went to or not but IF the hobby shop complaining about the lack of (parts sales) I gota tell ya.. either they dont understand there local customer, are not willing to change because its not what its use to be.. or.. the worse one.. they are LAZY and dont want to work at selling (them selfs).. i.e. parts, learning and service..

Like our larger percentage of RCers. They want it now and with little trouble.. and the LSH wants………money now and with……yep.. little trouble..

Truth is this is not the case with all shops..there are some DANG good ones out there.. but.. the internet has changed things and we all have to roll with the punches..

Grim

 

[Ray Sametz]

Mike,

Something to keep in mind..

Some of the trends we are seeing might contradict what you have experienced. Wood and foam sales are up..

On that same note.. Most of the airplanes at e-fest this last weekend were some kind of scratch built, glued together thingamajig. What we have found is that the market is being filled with pilots . the buy it fly it group.. and (LOTS OF THEM) some (not all) are looking for the next challenge. We have found this trend to be BUILDING.

Now.. im not saying this is the case with the hobbyshop you went to or not but “IF” the hobby shop complaining about the lack of (parts sales) I gota tell ya.. either they don’t understand there local customer, are not willing to change because “it’s not what its use to be”.. or.. the worse one.. they are LAZY and don’t want to work at selling (them self’s).. i.e. parts, learning and service..

Like our larger percentage of RCers. They want it now and with little trouble.. and the LSH wants………money now and with……yep.. little trouble..

Truth is this is not the case with all shops..there are some DANG good ones out there.. but.. the internet has changed things and we all have to roll with the punches..

Grim

but.. the internet has changed things and we all have to roll with the punches..

Grim Boarders bookstores claimed bankruptcy, assets 1.28 billion, debt 1.29 billion. Thats BILLION, nobody even cracks a book no more cause of the internet. :wacko:

 

[Grimracer]

dude.. you NAILED IT!

its our metric today and we have to work with it.. its to large to ignore..

ITS SKYNET!

Grim