Bruckner sucks they never have any of the basic stuff like paint and their model kits are so over priced and the guy that runs the place acts like your bothering him when you ask for help.:thumbsdownIn the Bronx we have Bruckner Hobbies Bruckner Hobbies Home
In Mount Vernon, NY there is The Hobby Store The Hobby Store
we have two in Buffalo I will share my favorite first Fields Hobby
Finally not as good service as Fields but bigger and has trainsNiagara Hobby & Craft Mart
This a cool thread btw
I don't know they were pretty helpful to me when I was getting started in r/c, this was some time ago when they were at the old location. Things could change though. Where do you get your stuff from Ray?Bruckner sucks they never have any of the basic stuff like paint and their model kits are so over priced and the guy that runs the place acts like your bothering him when you ask for help.:thumbsdown
Because I hadn't gotten to that item on my list yet. :lolwhy isn't this thread a sticky?
Because I hadn't gotten to that item on my list yet. :lol
See that's the thing they basically cater to the R.C. crowd thats why I don't consider them an all around hobby shop. I basically order my stuff online or on Ebay, it takes me 2 buses and a train to get to them just to find they never have what I need.I don't know they were pretty helpful to me when I was getting started in r/c, this was some time ago when they were at the old location. Things could change though. Where do you get your stuff from Ray?
I should have been clear in my first post:
only recommend hobby shops that you think others would genuinely find a good/great place to shop. I'm hoping nobody denotes any hobby lobbies or hobbytowns in their community.
Wait, hold on. What is so wrong with Hobbytowns?
Yes, they carry more than just models. Yes, depending on the size of the store the width and breadth of model choices can be shallow. You do realize though that this is determined by the amount of customers that purchase models in their stores right? Same thing goes with EVERYTHING else in the store.... paints, glues, tools, etc.
This is on top of having a very large network of distributors and vendors that the stores can special order items from for something they might not carry on-hand but can readily get for you.
Talk with the staff if you're having difficulties finding something.... they're actually wanting to get your repeat business so unless the franchisee is off their rocker they'll try to help you as best they can.
Disclaimer: Yes I have history with Hobbytown. I was one of their Corporate Training Managers for 10 years. I was also the manager of one of their corporate stores as well as handled all of the restock and special orders for the multiple corporate stores.
How each store is run is up to the franchisee, but if they're not handling what the customers need then issues can always be taken up the chain... and the corporate office is VERY active in each of the stores, ESPECIALLY if there are issues.
Nothing is "wrong" with Hobbytown USA. Its my default store for supplies like glue and paint. I've had great interaction with the local store employees...always very helpful.
Reread the my initial post. This thread is to provide information for the traveler in a new city -- to give them a heads up on the nearby stores, if they are worth visiting and what they might expect. Some of these stores are holes in the walls but well worth the effort of finding them. As I noted, if you google "hobby store" & "insertcity", your likely first hit will be hobbytown or lobby. We already know these stores.
In addition, a deeper interest (at least for me) is to find rare/hard-to-find kits. Stuff that's been OOP for a while. You WON'T find these at the two giants.