Hi folks!
In another forum, I described how wonderful it is to be a modeler living in Japan, with all the great hobby shops featuring great selections virtually everywhere.
When I traveled back to the US last Christmas, I was saddened to find the one little hobby shop in my hometown of Brunswick, Georgia, had disappeared. It wasn't a great shop, to be sure, but it was a hobby shop nonetheless.
I was also quite disappointed to see that K-mart stopped carrying model kits altogether, and that Wal-mart's selection was down to about 3 Monogram F-14s and an assortment of about 10 cars and trucks.
My spirits picked up a bit, however, when I found a ton of kits at a Toy Liquidator's outlet shop. Lot's of AMT/Ertl stuff, really, really cheap.
It appears that well-done toys have taken youngster's minds off of building accurate replicas for themselves (but that's a whole other discussion!) and taken kits off of shelves.
Ah, and there is a Franklin's that carries a few kits (a coupla Glencoe, no less!).
Modeling in rural Southeastern Georgia was always a case of slim pickings, with nary a Tamiya or Hasegawa kit to be had for hundreds of miles (had to go to Savannah, Atlanta, or Jacksonville!! Anywhere there was a military installation!). But the current situation I experienced recently in my little hometown was quite depressing.
My question:
Where do serious modelers get their stuff, like kits, tools, aftermarket gear, the works?
The Internet? Or does every other city in the US besides my hometown have a plethora of fabulous hobby shops?
I'm very interested in hearing your stories.
(Not just the US, by the way!)