Are we car modellers a dying breed ??

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

I can only dream of the perfect model car shop. Too many people in this area complain about the same thing...none of them are really all that great, the fun isn't in the equation when going to visit.

Shelves stocked w/the latest kits. Stuff that sits too long...blow it out cheap!

Plenty of aftermarket rims/tires/decals. Fresh stock of Tamiya/Gunze/Testors/Alclad metalizers. Any tools/supplies that are staples of builders...in stock. People who know what they are selling running the show.

Resin trans-kits. Built-up display to highlight the products and the local talent. Sitting area w/magazines, car videos. Video game/arcade...perhaps a selection of car-related video games and their platforms. Perhaps have an area with six monitors/sets for networked games. Pay a small fee for time, sell snacks. The idea to make $$ is to get people in the door, and offer them the items they want for a fair price. Give 'em some kind of discount...even a small one makes you look like a hero.

Slot cars and accessories. A track area to race. A sitting area to "modelpalooza" and have club meetings. A workshop area run like a co-op; buy time on the machinery like lathe and mill or spray booth. Where the shop becomes more than a place to buy, it's a place to hang out. Have how-to seminars. Host a few contests. We've got a big gaming-oriented hobby shop nearby w/a lot of gaming and sci-fi stuff, not many cars because that's not their forte. Half of this huge shop is basically a group area w/rows of tables and chaisr for gaming/meetings/etc. I'd love to see the same for cars. They're open late, even on Sundays. The only place I know that sells Jolt! cola and all the other assorted energy drinks...these guys are serious about their games.

Yeah, it would be cool. It could work if someone had the means to get it set up/started and the enthusiasm to run it, a good business plan and backup plans.

[Veyron]

Hmmm.....innovation, what a concept. If only that concept could originate in a hobby shop and trickle up to the model makers.

I must be dreaming.

[Snooker]

The situation here in Germany isn't different from yours. The most modelers build military stuff. My local hobby shop carries Revell and Tamiya kits and some Tamiya spray paints. That's it. I buy all my kits and supplies online, that's the only way to get them.

[Nobbys Nuts]

Here on the Gold coast in Australia I have noticed the same. The K Marts and Big Ws have about 6 car kits usually AMT or older Revell and thats it. No military or bikes. The Toyworld shops have dropped way off in the last 12 months and now seem to have about a dozen car kits, nothing new and 3 times the amount of military. I asked if they can order kits in if I ordered say 6 kits at a time from one supplier as I could understand not wanting to just order 1 kit and each shop told me emphatically no - they wouldn't do it not even if I paid up front. (1) it wasn't worth there time to bother with such a paltry amount(I thought $300 bucks was quite a bit) and (2) they couldn't gaurantee that they could get any of the kits I wanted regardless of Supplier (Tamiya, Revell, Fujimi).
Now I know that this a load of utter cr.p as I managed a Toyworld for 5 years and did a lot of hobby ordering of both model kit and RC from these same suppliers and still talk regularly to the sales reps even though I am not in the trade anymore. The reps all say that the shop owners have no idea most of the time what they are doing which is why we only find the old cheap to buy at wholesale kits on the shelves. They don't want to do their homework and get the new releases in or the tuners that are predominant on the streets of the Gold Coast.
The only shop that has a decent range of car kits in Brisbane is Mr Toys at the top of the Queen Street Mall where Foggy01 works and even he gets frustrated with what he has in stock, is allowed to get and what is available through the suppliers. Revell Monogram/AMT importer is the worst with over 60 % of new releases not available here due to licencing.
butif you want to see just about every Tamiya car and bike or Fujimi kit that is available then that is the place to go. Prices are as per rest of Australia when compared to HLJ etc.

[fujimituner235]

my model shop carries everything...well almost.

[RallyRaider]

Originally Posted by fujimituner235

my model shop carries everything...well almost.

You're must be either very lucky or easily satisfied.