Sadly, Another One Bites the Dust

I know I am dreading the day when a couple of shops around here close up.  I don't get up to one as much as I would like to, but the other one around here, I am really dreading when they close up. 

KT5150,

Very well said.

I've been shopping at Hobbyland for nearly forty years now and as bummed as I am about them closing, it was time.

The owner, Pat, lost her husband a while back and things started to go downhill for the shop. They took a big hit when their manager, Steve, passed away suddenly one day at work. Another employee, Janet, was injured trying to stop a shoplifter who was heading out the door with a rather expensive RC car. It's darn near impossible to replace all of the experience the shop lost.

A lot of what you saw on the shelves was rather old stock. Some of the kits on the shelves date back to my days in high school during the mid-80's. Others are consignments. Pat has always been very supportive of her customers and when a local hobbyist passed away, she would open space on her shelves for their collections to help out surviving family. 

All of us in Great Falls and north central Montana are going to miss Hobbyland. For many, its absence will mean trips to Missoula or Billings, which means taking trips of nearly 200 miles to pick up kits and supplies. But, we have all seen just how hard Pat and her family have worked over the decades and she has rightfully earned her retirement.

scottrc

I was raised in Great Falls and have many, many memories from the time it opened to my last visit in March of this year.  This is not just a store closing, its a chapter in my life that is closing.  But I am glad its becasue Pat wants to retire and enjoy her family.   

 

I have only been there twice, and both times the entire staff was warm and welcoming. I spent almost 20 minutes looking at all the mounts they had above the show room floor. It is a shame that a part of this great town is going away.

I was raised in Great Falls and have many, many memories from the time it opened to my last visit in March of this year.  This is not just a store closing, its a chapter in my life that is closing.  But I am glad its becasue Pat wants to retire and enjoy her family.   

Hey ! G.P.;

    I know how it tis . I hope against hope that my friend Gary at Hill Country Hobbies , here in San Antonio can weather the storm . Without him it's Hobby Town or buy by mail or Internet .

 I don't like buying something I can't check before I pay for it . I have an odd habit anyway . If Gary opens a kit for me to look at  .Even If I have decided it's not the one I am looking , for I will buy it anyway .

   Why ? Well , Gary was kind enough to open it for me and then there's this . He will discount this kit further to sell it to another customer . Why ? Well it's now been opened .

 You can't get that on line . If I don't really want it , I can donate it to the local V.A. recreation center .

stikpusher

A bittersweet story. A good find and score of kits for you, and the super kind service of the owner/operator. But so sad another shop like that is closing. I am as guilty as the next guy of online bargain purchases, but I still try to do what I can to keep the local shops by me in business. I do realize that one day, they may no longer be there for me. So I try to help them out when I can.

 

A bittersweet story. A good find and score of kits for you, and the super kind service of the owner/operator. But so sad another shop like that is closing. I am as guilty as the next guy of online bargain purchases, but I still try to do what I can to keep the local shops by me in business. I do realize that one day, they may no longer be there for me. So I try to help them out when I can.

Thank you for sharing that story. I wouldn't be to upset about your purchase, the owner I'm sure appreciated your business. I also feel bad that alot of the mom & pop shops have fallen to the internet. It is unfortunate that small business owners whos inventory doesn't turn over rapidly are being priced out by faceless retailers with no overhead,( or very little), and almost immediate access to inventory they don't have to pay taxes on. Technology is great however it never can replace the old man or women behind the counter knowing EXACTLY where that EXACT kit is in a stash of thousands.

Hello Chris,

I know the shop you are talking about. It is owned by a elderly women and ran by her son-in-law. I have only been there once before the announcement of their closure. It is a shame that it is closing. They have been there for 42 years.