JohnMatt
the Baron
Ah, a Landsmann! Welcome back! You're not too far north of me, I'm in Bethlum.
I look forward to seeing your builds!
I'm in the Bethlehem area as well. Been thinking of starting a club where interested folks can get together, talk, show off builds, demonstrate techniques... maybe even do a build together.
I was a member of a group like that which met at the HobbyTown on MacArthur Rd; it was kinda fun. We even did their annual contest; I brought my light tent and camera and took snaps of all the entries. Then Jeff sold the business, retired to Costa Rica and I haven't seen the guys since.
Any interest in something like that?
And hi Schnake!
Say nahw vunce!
I belong to the DelVal Scale Modelers out of Philly, but I'd be interested in meeting with other locals up here.
About 10 years ago, maybe a little longer, there was a flyer on the counter at HobbyTown, announcing the start of a local modeling club, with a debut meeting to be held up at Trains & Lanes outside of Nazareth. I went up there on the designated evening, and no one ever showed up. I asked the guys at Trains & Lanes if they knew anything about it, and they said they never heard of it. That was the last I ever heard of any effort to start a club.
I remember seeing the guys who'd gather at HobbyTown, but I was only ever there to stop in and pick up supplies.
Yeah, it was over a year ago, maybe two now, that Jeff moved the store from the location across from the Lehigh Valley Mall, to the one up MacArthur Road. It's not as visible, but the one girl who worked there said that the landlord at the other location priced them out of it. I got an email back in the fall, then, too, announcing a new owner.
I remember the contests, too. They haven't had them for a number of years, which is a shame. I recall that they got sponsorship from some of the mainstream manufacturers--maybe it was Tamiya? They also used to solicit, or accept, models for display in the store. I always thought it was a great idea, because it'd encourage people to build--and buy their kits there in the store. But that was dropped, too, though I think I recall asking about it and they said there had been too much fuss from some of the modelers.
It's a good idea, keep it informal, but ask someone like Hobbytown if they'd host having people come in and build. It seems to be common enough, from what I read in the various IPMS club newsletters, and from what I hear from my local buddies in DVSM.
Maybe even Yocco's would agree to host a meetup....