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How far to your model shop??

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  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: On the way to AC+793888
How far to your model shop??
Posted by lolok on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 11:59 AM
Reading the various departments on the forum it is obvious that we are truly scattered over the globe and seeing some peoples comments got me wondering how far we have to go to visit our LOCAL model shop. When I first moved to Warsaw I thought I was Hard done by because I had to travel 20 klm to the city centre were I have a choice of 6 purely model shops within walking distance. One of them is the main ABER/ retail outlet in Poland. What about you guys. Do you have to pack sandwiches when you visit your local shop???
Jim Ryan Ex-Pat Limey in warsaw.Poland. " MENE,MENE,TEKEL U PHARSIN"
  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: USA, GA
Posted by erush on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 12:02 PM
Mine is only about 4 or 5 miles from where I work and is the only "all plastic" shop around. Now from the house it's 45 miles so that's a little bit of a drive. I just go 2-3 times a week at lunch to get my fix. Big Smile [:D]

Eric
Hi, I'm Eric and I'm a Modelholic too. I think I have PE poisioning.     "Friendly fire...isn't"
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Tochigi, Japan
Posted by J-Hulk on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 12:08 PM
I'm very lucky in that I've got quite a few very nice, very comprehensive hobby shops within walking distance. The closest is about an 8-minute walk.
Life is good here in Japan!
~Brian
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 12:12 PM
I'm lucky that way, too! I'm only about 45 min from Tokyo and if one knows where to look you can find a shop just about every other block! - Calvin
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Keizer, Oregon
Posted by Model Grandpa on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 12:14 PM
5 miles, I'm there Monday thru Friday, 2 more with in a couple miles of work.
Regards, Dan Building Scale Models At The Speed Of Dark
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: United Kingdom / Belgium
Posted by djmodels1999 on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 12:36 PM
2 minutes with a bicycle to the local model train shop (ideal for supplies); 15 mins on the train to the first decent model shop, an hour and a half by train and tube (underground) to Hannants, the modeling mecca...
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Sandusky Ohio, USA
Posted by Swanny on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 12:37 PM
My model shop is the mail box. Our local shop really stinks. I am a regular with Squadron, Greatmodels and ebay.
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 1:03 PM
Bummer, the fish has to make a 90 mile round trip to Memphis to find a decent shop that specializes in plastic kits. I think there are only about 4 shops (not including Michaels/Hobby Lobby which only sell Impalas and NASCAR Trucks) in this area. There used to be more, but mail order did 'em in.

-fish
  • Member since
    January 2003
Posted by shermanfreak on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 1:15 PM
Closest pure plastic store is about 1 1/2 hours away. I usually make the trip once every 6 weeks or so. There is a local store that specializes more in trains and if he has something on his shelf I will buy from him.
Happy Modelling and God Bless Robert
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 1:35 PM
Nothing that doesn't need several months planning, a team of sherpas and gps.. Good thing I've got a Landy..

But seriously.. One I know of in town, about 20 minutes drive, one in amsterdam, about an hour or so away.. There's also a seriously well stocked aviation hobby shop (and I mean STACKED! Vac form, resin, PE, decals, pilot helmets..), but their prices could make a grown man cry like a chicken.
  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Poland
Posted by Aleksander on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 1:44 PM
I have about 12 km from home (but 5 km only from my job ! ;o)) - it takes about 10 minutes to drive - but I still think it is too far ! Regards ! Aleksander

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 1:46 PM
I'm a good hour and a half away from any hands on store and if I need any paint I call first because the odds are they don't have it, so I have to come up with reasonable alternarives. Pretty sad for an area pop of 55k.
  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Maine,USA
Posted by dubix88 on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 1:55 PM
HEY,
Well, my nearest hobby shop is about 30 min away, unless you count one of the best hobby shops around, Wal-Mart, which is only about 10 minutes away. When i visited my uncle in Fla, i must have seen about 20 different model shops throughout town.

Randy
THATS MY VOTE "If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there is a man on base." -Dave Barry In the words of the great Larry the Cable Guy, "GIT-R-DONE!!!"
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Saratoga Springs, NY
Posted by Jeeves on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 2:13 PM
The really good one-- Hobbytown-- is about 45 minutes away-- but it is on the busiest street in Albany Sad [:(]

I have a few closeby that I use for paints-- but they specialize in either R/C cars or trains...
Mike
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 2:18 PM
My main shop, Phillip's Hobby HQ, is only about 12 minutes away and has nothing but plastic. There is also a Hobby People about 10 minutes from home, the have mostly RC but a pretty good selection of kits and paint too.
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 2:54 PM
Hmmmm My closest shop would be about 1/2mile from the house. Then theres one about 7miles from the house. Both of these are open M-S. Then theres the shop in the mall which is about 9miles away open M-Sun...The other one is about 20miles away(Small shop if you consider by sq ft.) Its located in a guys garage who sells as a hobby, but he has everything that the big shops have and more(lots of vintage kits!) Full line of paints,supplies,etc. Our local clubs meet there. Hes open when he's not at his "real" job as his wife puts it. But he's more than happy to meet you in his garage(shop) anytime before midnight if you call him. Now thats service! Our next shops would be about 35/miles to the East I dont make it over there much because thats where all the darned Snowbirds hang out and all the tourists are. Then we have 4 or 5 shops over in Mobile 45miles to the west. With Hobbytown being the biggest. So Im pretty well covered!
Chris
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Sunny Florida
Posted by renarts on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 4:23 PM
About an hour away for the hobby shop. And about 15 minutes for the craft store.
Other than that, its 2 hours of driving for a hobby shop that even comes close to having a selection of kits other than RC stuff. Figures.....thats as close as the UPS guy is willing to get to my front door. No one handles figures here. (That I know of, and belive me, Iv'e looked.)

