Hobby Lobby

Great topic.  All of my Tamiya P-47s were bought with the 40% coupon, not to mention several others.  Indeed I miss those days.  However, if you want Revell, that's the place to go.  Pehaps too many of us were "stealing" the good stuff and they were losing money.  I still hit that isle out of curiosity when I'm there with my wife.  

Interestingly, the closest one used to be 50 miles away, now there are three of them in neighboring cities.  Since food is generally better at a restaurant before they franchise out, this theory may have credence

Joe

I guess I'm in a lucky minority.  I have 2 shops within 25 miles of me plus a HL.  One of the shops hosts a Thursday night modeling get-together (bring in what you are working on and build along with the usually BS session and war stories).  The other has a pretty good selection of kits, and different than the 1st shop.  I do hit HL for some things in the supply line, and another local shop 45 miles away when I get up there for Tam paints, but the one hosting build night is supposed to be getting set up with them.

We got a HL in my town a few years ago. Lots of hoopla about how awesome they are. I was looking forward to it myself. As far as kits go, I found the selection weak, especially compared to the one LHS we have, and it's selection is somewhat meager at best.

However, the supply section isn't too bad, again, compared to my LHS. Lots more to choose from, and a better variety.

It seems any more the locals seem to be focusing way more on RC stuff, and it has been going that way for quite some time. I don't know if it is just here, or every where.

As for the 40% off coupon, I use it from time to time, but I am not sure it is worth it on some of the bigger items. I wanted a specific airbrush not too long ago, and HL had it. Out of curiosity I checked my local shop and he had the same, exact airbrush. His regular price was .05 cheaper than HL's 40% off price. Needless to say, I bought from my local guy. Could have been a fluke, but found it interesting.

Like a member named 'Hans Von Hammer' pointed out long ago, you can easily make friends with the person in charge of ordering the scale model products and try to steer them towards ordering a better (more diverse) selection of product. Of course, if you do that, you'd darn well better buy them so you don't leave them in a lurch, but if "corporate headquarters" sees an uptick in sales due to greater selection offerings, they will be very inclined to broaden that availability across the nation.

I shop there even without the 40% off. A very wonderful place to shop.

Yeah !

    They still don't carry a fair selection of floaty - thingys and their scales on them are all over the place even for the four or five they'll have . Many of the planes are those that have been around for a while too .

If you have 40% coupon, it's worth it - depending on what you buy.

Unfortunately our local Hobby Shop closed its doors last summer and now there is nothing for miles around.

H.L. is priced too high so I find great model deals on ebay

I respect your reason(s) for not shopping at HL. No worries...

DC, I have been saying that "I would prefer to go into the store and buy in person", in both posts.

So, you aren't "the reverse"

I just no longer have a store to be able to do that with.

Rex

BlackSheepTwoOneFour

doog -

While I understand your personal reasons of not shopping at HL but you can't beat a 40% coupon on supplies and/or kits though.

Rex,

          I get and got what you were saying.  I was just saying that call me “old fashioned” but I happen to like being able to go into an “old fashioned brick and mortar” store and picking up a model, bottle of paint, paint brush, whatever and look it over give it the “shake test” if you will.  I find it to be a much more enjoyable experience vs. going online and making a purchase.  Plus, I do not have to wait for the verification e-mail to arrive, and then I do not have to wait for the package to arrive either in the mail or via UPS, or FedEx, or whatever carrier they use.

          And actually, I’m the reverse.  As I much rather go into a store and make my purchase(s) as opposed to doing so online, and will pretty much only resort to going online IF I cannot find what I am looking for locally.

Bearcat57

"Also, by going into the LHS one can ask the staff for their recomendation as to this paint or model kit over another."

This may have been true in days past. But these days I only rely on the LHS staff to ring up the sale, not provide me with any sort of recommendations. I usually get the impression that I'm more knowledgeable about the items they're selling than THEY are.

Bearcat57,

     I guess, I'm lucky then in that from what I can see the owner at one and the staff at the other do seem to be knowedeable and are willing to share said knoweldge.

They had their CreateX washes on clearance for $1.40 and some Vallejo for $1.70.

Digital Cowboy

All of my comments were about the way we used to do it. And I was in favor of those days. Those days are gone. When we moved to Nashville, we had 11 hobby shops, plus the smattering of Hobby Lobby stores around the area.

Those 11 have now closed, plus one that opened and has closed since I came down here. (That shop was literally on the same  highway we hit when we drive out of the country into that city)

If I want "Hobby Lobby" type of stuff, there are 4 of those nearby. And those stores work just fine for the people that think "I think I will walk in and see if they have model kits in here" and then walk in and choose from what is on the shelves.

But, you have to admit, most people that post on forums have certain things in mind when they go to a hobby shop, and they look for those things or things like them.

Our fairly new HobbyTown is a branch of the Knoxville Hobbytown, which is a really good "old fashioned" type of hobby shop that just happens to be a Hobbytown franchise, not a "chain store". So, anytime I want to get that "hobby shop experience, all I have to do is drive up to Louisville, KY, over to Knoxville, TN, over to Memphis, TN, or down southeast of Chattanooga, TN, in northern Georgia. Put a pin in Nashville, TN with a string tied to it to see how far away my "Local Hobby Shop" is now located.

I say this as someone that gradually "migrated to online shopping", but, not by choice, and stayed loyal to all of those shops, spending money in them in a circuit every month when I spent my "hobby money". I still would be today, if everyone else didn't go online and drive past those shops until they closed up.

