Local Model Shops

[Sammo]

Morning everyone!

Sorry if this is long and pointless but it was a good experience that put a smile on my face

Yesterday, for the first time in years I popped into my local model shop (Mick Charles Models) for a wander around. Between the ages of 12-15 my mates and I pretty much lived in there, much to the annoyance of the owner Mick and his two Sons, John and David. I only went in yesterday to see how much they were charging for Tamiya PS paint in comparison to Modelsport etc. To my surprise it was the same price (some colours were actually cheaper!) and obviously I didn't have to pay postage. 7 cans later I was then talking to John about batteries and chargers. He was much more helpful than I remember when I was a teenager and took time to explain everything I wanted to know. In my book that goes a long way and I ended up buying a charger (for a few pounds more than I could buy it online) and I will be going back to buy the batteries I need for my speed run FF01. 

I think places like this are dying off and it's going to be a sad day when John and David are too old to run Mick Charles Models anymore because there isn't going to be anyone to take over from them and it will be the end of a very long era!

Does anyone else still use their local model shop or are most things bought online these days?

Cheers,

Sammo

[Man1c M0nk3y]

Would love to have one. The last major one that was local enough shut several years ago and the next closest only deals with scale stuff and point blank refuses to order anything in. 

Drove past the other day and it had closing down signs in the window. Sad really. 

For me it’s online only. The closest ones now don’t justify the journey imo. 

[Ronnyhotdog]

Did you ask him if he had an on line store? I assumed most online stores have a bricks and mortar store, too. There isn't a local store near me.

[Sammo]

18 minutes ago, Ronnyhotdog said:

Did you ask him if he had an on line store? I assumed most online stores have a bricks and mortar store, too. There isn't a local store near me.

He has a website http://www.mickcharlesmodels.co.uk but it's not an online shop. It has the history of Mick Charles Models and how Mick started off with making and flying all the planes for the movie Battle of Britain. 

[Re-Bugged]

I think a lot of shops are trying to compete with online traders and winning back customers.

Unsure what I needed for my SRB for steering recently I paid a visit armed with the chassis to the nearest hobby shop (tied in with other errands) which was a 3 1/2 hr round trip. The owner was very knowledgeable & helpful, disappearing into a sea of parts bags to return moments later with everything I needed that have turned out to work perfectly. I also noticed a Futaba 3PV on the counter that I'd been looking at online & inquired how much? To my surprise it was $10 cheaper than online. I turned to my wife mentioning "Thats a good price" Next minute she bought it for me as an early birthday pressie .

They do have an online shop themselves but could see from what was in the shop probably doesn't get updated as much as it should. None the less, as you Sammo, he will be my first port of call whenever possible. Face to face is important to people like me that need a bit of help in the right direction sometimes. Funny this topic popped up as I've just got of the phone to my dad in Hartlepool (who is in to RC Planes) saying the shop near him has now shut. Not being computer minded is a struggle to get parts. So as with most businesses its survival of the fittest, and use them or lose them. 

[No Slack]

Until last December I used my LMS for parts.Only when the LMS couldn't order parts I shped online. Now the LMS is closed, they lost the battle with the online shops. This was the last shop in my city, There used to be five modelshops but they all closed in a period of about 10 years.

The service at the shop was first class. Always helpful and informative. They even helped me with soldering (a skill I don't master). I shall miss my LMS.

[Sammo]

6 minutes ago, No Slack said:

Until last December I used my LMS for parts.Only when the LMS couldn't order parts I shped online. Now the LMS is closed, they lost the battle with the online shops. This was the last shop in my city, There used to be five modelshops but they all closed in a period of about 10 years.

The service at the shop was first class. Always helpful and informative. They even helped me with soldering (a skill I don't master). I shall miss my LMS.

This seems to be a really common theme. The big online retailers can buy everything in such huge bulk that they can afford to knock it all out at rock bottom prices. The model shops haven't got a hope in badword of competing. For sure I will be frequenting Mick Charles much more often from now on. 

[Baddon]

Belfast now has no RC model shops. There is one in Coleraine but he is not a big Tamiya supporter so its online only for me.

Neil at Time Tunnel has become my local model shop and he is in Scotland. He is only an email away and has been more than competitive. He is local to anyone in his area and obviously survives with a large online presence. 

Same with local cycle shops (my local one does about 5 times more online business than walk ins.

[max69vk]

I got my first RC from Mick Charles in 1985 back before they moved from New Malden to Ewell, this was obviously well before the age of the internet & the place was always heaving (before & after the move). Unfortunately for them & a lot of other similar local shops, I get the impression that their demographic of customers hasn't really changed & for the most part is still the same loyal core of (Pre-internet) RC'ers that would travel to them from far and wide back in the day.

