discussion Another Model Shop about to close

[Guest]

I went in Essex Model Centre earlier today to pick up some Birch Ply, the shop is sadly looking very empty and it's about to close in Easter when his current lease runs out. It's a sad state of affairs and is another local model shop about to go.

:emo10:

 

[Guest]

is that the one in bush fair in harlow?

Richard

 

[Guest]

Yep, thats the one - might be able to pick up a bargain if you get in quick before it's gone!

:sadcry:

 

[Guest]

I just despair. Another golden age of modelling and there is hardly anywhere to get stuff.:emo10:

 

[Guest]

will have to go donw and check it out before it closes. that now means my closest model shop is about 30miles away!!!

 

[wonwinglo]

Very sad to hear this,some towns are looking so deserted that they look like Hollywood ghost towns,went into Dorridge today into a shopping mall,half a dozen shops out of room for a few dozen which were deserted,overheads and soaring costs together with peoples buying habits are to blame for the most part,a secure warehouse stocking thousands of items employing a webmaster to download the orders coupled with someone doing the packing is all that is required, and they make more money,the friendly model shop and its enthusiastic owner are now almost a thing of the past,as they say use it,or loose it ! how true that is.

 

[Guest]

I am in Brookfield Wisconsin USA. We had my LHS close last fall they too lost their lease. Big new building. No small Hobby Shop

 

[Guest]

This is now happening so fast it really is becoming scary. Our towns are changing overnight and we all turn our backs on it for the sakes of our cheaper and more convenient internet shopping.

Use it or loose it has never been more appropriate and I now make a point of spending that little bit more to support my local model shop. Unfortunately more and more are only interested in the cheapest product via mail order and we can only watch as the retail world as we know it slowly dissapears.

 

[Guest]

My most recent purchase (revell uboat) came from my local shop it actually worked out cheaper than online. I do endeavor to use my local shop whenever it is prudent to do so. But as far as R/C stuff goes, it is all online case example-

.Tamiya 1/16 Panther full option= £310 inc postage, Ebay.

.as above..............................= £600 local shop.

 

[Guest]

Tamiya 1/16 Panther full option= £310 inc postage, Ebay..as above..............................= £600 local shop.

Unfortunealty the model shops are not making the £300 differance its probably changed hands at least twice before the can sell it and the importers make the most as the dont have to handle the goods only the paperwork max profit for them

and as been said were all to blame by buying on Evil Bay and other places

I'm including myself in this statment

 

[jspitza]

These shops can setup online services................................ Brick and mortar are a must BUT to be competitive in todays world, one must join the current trends. I'm sorry but there are options. I just purchased a plane from a local shop-even spent 10 dollars more and he even does mail order.

 

[Guest]

I aggree, i suggested he start up on line and he did that "laugh" which really means no way! lol.

i went in there last friday and forgot to mention on here that last weekend were his last days open, so Alan sorry if you wanted to nip down this weekend to get any clearence deals.

when i went in all kits were 25% off so i got a nice academy 1/72 F-8 for £5 and another which im keeping secret and will show very soon!

Alan did you see the hand grenade thing he had on a counter? i thought it was great. I couldnt find one online anywhere but luckely someone found it for me!!

IMS-PLUS Hand Grenades, Cannon Fuse, Dummy Ammo, Flechettes

(go to bottom of page)

going to have to get one!

Richard

 

[Guest]

Alan did you see the hand grenade thing he had on a counter? i thought it was great. I couldnt find one online anywhere but luckely someone found it for me!!

Yeah he's had that grenade for a fair while - luckily he never had cause to use it on any irate customers!

Not too sure where my local model shop is anymore...is that CB Radio / Hobby place still going in Harlow?

 

[Guest]

Economic Downturns

I agree, it is a shame that more and more small businesses seem to be feeling the pinch these days...ironic when you consider that small businesses account for over 60% of our nation's growth, and very often they tell the same story about business costs, and the headaches involved in masses of imposed legislature they have to deal with, just to stay open.

