sigh - another one bites the dust........

VanceCrozier

OK, this is probably what I get for being so smug about having the LHS literally across the road from my place.

I was in just after Christmas, gift cert. in hand to take advantage of a Boxing Day sale and had suspicions then, but it was so crowded I couldn't get near the owner except to pay. I see this morning on the way out of my driveway that my local guy now has a Closing Sale advertised on his window. I've been buying from this shop, under 2 different owners, for almost 20 years.

Next closest brick & mortar is in Fredericton, about 90 minutes drive through a moose infested highway.

Yeah, it hurts, it hurts...I was a customer of the LHS since 1962, and even after they relocated, I was still buying kits from them.

The last thing my LHS owner said to me was "Dominic, you don't have to do this, you don't have to do this...."

I didn't, he owed me about $400 in undelivered. I should've pulled stuff off of his walls, but in the end, it was the end...after 50 years or so, I was happy to buy my last kit from him.

Hey, I found out in August, he had collection "on consignment guys" to the tune of 30K.

The Bear Claws on the way down.

Besides, for 10 cents on the US for all of the collection stuff I bought, I figure the $400 is but a small, small percentage.

I coulda' snagged another few Trumpeter releases, but darn it anyways, I burned 2K in gas just visiting the guy's shop!

Lesson learned, dig for the cash register if there's nothing left on the walls!

SuppressionFire

...I envy you being only 90 minutes from Fredericton. Elm city hobbies is the best shop in the Maritimes, if not eastern Canada...

Good to hear a favourable review Jason! I'm on their email list already & want to make a point of getting to the next CAMS. I guess the other good point is that I have in-laws in Woodstock, another hour beyond Fredericton. Soooooooo if we happen to make a run up to visit...

ouch the i have a hobby store thats about 10 mins from my house but its more car oriented the good one is also some time away sigh. i wish there were more hobby shops in my area.

Well Vance sorry to hear your LHS is closing out.

I was in Halifax on Monday, I like the 'Mom & pop' feel of 'Marine hobby & craft' yet his main area or income is SCUBA gear. 'Maritime Hobby' has a decent selection yet high kit prices is a turn off. Neither had a Ho 229 in stock which is ok as I have to whittle down the stash before new purchases. he he then I will splurge for the Airfix 1/24 scale Mosquito!

I envy you being only 90 minutes from Fredericton. Elm city hobbies is the best shop in the Maritimes, if not eastern Canada. They had a huge selection at the two contests I attended last year, one at Shearwater Aviation museum & of course CAMS in Fredericton. I had to ask if they left anything at the store! Prices were reasonable, plenty of resin figures, AM accessories, decals and approximately 100+ kits!

I too have had to see the LHS around here go belly up.It,s NOT the internet ,but the plain old cost of operating a small business in this tax and permit overloaded society. The LHS units out there are respectively 35 and 48 miles from me. Yup , one,s in AUSTIN-45 miles and the others are in SAN ANTONIO they actually are 35 and 41 miles from me to tell the truth. If I can,t get to them then it,s the internet!!  Can,t get around it. Even though it,s nice to go to the LHS and get to talk with other modelers as well as the shop owners and staff. They CANNOT carry all the stuff that say SQUADRON in CARROLTON ,TEXAS has .The same goes for all the other on line "stores" Ah ,well, the times they are changing , darn it !   tankerbuilder.

That does suck. Hate it for the little guy. I guess it is hard to stock all things for all people when the internet basicly has anything you can ever want and it comes to your door.

Between my LHS' and my trips around the country to other peoples LHS' I really dont have to use the internet, but if I could not find it I would not hesitate to use it.

p38jl

Bummer Vance.. got any of them thar Deer Whistles ??.. work on dem moose to ey...

I hear on the LHS... the good one in Bangor closed a while ago.. the one here in Ellsworth is ok.. but high priced on his items...

Nahh, every time I stick my head out the car window to whistle at the moose I get bugs stuck in my teeth... I've been told the best defence against moose is a loaded semi truck anyway.

I guess the good news is that I had already decided to stop buying kits until my stash has been depleted a little, it's not like I'm hurting for options. But it was great having the supplies sitting next door. Man, I'm going to have to go stock up on paint etc. soon before somebody else beats me to it.

Bummer Vance.. got any of them thar Deer Whistles ??.. work on dem moose to ey...

I hear on the LHS... the good one in Bangor closed a while ago.. the one here in Ellsworth is ok.. but high priced on his items...

Well I've had to go to on line sources a few times as well recently. There were a few aftermarket decal sets that I was looking for, his supplier was back-ordered and he admitted that when they are back-ordered you can't predict when/if they'll be available again. I gave Sprue Bros. a shot, they had all of them in stock at a decent price. I added a few items that I wanted to try on my ongoing P-38 and everything was in my hands within a week.

Kits & supplies I almost always bought at this source though. I doubt any big box store is going to stock my Humbrol enamels or Tamiya acrylics though. I guess I'm in for more frequent trips to Freddy or online shopping.

Its really sad that this keeps happening. Though i must admit its probably because of people like me who buy everything on line that it does happen.

But the LHS i go into, and i go into our nearest one every time i am in town, just doesn't stock what i am after. Ashide from a couple of tins of paint now and again, they don't have what i want when i want it. I just find it easier and cheaper to do an online order once a month and get everything from one place.