The adoption of the internet back in the late 90's & early 2000's was a trick missed by many, especially when it was still viewed as being expensive & something of a dark art. With the advent of online only stores & drop-shipping, the local shops were already at a massive disadvantage with their shop front overheads & limited customer outreach (in comparison to web stores). This was then compounded by the  2nd issue for local shops with the advent of the internet;

The wealth of knowledge now available at your fingertips from a collective of individuals (much like this forum) that meant you no longer had to go and visit an individual expert for advice. The buying/obtaining advice process had become simple & super convenient (especially for those who didn't have a local shop) & price became king when buying  , much like the whole high street. Unfortunately the closin down of many locals shops appears to be  the end result 😕

[topforcein]

i really prefere to visit my lhs. i did visit every week until i had to take my 1.1 car of the road.

i still go every know and then but i have to use public transport and it takes around an hour to get their but its well worth it as i get an exellent service their i can ring up and order anything and they will do it even with out a deposit as they know i will collect. i have gotta visit their this coming week and cant wait. 

[Saito2]

I do miss the lhs. We had a bunch around my area bitd, but they've all closed up now. In the mid 2000s I mainly went to the remaining few for paint supplies. Those remaining few had changed hands since the 80's and stocked and pushed Traxxas (and a little HPI). I remember asking about the upcoming Hot Shot re-release. The young fellow there didn't know a Tamiya model from a stop sign. The slightly older fellow asked why I'd be interested in that "plastic cr@p" when "this here Emaxx I got for sale goes 30mph!" (in his words, ugh).

But, bitd, TAMIYA was king!  Man, I miss seeing that line of white boxes up on the shelf behind the counter. We did actually get a new hobby shop in town. The guy's struggling, working a 2nd night job to keep the lights on. He's mostly into trains though.

[Tamiyabigstuff]

The only model shop in my town closed in the late 1980's, the 2 nearest towns each around 10 miles distant had a couple of model shops but they have all gone within the last 2 or 3 years.

Probably 35+ miles to the closest model shop now - very sad.

Pretty much all online for me now.

[Ann3x]

I think I'm pretty lucky in having https://www.stevewebb.co.uk a 5m walk away.

Even then it's usually faster and cheaper online (nvm rare parts)  but I try to check them out 1st before I buy major stuff and they have "saved" a weekend project for me many a time. 

[Kingfisher]

There are two LHS's that I know of around me. One of them is stocked like a warehouse with Traxxas parts. Literally, aisles through the whole store of nothing but Traxxas. Asking about anything Tamiya gets you a funny look. I stopped going there after my 2nd visit for paint. The other store has the most ridiculous prices I have seen. $650 USD for an Axial kit that costs $319 USD online everywhere else. Over $500 USD for a Vaterra Ascender RTR. I spent 15mins in there looking around and standing at the counter waiting to ask questions. It wasn't until I was walking out of the door to leave that they finally acknowledged that I was there and asked me if I needed any help. By then, it was too late.

[Sammo]

12 minutes ago, Ann3x said:

I think I'm pretty lucky in having https://www.stevewebb.co.uk a 5m walk away.

Even then it's usually faster and cheaper online (nvm rare parts)  but I try to check them out 1st before I buy major stuff and they have "saved" a weekend project for me many a time. 

I used Steve Webb for a servo not long ago. Excellent service especially when Royal Mail lost it and Steve Webb went above and beyond to get it replaced ASAP!

[TurnipJF]

I have yet to experience a brick-and-mortar hobby shop that is knowledgeable and well-stocked with Tamiya goodness. I have seen pictures of them online, usually in Germany and Japan, but until a local one chooses to compete, I'll stick with online purchasing, and I refuse to feel guilty about it. (I do however buy from UK-based online sources if they have stock at prices that are at least semi-competitive.)

[topforcein]

for me i am really lucky i have a few with in a 15 mile radius of me 

penn models 

wheelspin models 

radshape

mikes models

and i think their is a couple more i dont know the name of them though

and i have midland raceway also.

but i only visit penn models tbh as i have to use public transport 

[Sammo]

33 minutes ago, TurnipJF said:

I have yet to experience a brick-and-mortar hobby shop that is knowledgeable and well-stocked with Tamiya goodness. I have seen pictures of them online, usually in Germany and Japan, but until a local one chooses to compete, I'll stick with online purchasing, and I refuse to feel guilty about it. (I do however buy from UK-based online sources if they have stock at prices that are at least semi-competitive.)

Shame you don't live near Epsom. As an adult I can now fully appreciate the knowledge that John and David at Mick Charles possess! It's that age old adage of what they don't know isn't worth knowing!