Small wonder that entrepeneurs have had the stuffing further knocked out of them by the strangle holds of big businesses controlling prices and overheads wherever they can...just to keep a handful of share-holders happy!...pity the small business man, his dreams, his future? Early retirement? or ....on-line trading, where there are low overheads, and the buy it cheap , sell it with a smaller profit margin seems to rule...

My local model shop in Farnborough closed because he couldn't compete, and the conditions of renewing his lease etc., he told me he was fed up with it and was winding it up.

I know that as I spend less on my Railway, I can stretch my petrol bills further...(more than a note of cynicism here!)

 

[Guest]

Sadly it seems to be the same all the world around. Here on the french riviera, there have been at least four modelshops closing.

It shurely is a hard time for our hobby, VDO games gathering more and more kids every year, the hobby fans average age is getting older every year. Nevermind cause were still there, alive and kiking.

Averof

 

[Guest]

Its been the same up here In the North East of England. There used to be a number of model shops that were very well stocked and the staff were knowledgable.

Now I think there are only about 2 or 3 that are any good. I know a collegue of mine went on saturday to buy a Futaba handset from a local shop. They only had one left, the display which was set up already and had been tried out. There price £250 non negotiable. He bought if online for £199 brand new !

And as for some of the other shops, you walk in them and they have NO stock! They say its dead money on the shelves, but when i go into the shop and they dont have the basics like CA, or fillers what chance have they got ? And thats not unique up here !

I think some of the balme has to lie with the customers these days as well. I dont think as many people are prepared to actually "Build" things now. There idea of building is taking out of a box and plugging the batteris in ! Nuts, bolts, micrometers pah!!!:angel:Wheres me playstation or whatever they use !:emo10:

Paul

 

[Guest]

We are very lucky here in York to have two pretty good model shops. I try to use both if I can but they can't compete with the online shops for stock variety and price. So if I need something from the online store I quite often have to add all sorts of stuff to make up the minimum order and thats a loss to the model shop, sadly. The thing the model shops have in there favour is the personal contact, knowledge and experience. They need to trade on this somehow. get a community of modelers interested and involved, The games workshop people do a great job in this respect I think.

I would be very sorry to loose the shops here, I can't afford to buy everything from them so what do we do?

 

[Guest]

Diversification marks the way forward...

It may sound glib, but one Railway Model seller I know that has diversified is Richardsons in Feltham, Middlesex.Although primarily a Builders' Merchant and Timber Suppliers, they actually hived off a section of their business premises to sell models. Not just Railways either, but lots of variety too. What could be easier than buying your baseboards, support frames, wiring, and your track etc., without having to drive miles, or wait for something to be delivered 'whenever'.

Maybe not all vendors have the same sort of premises size-wise, but it has enabled them and some other businesses not to have to rely on only one type of income.

On the subject of specialists however...if I need parts to build certain Locomotives I have only a couple of sources, and they certainly don't seem to be suffering, but as we all seem to agree...specialist knowledge is worth paying for. The follow-up to that is how long will they keep going , if youngsters don't pick up the challenge?

 

[Guest]

Our only model shop was a long running family place which sadly closed a few years ago, on the bright side a new one has opened up. He's not in the town center but sends a "boy" to sit at a stall in the shopping center, says he's doing a roaring trade there.

On-line is okay but you cannot beat yapping to the owner and picking stuff up.

 

[Guest]

My experience with model shops is that a lot of them tend to be very specialist - old one in Epping was into R/C large scale model aircraft and the Harlow one was just all things model boat related. Problem with being that specialist is it's a bit offputting to people who are into other forms of modelling. I guess you need to be a jack of all trades, plus have an online store to run a successful model shop now.

It's a shame as Epping is full of wall to wall coffee shops and Range Rover Sports now - not an interesting shop in sight! The old walkaround shop in Leyton has gone and Sedgewick and Beven - used to be good for buying materials, one of those old shops with wooden boxes that you could rifle through and buy a part for pennies that you couldn't pick up anywhere else!