time to take a dump on my local LHS

[properchopper]

Let's face it; "hobby" stores make their profits from cars, planes and helis. Boats aren't a big enough category to cause them to go deep with inventory. Having boat-knowledgeble staff members often requires more payroll expense. With online stores like OSE and Kintec for specialized product, and big online retailers like Horizon & Tower (plus the Asian marketers), most LHS's realistically would have a hard time competing and amortizing staff and inventory investments. Sad but that's the bottom line reality. What I've done is introduced myself to the managers of my LHS's and provided my contact info for customers to get advice and support. The store managers are glad (and relieved) to have the pressure taken off their backs ( I've bailed out three stores so far from customer issues with some well-placed advice/cures and the managers were genuinely gratefull) and I've made many new friends (and customers ).

[nickB722]

In metro dEEtroit we have some great hobby stores. They stock a lot of pieces n' parts. I can pick up a Hughey shaft or an Octura 646/3 any day of the week on my way home. It kinda kicks butt to be honest. There is a down side though. Even in the store with the more knowledgeable guys there is a lack of understanding with FE. They're such great people with such a killer stock that they are NOT annoying about it. We're very fortunate.

Anybody ever apply for a job with their LHS? Not to get rich. They can't possibly pay a big wage. Just to help out and expand their knowledge base. It's a recurring theme. You ask a question........ they don't know so they give you some BS answer that conflicts with what you already did know. Or worse, local hobby guy talks down to you because he doesn't even understand what your saying. What if you were the local hobby guy? Just a thought.

This times 1000! I'd say most of Southeast Michigan/Greater Detroit is very lucky to have the likes of Larry's, the Prop Shop, Great Lakes, etc, etc, etc to keep us all supplied with vehicles, parts, and kits!

[T.S.Davis]

Larry's is nuts. If you can think it they can get it if don't already have it. I mean who stocks AC hulls really? Righ there on the shelf together is AQ, PB, AC and even some Insane hulls. What a collection. If it's cars.... they have it on the shelf. Except Novak. Larry wont carry it. Going in there is for RC is like going to Bed Bath and Beyond for towels and a blanket. They probably have what you want.

The people at PropShop are extremely nice people. Family owned for multiple generations. I try to get in there once per week. One of our club guys does plane repair work for them. He doesn't work at the store though. I like to call them a sponsor but they don't do that sort of thing. More mom n' pop. They're more like enablers for me. I slap their stickers on most of my boats. Some of my boats have their logo painted in under the clear.

I'm going to take Tony's advice and offer up my tech support. Not sure either place will take me up on it but hey it can't hurt.

[AlanN]

Most of the REAL hobby stores in the cleveland area have closed their doors for good. I personally knew the owner of one and he gave up due to the online site popping up like mad late 90's early 2000. Not sites like OSE but the very common chinese ones that I loath to this day. So, we could say that we all shot ourselves in the foot by not supporting the local scene. The only "hobby stores" left are the Hobby Town places....I have my own personnel reasons for not liking this chain. I did raise a bit of a smirk when I saw the closest affiliate to my house closed up a few weeks ago. If you are lucky enough to have a good supplier....do yourself a favor and keep buying from them.

[tagasagwan]

I say, count your blessings guys! If the neareast lhs doesn't have the parts you need or the staff doesn't know what they are talking about, at least you can still drive a little further to the next lhs to get your parts. Here in The Philippines, our lhs doesn't have any fe or gasser parts. RTR or on per order basis. Our club order everything from online stores, ose, or jim's dock. Plus we pay rediculous shipping, duties and taxes just to run boats. So, i guess you guys are still lucky!