[tamiya3speed]

I always have to chime in when I get a chance as I am very lucky to have an excellent LHS, Grandview Hobbies.  It is a one man show, he mostly trades in racing (Associated and Losi) kits and plastic models.  There are now a number of Tamiya kits stocked there too.  He has always been willing to try to track down any kit or parts that I need and really enjoys all the rere stuff.  There are a couple of other decent local shops but I focus my business at Grandview because the service has always been stellar.

[Jonathon Gillham]

We have a few around here (if local is within the city limits) but I've had mixed results. One has employees rather than the owner and it really depends who is working when you go in. Their stock is bad and their website isn't up to date, so best to ring if you want something in particular.

There are a few small stores where the owner is really into the hobby and they tend to sell a few limited brands but really know their stuff. Prices are higher than online, but they provide so much advice its worth it. Part of the reason they are expensive is they don't sell cheap nasty products, so while you can save by buying online, you don't save that much for the identical product. But they won't have a $70 ESC/Motor xombo available. Most race and will be at their local club, usually with tyres and spares so you can keep racing and they will invoice you the next day.

Some of the NZ based online stores are really good. The Monster Beetle was cheaper from an online store, my BittyDesign M410 was from a shop in Nelson and the owner also threw in some shims for me from his personal stash for free. They also call and text with updates etc, so the service is a lot more personal than say Hobbyking where they tell you to go to their chat service. So I get really good local service, its just depends on the definition of local i guess.

[novicelad]

I know Mick Charles, was the go to place when I was younger!

I used to live in Epsom area so know it well, nice to know they are still there!

There is nothing in or around Taunton there is a place called RC octane hes very good but more geared up for he racing scene and is a 30 mile drive!

I would much rather walk into a shop and buy bits than online, I suppose the chinese market has put a stop to alot of that 

[StrokerBoy]

There's only one local-ish shop round here now, I've been going there (on-and-off, mainly off) for 30+ years.  The chap that runs it is a bit odd, he can be super-helpful but often just makes you feel like you're a major inconvenience.  He has a younger assistant who's great but not always there.  So you walk through the door hoping to spend £20 on paint or something, and either come out with a smile, the paint plus a brand new kit you didn't know you wanted, or you end up going home in a sulk, ordering the paint online and vowing never to darken his door again.

[Percymon]

I still, surprisingly, have a model shop in my town -I thought it was on its last legs a few years ago but tis still there - they even have some expensive metal crawler chassis in the window at £600+  (no doubt Chinese metal ladder jobbies using CR-01 components).  The problem for me is the shop floor is ca 700sq ft , and covers everything from planes (mostly spares, but three hanging from the ceiling), boats, drones, railway, static models and RC.  As you can imagine if its not a generic spare or component you want (servo holder, battery pack, servo etc) then everything has to be ordered.  Even Tamiya paints are limited items in can form - most of the small pots for static models are there.

So if I want a Tamiya spare, it has to be ordered - I could wait weeks.

My next nearest three models shops are all and hour drive away, and involve paying for parking which isn't any cheaper than paying postage ! 

Hate to say it but i can look at eBay on my phone, and mostly order from Tonys Tamiya Parts knowing that the item will be with me in 2 days max.

[Phil_H]

17 hours ago, topforcein said:

for me i am really lucky i have a few with in a 15 mile radius of me 

penn models 

wheelspin models 

radshape

mikes models

and i think their is a couple more i dont know the name of them though

and i have midland raceway also.

but i only visit penn models tbh as i have to use public transport 

I popped in Wheelspin the other week as I passing through Cannock.  Considering the amount of stock they hold on their website, and the picture of the 'store' they show....I was pretty disappointed to walk in to a Warehouse with nearly everything behind a long glass counter, and nothing really out to have a proper look at! Apart from Traxxas monster trucks.  Glad i didn't travel any long distance. 

[Man1c M0nk3y]

42 minutes ago, Percymon said:

My next nearest three models shops are all and hour drive away, and involve paying for parking which isn't any cheaper than paying postage ! 

Hate to say it but i can look at eBay on my phone, and mostly order from Tonys Tamiya Parts knowing that the item will be with me in 2 days max.

Exactly my predicament. Sad fact of the current retail world. 

Have a very good friend who works at a long established bike shop near me. He says it’s getting harder and harder. People come in wanting to spend money in the shop but they just can’t compete with only me prices. He was telling me the other day about a guy who came in asking the best price for some tyres. Even with a discount the guy could get them cheaper online than the shop we’re paying trade. 

He loves it there but is now looking to get out as doesn’t think they can ultimately last.

Its a shame really. The internet/eBay is killing some high street businesses. 

But, we all want cheap at any cost.