Support Local!

[Warby]

I don't have a local

 

[ahr43]

Buy almost all my RC online anymore. Primarily from two major RC suppliers.

Three LHS that I know of in the Houston area.

One has a covered off-road clay track and an open on-road hard surface track. Thirty-mile drive one way through arguably one of the heaviest traffic zones in the country. That alone is a disqualifier for a visit there. Off-road clay track is water-soaked all week to prep for weekend racing. Useless to try to run there on an off-race day. On-road is so big only way to run the track is from the high-boy driver stand. Exhausting to self-marshal so gave that up too. Their stock is heavy toward electric and nitro racing or RTR bashing. I fall somewhere in between with RC drag racing and speed runs. So not much hanging on the pegboard I'll buy.

One is like ALL RTR stacked (literally) to the ceiling. Did go there last week to buy a sheet of Monokote at the airplane counter to replenish my stash. Other than that, nothing that interests me.

Other one I got uncomfortable vibes from and never went back again. Like I was doing them a big favor just be being there.

Dunno the answer to survivability of LHS. Looks doubtful long term. That hurts the hobby, esp. if the LHS also offers a track.

 

[WickedFog]

my nearest "local" hobby shop is
View attachment 185160

and then when i get there, they got some other dude who thinks the store is there for his conversational skill. wants to brag for 15 mins about he bought this and that. And I'm just standing there waiting for a chance to but in with my question, but since this guy spent multiple thousands with them he just goes on and on. makes my little purchase of wheel weights take forever. then acts like i shouldn't have even wasted his time for something so small... mentally frustrating, gotta tell myself often its just how some people do. they got no respect for other people and are selfish.
or if i ask them if they have a part... no but we can order it for you... yeah i can order it for me as well.. i personally have to be looking for something specific to get otherwise its not worth it for me to go to the LHS. I was treated like I'm dumb for not already knowing, or asking the wrong question or the right question in the wrong way. elitism. i prefer just having it mailed to me unless its something i need immediately. the stores themselves seem to have forgotten what customer service is. i feel like I'm dealing with amazon most of the time, except that amazon has buyer protection. i was looking forward to meeting cool like like-minded people in these stores to expand on the hobby and learn from.
i learned i shouldn't be there unless i do a lot of research first. otherwise, its just o you shoulda got a traxxas.

now it probably seems like I'm bashing on scale.. i assure you i am not, i STILL go to the store, i STILL talk to them (not that one guy tho) they do offer suggestions to a degree. asked about upgrading my Redcat everest 10 somehow, and they said "well you kinda get what you pay for, you got a redcat. not much that can be done to it.." feel like i wasted the cash on my sons rc now. i personally in my area would love a store with good attitudes, thatd be dope af, and dont you DARE bring in something not name brand... like my hbx, love this thing, its rips it flips it wrecks it repairs and it rips some more. i have a blast with it, but since its made at the factory next door to the traxxas factory mines no good and i wasted their time bringing it in. screw you bro my hbx is fun. they wont even look at it
my 2 cents. from a newer perspective of someone WANTING to stay active in the hobby. but often feels like a struggle.

You have a weapon against this kind of treatment. Find them on Google maps and slap that info in a review. If you can give specific names of those you dealt with, even better. Trust me, those reviews get noticed a LOT. My latest review from a couple months ago has over 5000 views and a response from the owner apologizing and promising to do better.

Or just flat out ask the guy to shut up and sell you what you came in to buy

 

[Tunedfrog]

Over a hour away from mine.
There is one in Ontario Oregon which is 1/2 hr away but way too expensive.

 

[Xraycer]

You have a weapon against this kind of treatment. Find them on Google maps and slap that info in a review. If you can give specific names of those you dealt with, even better. Trust me, those reviews get noticed a LOT. My latest review from a couple months ago has over 5000 views and a response from the owner apologizing and promising to do better.

Or just flat out ask the guy to shut up and sell you what you came in to buy

I have a small rc shop only 15min away, and the very first time I went into the store, there were 2 older guys behind the counter, which is right next to the door, neither one even said hello. Just looked at me without so much as a subtle nod. I knew right then and there, that I wasn't buying a single thing. Too bad, because while it's a small place, it was stocked very, very well with good prices.
The place has since changed ownership, and the new owners are nice people. This was where I bought my Redcat, Jalapeno.

 

[WickedFog]

The LHS we had was Joe's Hobby Barn. It was a rrally small shop, snd Joe was always sitting at the cash register along with another old guy wearing an engineer's cap who was parked behind the model train display case. The shop had 10' long isles barely wide enough for two people. Usually if someone was in an isle, you just waited. The shelves were so packed with RC car, boat, and airplane kits it made you feel a bit claustrophobic. But he had everything from Kyosho, Associated, Losi. etc. A lot of really good race breed stuff. Not much Traxxas until later on.

