[Forbin]

HiWay Hobby House in Ramsey, NJ has been the best hobby shop in north Jersey for as long as I've been alive. Lately, it's been the ONLY brick-and-mortar hobby shop, in a rapidly diminishing industry.

I got the word this weekend that, after this Christmas, the owners are retiring and closing the doors for good.

This place has been part of my life forever. Dad drove me there when I was a tiny lad. I remember buying Monogram WWII fighter models, retailing for a buck, discounted to 70 cents. I remember walking in with $5 of paper route money and walking out with 6 airplane models.

A month hasn't gone by since without at least one visit, if only for a bottle of paint for a model.

This is gonna leave a huge hole. No more running out for supplies as I find them needed. No more running out just to see if anything new came in. From now on, it's ordering online and waiting 3 weeks for whatever I need to arrive.

Sux.

[Chuck]

[oldfella1962]

Times are changing - people these days build virtual models online I suppose.

[Forbin]

My friend the manager is especially bummed, since he'll be out of a job. What especially sucks is that he's the son of the owner, and his father flatly refuses to even consider letting him take over the store and keep it going. His father wants to lease the property and live off the rent money. I can't really blame the guy - it's prime NJ highway retail space, it'll bring a fortune, and who doesn't want to retire? But man, this is gonna be a HUGE loss for the modeling community. The place is more than a store, it's a hangout for modelers. I meet guys there on weekends that I've known for decades and just bullshit and catch up.

[shootER]

There's only one old school mom & pop-type model shop left here and, because of its location, I don't get over there very often at all these days (that, and I can't really afford to pay full price for kits that I don't actually get around to building ).

In my "win the lottery" fantasy world, I would buck the trend and open a brick and mortar hobby shop (though I'd also do web-order business, as well). I know of a perfect location for one that would be very convenient for people (especially tourists).

[frontline]

Forbin, I share your pain. The other week I discovered that Happy Hobo Trains shut down here in Tampa. As a kid I would beg my grandfather to take me there once a week so I could blow my allowance on track, cars, buildings, etc. As time went on they expanded their line to include models and modeling supplies. My trips became more infrequent over the years, but damnit they were an institution

[Forbin]

There are still two hobby shops in the area, but by "in the area" I mean one is 20 miles away with nowhere to park, and the other is 35 miles down the Parkway in an area I'd rather visit armed. I basically wait for them to come to the yearly IMPS convention in Wayne to sample their wares.

[Nautica]

Forbin, why can't the Manager/son-of-the-owner buy the rights to the store's name, along with all the items stocked, and move the business to another spot down the road a bit? That way the Owner keeps the building and can rent it out, and the Manager/Son can try to run the business on his own. Granted, he'd have an extra expense--namely paying rent--but it still should be an option...

[Forbin]

It has been suggested, but the manager doesn't have - well, ANY money.

[MiniBorg]

If the dad's going to make SO much money from renting, then why can't he give his son a loan, maybe a portion of the renting money coming in, so the son can set up shop (somewhere smaller, keep rent down), then have the son pay him back after a certain amount of time?

[oldfella1962]

There are still two hobby shops in the area, but by "in the area" I mean one is 20 miles away with nowhere to park, and the other is 35 miles down the Parkway in an area I'd rather visit armed.

Mewa will be upset that you're talking about Jersey City like that!

[Forbin]

Originally Posted by MiniBorg

If the dad's going to make SO much money from renting, then why can't he give his son a loan, maybe a portion of the renting money coming in, so the son can set up shop (somewhere smaller, keep rent down), then have the son pay him back after a certain amount of time?

Also been suggested, I think. The way my friend tells it, his father has no faith in him and very little regard for him.

[Lanzman]

We had a place like that in Waldorf, Maryland. Doug's Hobby Stop. Been there for years and years, catered to model builders, RC hobbyists, model railroaders, and model rocketry.

Things got too expensive and they closed. I bought art supplies from them that no-one else close by carried. Hell, Michael's and AC Moore still don't carry as much stuff as Doug's used to.

[apostle83]

I'm sorry to hear about that Forbin. I know how much you enjoy modeling.

[Starguard]

Oh well... there's always Tower Hobbies

www.towerhobbies.com

[Forbin]

One of my friends told me there's a couple of small shops I didn't know about not too far away. So it looks like I'll still have places to go for paint and supplies.

[apostle83]

I've always thought it would be cool to have rentable space for things like modeling.

[Scorponok]

Wow, sorry to hear that Forbin. That does totally suck! Make sure you go down and take a lot of pictures so you remember. I hate to hear stories like this.

In my city, there are still two HUGE hobby shops, and it seems modeling is pretty big up here. The model train convention keeps getting bigger every year, and a few years ago, my favorite comic book shop expanded to also carry models, mostly war and sci-fi models. The owner isn't even a model guy, but they just sell like hotcakes, apparently.

[Forbin]

Oddly enough, the hobby shop expanded to carry comics a while ago! They were trying anything to bring in business.

[Muad Dib]

Originally Posted by Forbin

It has been suggested, but the manager doesn't have - well, ANY money.

Ask Obama for some stimulus money.

[krieg1981]

The Town I just moved to has only one Hobby shop........R/C hobby.

[Volpone]

Technically, the thread title should be "End of an era".

[enlisted person]

I guess you are going to have to get a life Forbin Seriously, it sucks when things like that happen. There was a place I used to buy motorycle and camper parts, the old guy always had what I needed, He had been there since before I was born. The one day it was closed and that was the end of it. The place still stands and I drive by it every day to work. I should take a picture of it before it is torn down one day.

[Forbin]

Originally Posted by Volpone

Technically, the thread title should be "End of an era".

And not only did I think I typed it that way, my poor addled brain has been reading it correctly every time I visit the thread.

Oh boy, I'm getting stupider and blinder!

[Scorponok]

Forbin, YOU should open up a store. God knows you have enough inventory.

[We Are Borg]

Sounds to me like this is a business opportunity for you, Forbin.

Time to quit your soul-sucking 9 to 5 job and open your own hobby shop! Maybe you could even hire Karen as your store manager.

[Muad Dib]

I think this would be a golden opportunity for you, Forbin, if you want to take it. You know the hobby like the back of your hand, so you'd be the go-to guy for modelers needing advice and tips.

[Caboose]

I concur, something like this is right up your alley. Consider negotiation with your manager friend to set him up in other digs and with the Pop to buy/pay off in time for the store stock. God knows you're suited for the task and it would provide a nice little retirement lifestyle when the time comes.

[Lanzman]

I edited the thread title to correct Forbin's WRONG FONT!!

[apostle83]

Forbin,
I thought of you last night while picking some of the GF's friends up in Amherst, MA. They are international students and were at the home of some of the Umass Amherst Professors. The man of the home has a train set in the basement that he has been working on for over 21 years. The guy can run 40 trains on it at a time, and has done a lot of work modeling buildings. It's detailed to the point that he has dogs peeing on fire hydrants.

I asked him where he bought his cars, and he said "All the local stores have shut down for this. There are some that are within driving distance, but barely. I have to order off the internet."