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markbt73

This is when I miss local hobby shops the most

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I've got my trusty old Associated RC10LSO sitting on my workbench, a car I've owned for near-enough 30 years now. I restored the chassis 10 years ago, and since then it has been hanging  on a hook on the wall, body-less. Recently I got the urge to see the old girl running again, so I bought a re-pop Bolink Chevy Lumina stock car body from Sabula Tech, and stole some new unused wheels and tires from an RJ Speed kit I had nearby. I then scoured my parts stash for body posts, and came up empty-handed.

For several years in the early 2000s, I lived within shouting distance of Hub Hobby Center in Little Canada, MN. During that time, the shop actually grew in size, taking over the storefront next door. They're still there, still thriving, mainly due to having the foresight to set up an online store as well as their two brick-and-mortar locations. I'd stop by on my way home from work, to check out new kits, see what cars were in the consignment case, shoot the breeze with the guys behiind the counter, and - critically - pick up whatever little odds and ends I needed to complete whatever project I was working on. Hub's RC parts area was extensive and wide-ranging; only once or twice did I go looking for a specific part and not find it.

In my mind's eye, I can picture the body posts I need now, hanging on their pegboard: the old Duratrax universal-style, with the setscrew collars, 2 inches for the front, 3.5 inches for the rear. And with equal clarity, I can picture myself walking in to the Hobbytown shop a few miles from here and seeing the blank stares of the kids behind the counter when I ask for them. Last time I was in there, they couldn't even sell me bearings by size; they wanted me to tell them what car it was for. I gave up and left. Tammie's Hobbies, all the way across town, might possibly have them, buried in a box in the back room somewhere, but I'm not going to drive 25 miles each way through weekend traffic to find out.

So off to eBay I go, to have some five-dollar parts shipped to me, wait for them to arrive, throw away a bunch of unnecessary packaging, die a little inside.

If you have a local shop, go there today. Buy something. Tell them you appreciate them being there.

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I need to stop by HubHobby next time I am in MN.  

I drove past their store numerous times during my business trips pre-pandemic without even knowing it was an extensive RC hobby shop. :wacko:   Cool hobby shops I would like to stop in.  

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"Local" model shop? My "local" is 142 miles away, including a 1 hour ferry ride. 😂

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I’m very lucky I’ve Got 3 hobby shops in a 30 mile

radius and one track. Spares for Tamiya are slim but other than the 80s when haven’t they been I. America? I try as much as I can to go to the hobby stores for my purchases. Need to support the local small businesses!

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I am lucky too. My LMS is 4 km. So 10-15 minutes by bicycle. Good choice of Tamiya rc kits. I can go there by bicycle, buy a PS spray can, have a chat and be back within the hour.

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18 hours ago, Willy iine said:

I need to stop by HubHobby next time I am in MN.  

I drove past their store numerous times during my business trips pre-pandemic without even knowing it was an extensive RC hobby shop. :wacko:   Cool hobby shops I would like to stop in.  

Mind you, I haven't been there in about 17 years now, but back then they were the real deal. One of the guys behind the counter was seriously into Clods, and hosted a race/monster jam at a local track. I built an entire black-pan RC10 and a Frog from spares they had in stock, and this was before the re-releases. And bought more kits there, Tamiya and otherwise, than I am willing to admit. (Single + no social life + nearby hobby shop = lots of purchases.)

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1 hour ago, markbt73 said:

Mind you, I haven't been there in about 17 years now, but back then they were the real deal. One of the guys behind the counter was seriously into Clods, and hosted a race/monster jam at a local track. I built an entire black-pan RC10 and a Frog from spares they had in stock, and this was before the re-releases. And bought more kits there, Tamiya and otherwise, than I am willing to admit. (Single + no social life + nearby hobby shop = lots of purchases.)

That sounds fantastic.  I remember when I was a kid, RC shops in the 70's and 80's were like that.  It was a joy just to go there and check out what was new..  Based on what HubHobby show they carry online, I wouldn't mind stopping in when their inventory is back and pick up a few kits and electronics. 

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I'm lucky with a family owned hobby shop within 15 minutes on my bike :). The initial cost is more for kits than buying online but they have an enormous inventory of parts on stock. They do repairs (not for me, I like to wrench myself) and each have their own specialty. He does most repairs, knows like everything about electronics, boats, helicopters and airplanes, she does all things Tamiya, son does Traxxas, daughter in law does static and other stuff. Always ready to help you out. Endured me as a kid with no money spending hours in the shop and walking out with a Tamiya catalog as my only purchase that year. Never got bored of my endless questions BITD, so now I own them some credit :D

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