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So Long, Farewell, Auf Wieder-byebye

Barney

Barney

Well-known member
Sad News in Cleveland... Wings Hobbies of Lakewood is closing its doors. It has been in business since 1947.

I have been in this shop off and on for 10 years. It has always had a good selection and the owners have always had the new releases as soon as they came out.

This leaves the Cleveland metro area with just 2 LHSs... Depot and Parma...

I am as guilty as anyone else... we buy our kits, paints, decals etc off the internet. We scour eBay for a great deal and meanwhile the LHS's are closing.

[strike]When I was a child, I spoke and thought as a child... [/strike] Sorry... wrong sermon...

We didn't have an LHS in Westerville... we had Roush's Hardware... paint, models, glue... it was a small slice of heaven.... we all have memories, good ones of the LHS. Unfortunately, too many of us are not or did not raise our kids building models... and now the mom/pop stores are disappearing...

So, do what you can to support your LHS, if you have one.
 
Sad to read this Barney. Lately, I have been bought nothing but LHS. Planning on hitting one tomorrow as a matter of fact. Need some Tamiya and Humbrol thinners.
 
Well that sucks Barney. I do try to support the LHS here as much as I can. I don't get kits there but try and get all of my glue, paint, and supplies there if they have them in stock. Strangely though they seem to have had a massive uptick in customers lately. Although they have also branched out into rc, paintball, wargaming and tons of other stuff as well.
 
Went by yesterday... closed.... :(

That leaves Depot Train and Hobby and Parma... a drive... oh well...
 
We have a half dozen LHS in the St. Louis metro area, but five are toy/hobby shops, no aftermarket to speak of, mostly train/RC.
CRM hobbies, the only REAL hobby shop left is still hanging in there and gets 100% of my business.

Back in 1985 there were more than 9000 hobby shops in America. I heard just the other day that is now under 2000. Sad, really sad!
 
Worst thing is we did this to ourselves....

There are somethings you just cannot get at the LHS (nose weights comes to mind) but the one closest to me can order anything I want. Is it as fast as online? No. Can I find those rare No Longer In Production kits? No... But their doors are open and I am glad to send business their way and men 8% to the county and state.
 
We have had a lot shut down here in Australia as well.
I buy my paint and glue and the odd kit at my LHS, but i but the odd kit off the net and the majority of my stuff at the local , yearly model show, where they have enough competition between vendors to make the prices like the internet or even better.

It is a terrible situation but the internet has changed all retail,not just the LHS.

Ian.
 
Columbia's ONLY real hobby shop caters mostly to the train clubs and the HO enthusiasts. Though I have bought a ton of materials and have made some interesting trades with these folks. New Brookland has been in buis. for near 40 years and is so cramped they have no room for a display case- it's sad that they are a dying breed like comics stores.
 
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