hobby shop employees

Hey Bernie,
I'm glad you went back. If for no other reason than to be able to say "Because I could". The Karma wheel will go around for those guys, and you can revel in the liquidation sale when this shop will undoubtedly go out of business.

On a lighter note, I went to a small hobby shop this weekend and drove about an 90 minutes to get there. It was small, and catered primarily to the R/C guys and Trains. But there was some good plastic kits and accessories as well as a good selection of mags. The best thing about this place was the service. I was greeted when I hit the front door. Asked if needed help right up front, and throughout my time at the shop was asked if I needed help by probobly every employee in the place. When I had a question I got one of the best answers you could get. "Sorry, I don't know, but let me find someone that can help you...if not we can look that up for you." Though they didn't have what I was looking for, they were willing to add it to their next stock order and took my info so they could call me.
This is what I mean by service. It was busy, they took the time, and they left me satisfied. The pay off is I wouldn't mind driving down there again and ordered more than I was looking for, mainly because I could. I enjoy the drive time, and it gave me an opportunity to meet some new "shop" friends.

I wish you luck in your endeavors.

Mike

This is scary...No sooner do I cry out about customer service, when I walk into the Hobbytown USA in Fargo ND. While they could use a broader selection of plastic, I have to say I have never been treated better in the 6 months plus that I have been back in the hobby (after a twentyfive year hiatus). Want to know what an air compressor sounds like...well they opened two so I could compare. Want to feel the difference between two companies airbrushes...let us open the box for you. I felt welcome and valued, and not ostracized because I build plastic airplanes and not R/C or static line. Other than it is 320 miles from home, it was a pleasant shopping experience...they should run customer service clinics for shops here in the Cities.

The small mom-and-pop hobby shops are not always more expensive than the big chains or e-tailers--or if they are, they're not much more expensive. Maybe I'm too swayed by warm-n-fuzzy, emotional considerations, but I actually don't mind paying a little more at a locally owned store if the service is good (friendly, knowledgeable, etc.). I guess it might be a different story if I were buying a large quantity of big-ticket items, but my closet of unbuilt kits is so full, I'm supposed to be limiting my new aquisitions anyway.

I agree w/ Lawrence. If a hobby shop is nice to me, I stay. That's why I go w/ JR Hobby here in Kissimmee. They have R/C stuff there, but not enough as to toast my cookies. And there selection is great, especially for being such a small shop!(I think my living room is about the size of the store!) That and, Their prices are always either the same, or even lower, than those I pay at other hobby shops!(IE: Wal-Mart and Colonial Photo&Hobby)

The unfortunate part of this whole story is that this hobby store used to be a small place as I remember from my childhood.

Which is why I still go there, because I remember when they were a good little old 'mom and pop' place. I just hope they can get their heads around the fact that customers are important.