Now, I have no choice, because you can sell a whole stack of Testors 1/72 Corsair models to a lot of people, but, I don't need any of them, I have a tall enough stack of Tamiya and Hasegawa Corsairs to get me through until I decide to order another stack. And HL won't stock even the simplest of the "new type" of kits, such as the new tool Airfix, so they actually don't sell any model kits that I "need".

Wordy, I know, but, it seems I didn't spell it out well enough in my other post.

Rex

Bearcat57

"Also, by going into the LHS one can ask the staff for their recomendation as to this paint or model kit over another."

This may have been true in days past. But these days I only rely on the LHS staff to ring up the sale, not provide me with any sort of recommendations. I usually get the impression that I'm more knowledgeable about the items they're selling than THEY are.

doog -

While I understand your personal reasons of not shopping at HL but you can't beat a 40% coupon on supplies and/or kits though.

For the sake of argument - let's say you need a particular color of Vallejo Model Color. Squadron sells them on sale for $3.25. Of course you have to figure S&H costs too. Hobby Lobby sells Vallejo Model Color for $2.99. Tack on the 40% coupon and final price is roughly $1.80 plus tax. That's less than $2 per bottle of paint.

Say you want amt's 1967 Shelby  GT-350 kit. Squadron price: $26.59 sale price. Hobby Lobby price: $24.99 ($14.99 with 40% coupon). Let's say your LHS also has the same kit for $24.99.

I guess what I'm saying is don't be so negative about Hobby Lobby when the opportunity is there to take advantage of using a 40% coupon on kits and supplies. Yes the coupon can be used once every shopping visit on any regular priced item.. Even so it's worth the savings compared to an online store or LHS in your area.

the doog

I won't shop at Hobby Lobby for ...personal reasons.

I'd much rather give my money to a real local hobby shop.

the doog,

     While I am pretty sure that there is a Hobby Lobby somewhere in the area, where I just am not sure.  Like you whenever possible I prefer to go to a real LHS.  For the reasons that I have already stated.

     That being said, I have and do go to one of the local Michales to purchase some supplies, and/or kits that the two closest LHS may not have.

     And as has been mentioned with HL, I do like the 40% or more off coupon that one can "download" on their phone/smartphone at Michales.  The last time I was there it was a 50% coupon and I had purchased a brush/paint holder for my ceramic brushes.  I want to get at least two more of those one for my clay cleaning tools and another for the brushes I use when I paint my models.

TarnShip,

    While probably most of what you've said is true and accurate.  And that probably most people would rather order something online.  I personally, and I would hope that there are others like myself as well.  Would rather go into a LHS or even a chain like Michales and purchase what we need now, rather than wait for it to be shipped after ordering it online.

    Also, by going into the LHS one can ask the staff for their recomendation as to this paint or model kit over another.  And in some cases one might even be able to take a class on a particular technique.  Which is service that one cannot usually get from an online retailer.

mustang1989

Nathan T

Hobby Lobby isn't a store for kits, its mainly for supplies/paints, and other modeling things that cross over for arts and crafts. Don't expect anything other than general/old model kits.

Oh contrare!! I just recently started getting interested in automotive modeling. They have a freekin' wall of those kits! 

Yes, they probably have the best line of car models.

That is true. They don't have much for winged vehicles though.  I'll just have to accept the fact that I'm doomed to eBay for all my kit purchases. 

Nathan T

Hobby Lobby isn't a store for kits, its mainly for supplies/paints, and other modeling things that cross over for arts and crafts. Don't expect anything other than general/old model kits.

BlackSheepTwoOneFour

Stopped by this afternoon. Sprue-ce is correct. Not every single Vallejo color is marked down - only certain colors. Picked up the last 2 Vallejp Thinner Medium (regular price) and 4 other colors. I wanted Cavalry Brown but those were gone. :(  I ended up getting Deep Yellow, Off White, Reflective  Green and WW2 German Camo. Beige.

But, there are other HL in range.............

Stopped by this afternoon. Sprue-ce is correct. Not every single Vallejo color is marked down - only certain colors. Picked up the last 2 Vallejp Thinner Medium (regular price) and 4 other colors. I wanted Cavalry Brown but those were gone. :(  I ended up getting Deep Yellow, Off White, Reflective  Green and WW2 German Camo. Beige.

BlackSheepTwoOneFour

Stopped by tonight and saw they are clearing out their Vallejo line of Model Color paint. Marked down to $1.79 each. Wow! I may go back and buy the whole lot of what's left of them.

Stopped by tonight and saw they are clearing out their Vallejo line of Model Color paint. Marked down to $1.79 each. Wow! I may go back and buy the whole lot of what's left of them.

I just purchased food coloring with the 40 pct off coupon.

Unlike the miniscule selection offered at major grocery store chains at high prices, HL sells food coloring in useful quantities.

I won't be using it for food but am following Don Wheeler's example.

Don Wheeler tests his airbrushes using food coloring:

https://sites.google.com/site/donsairbrushtips/home

I will be rebuilding an old airbrush and wanted to use something other than paint.

Hobby Lobby had just the item I needed.

Don't turn your nose up at any source.  So HobbyLobby just carries a limited selection of kits?  That could change, maybe they'll add some, maybe eliminate some.  As others have noted, they are a good source of some supplies, and the 40% discount coupons can get you some good deals.  I don't shop there exclusively, but I keep it in mind, along with the other craft stores--Michael's, AC Moore--and HobbyTown, and the Internet, and the remaining old-school bricks-and-mortar stores.