Mike
Mike "Imagination is the dye that colors our lives" Marcus Aurellius A good friend will come and bail you out of jail...but, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn...that was fun!"
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 5:29 PM
Man, where have all the hobbyshops gone?
The closest one to me is about 15 miles but I rarely go there.
It's one of those that if you don't speak R/Cese, you're a 2nd class citizen. Not much in the way of plastic.
My hobbyshop is pretty much at my fingertips now, but it's not as much fun as actually being able to go inside the real deal and touch the stuff.

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Dahlonega, Georgia
Posted by lizardqing on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 5:58 PM
I have 2 around 20 miles, although one is a pawn/ gun / hobby shop and only has one shelf of kits and the other has other things like artist stuff and trains. Since I drive all over Atlanta for though I can normally manage to get by one down that way regular. There is a Hobby Lobby about 20 miles down the road to which is where I have gotten most of the recent ones.
  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Posted by maddafinga on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 6:20 PM
There's a Hobby Lobby directly across the street from me, and three others that specialise in rc/railroad stuff, so I don't go that often. A Hobbytown just opened up 5 miles or so from here, but I haven't visited it yet. There are Hobby Lobbys and Michaels all over town really. The one that I visit weekly though, is about 15 minutes or so away, in a suburb of town. It's the best shop in the country I think, literally thousands of kits in any category you want, tons of aftermarket, resin, pe, what have you, gobs of supplies and paints, all kinds of paints. The best thing, they're cheaper than any other store I've ever been in. I love that shop! I find myself going even when I don't need anything, just to look around. Tulsa is great for hobby shops I guess.

madda
Madda Trifles make perfection, but perfection is no trifle. -- Leonardo Da Vinci Tact is for those who lack the wit for sarcasm.--maddafinga
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Third rock from the sun.
Posted by Woody on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 6:46 PM
Hobby Lobby is an hour away, but I really don't think of that as a hobby shop. Mark Twain in St Louis is the shop I like but it's three hours away! Yeah, it's mostly mail order and ebay for me.

" I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way." --John Paul Jones
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Philippines
Posted by Dwight Ta-ala on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 6:49 PM
2 good shops which are about 15-20 minutes walk from the office. Another one is about 10-15 minutes drive from the house.

Very near. Very tempting. Very good.

  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Washington State
Posted by leemitcheltree on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 7:12 PM
There are three plastic model shops in Melbourne -
About a 50 minute train ride/45km away.
One is a must visit, great blokes staffing it - another is ok, and the third is a rip off shop (and regrettably has the best range).
I don't get in to see the guys very often anymore. I also don't spend nearly as much money, either...........
Cheers
LeeTree

Cheers, LeeTree
Remember, Safety Fast!!!

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 7:26 PM
15min to Hobby Lobby but mine kinda stinks. Mainly cars and a small aircraft section, an even smaller ship section, only armour is American tanks. Not that I don't like American armour but I would rather do German and Russian tanks. The shop I really like to go to is about a 3 hour round trip. But he has a large and diverse selection. Gotta give him a plug here. Hobby Center of Killeen in Killeen, TX! That place rocks! My local hobby shop is for RC aircraft only, though he will order anything you want, he just acts like your asking him to move the earth for you. So I'll drive a little longer to talk with a shop owner that knows what I'm looking for and doesn't just lay a catalog in front and say "when you find what you want call me"
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 7:37 PM
Well, depending on the shop I go to, it takes anywhere from 30 to 40 minutes. 30 minutes away is West Edmonton Mall, which has some decent shops. But if I want to go to a real hobby shop that carries decent supplies, its a 40 minute drive (unless I'm behind the wheelWink [;)])
PS. Sherm, what hobby shop do you visit (i'm assuming its in edmonton)
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 8:31 PM
Hey all,
I have a Hobby Lobby about 15 min away, but they seem to never update their stock. Next choice is Nashville which is about 60-70 miles away Disapprove [V]. So Im starting to think of my computer as my nearest LHS. Ebay is my friendBig Smile [:D]
  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Rain USA, Vancouver WA
Posted by tigerman on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 8:44 PM
Only about a 10 min drive to the closest, and 20 min to the farthest. The farthest is about 10 min from my work. Big Smile [:D]

"It is well that war is so terrible, lest we grow too fond of it."-R.E.Lee

   http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y269/wing_nut_5o/PANZERJAGERGB.jpg

 Eric 

  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Foothills of Colorado
Posted by Hoser on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 9:14 PM
Hobby Lobby and Wal-Mart (Bah) are 10 mins. away. Hobby Town and Michael's are about a 25 min. drive, but the real peach is Don's Hobbys in Greely, CO - maybe 40 / 45 mins.
You AC guys would go nuts. Picture a 30 yd. wall, 12 ft. high floor to ceiling with nothing but AC from just about any country that ever produced an aircraft kit. Kinda skinny on Sci-Fi, but ...
3 levels - RC on top, kits on the main, model RR in the basement.

P.S. SmithM. I have that whole Calvin modeling series taped together and on the wall in my hobby room. Big Smile [:D]

"Trust no one; even those people you know and trust." - Jack S. Margolis
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 11:42 PM
Phoenix has several good plastic model shop but they like to cater to RC crowd.
  • Member since
    June 2003
Posted by M1abramsRules on Wednesday, October 22, 2003 1:08 AM
oh mine is about 12 hours walking distanceBig Smile [:D] only 45 minutes by vehicle.
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