Kudos to FSM, cynics take note!

That's the spirit....lol

Even with a LHS shut down, you can't knock the computer, it opens up thousands of internet hobby stores I would have never even known about without this bad boy I call my computer, besides where would I be without this awesome site to post threads on......oh yeah, that's right.....finishing models!!!

Walmart sells models????? I guess they have a "small" un-organized selection. Last I saw they were pre-painted snap together types. Oh, and a few car models, again pre-painted, and all the same type.

LHS may be the thing of the past, but thanks to the internet, many modelers can now broaden their horizons and learn things about products and techniques that were not possible 20 years ago.

Yup, the hobby is growing in all sorts of new directions.
Scott

I like having the best of both worlds; the internet allows me to buy models cheaper and give me a wide variety to choose from, but at the same time, I buy all my supplies and certain models at a new LHS as well. Life is good....

Regards, Dan

I read that too, but the cynacal wtars in me run deep. I would have liked to see the statistical analysis and the rest of the information that got them to that point.

Recently it was reported the the numbers for unemployent were down. While everyone was thumbing there suspenders and patting themselves on the back, a few organizations did some deeper digging. The numbers looked good, not because there were less people on unemployment, but less were collecting unemployment. Meaning their benefits had run out, or they had decided to become one of the millions of blips off the radar. Not that we were seeing an increase in employment.

So if we had 500 new shops but lost 400, theres still only 100 ahead of the game. So how many went under?
How many are hobbyshops, and how many are mailorder houses?
How many sell models and how many are bead, craft, doll, glass, r/c, etc?
When was the info collected?
Where was this info collected from (what organization tallied the information and where did they get it from?)

Personaly I would love to see an upswing of new businesses. And I remain optimistic that we will get some new LHS.

Mike

Mike I believe the information more than likely came from FSM's sister publication Model Retailer......

and as far as WALFART and thier models we wont go there, but I dont even shop there that often anyway....nothing worse than Sam's Corporation.....ok maybe there are a few things.....

I agree with Mike....did it cover how many LHS's closed down? I know we had one here in town that went under, we have another one facing it(not from lack of business though. IRS/State troubles, big time!)......How many people are without LHS's? Too many.

I see LHS owners complain about web sales and web this and web that.....GET OVER IT. Business is like anything else survival of the fittest. Get with the program or get run over! Period! You adapt/overcome or you die.....in life or business.