Eventually he added a second building which housed a small indoor track. A number of years later, a really nice outdoor dirt track was added. Then he started selling more Traxxas crap and less race stuff. I think it went downhill from there until Joe died. The son tried to keep it going for a short time, but I think he was just way too lazy, or didn't care. He closed the shop and turned it into a gas station, I guess so he could stay at home and sit on his fat ass doing nothing.

 

[Xraycer]

The LHS we had was Joe's Hobby Barn. It was a rrally small shop, snd Joe was always sitting at the cash register along with another old guy wearing an engineer's cap who was parked behind the model train display case. The shop had 10' long isles barely wide enough for two people. Usually if someone was in an isle, you just waited. The shelves were so packed with RC car, boat, and airplane kits it made you feel a bit claustrophobic. But he had everything from Kyosho, Associated, Losi. etc. A lot of really good race breed stuff. Not much Traxxas until later on.

Eventually he added a second building which housed a small indoor track. A number of years later, a really nice outdoor dirt track was added. Then he started selling more Traxxas crap and less race stuff. I think it went downhill from there until Joe died. The son tried to keep it going for a short time, but I think he was just way too lazy, or didn't care. He closed the shop and turned it into a gas station, I guess so he could stay at home and sit on his fat ass doing nothing.

This just reminded me of Bill's Hobby Barn. It closed down more than 10 years and have been there forever.
Bill was a cigar smoking, grumpy old A**hole. Not sure how he stayed in business for so long. My theory is that it was just a front for something illegal.

 

[WickedFog]

This just reminded me of Bill's Hobby Barn. It closed down more than 10 years and have been there forever.
Bill was a cigar smoking, grumpy old A**hole. Not sure how he stayed in business for so long. My theory is that it was just a front for something illegal.

Lol, yeah, Joe was just the opposite. Super nice guy. And very easy to deal with. He always sold you what was best for your needs rather than what made him the most money. I bought my first electric motor for my Javelin from him. He said it would make it fly. Boy, he wasn't joking.

 

[Lucifur10]

I've got a couple real quality locals. One 20 minutes who covers all rc and models , slot cars, trains ect. A ton of building materials and are former racers. Great people. The other is 35 minutes and has been there since the 90's. Huge place with a bunch of tracks and races. Rc Madness is so accommodating, one of the best shops I've been in. Holds national races there but is always willing to help you out no matter what. They both get my business when possible.

 

[Doom!]

my nearest "local" hobby shop is
View attachment 185160

and then when i get there, they got some other dude who thinks the store is there for his conversational skill. wants to brag for 15 mins about he bought this and that. And I'm just standing there waiting for a chance to but in with my question, but since this guy spent multiple thousands with them he just goes on and on. makes my little purchase of wheel weights take forever. then acts like i shouldn't have even wasted his time for something so small... mentally frustrating, gotta tell myself often its just how some people do. they got no respect for other people and are selfish.
or if i ask them if they have a part... no but we can order it for you... yeah i can order it for me as well.. i personally have to be looking for something specific to get otherwise its not worth it for me to go to the LHS. I was treated like I'm dumb for not already knowing, or asking the wrong question or the right question in the wrong way. elitism. i prefer just having it mailed to me unless its something i need immediately. the stores themselves seem to have forgotten what customer service is. i feel like I'm dealing with amazon most of the time, except that amazon has buyer protection. i was looking forward to meeting cool like like-minded people in these stores to expand on the hobby and learn from.
i learned i shouldn't be there unless i do a lot of research first. otherwise, its just o you shoulda got a traxxas.

now it probably seems like I'm bashing on scale.. i assure you i am not, i STILL go to the store, i STILL talk to them (not that one guy tho) they do offer suggestions to a degree. asked about upgrading my Redcat everest 10 somehow, and they said "well you kinda get what you pay for, you got a redcat. not much that can be done to it.." feel like i wasted the cash on my sons rc now. i personally in my area would love a store with good attitudes, thatd be dope af, and dont you DARE bring in something not name brand... like my hbx, love this thing, its rips it flips it wrecks it repairs and it rips some more. i have a blast with it, but since its made at the factory next door to the traxxas factory mines no good and i wasted their time bringing it in. screw you bro my hbx is fun. they wont even look at it
my 2 cents. from a newer perspective of someone WANTING to stay active in the hobby. but often feels like a struggle.

My hobby shop is mostly people who can't wait to get you out the door so they can go back to whatever you interrupted them from doing. I know exactly what you mean. They make their lack of knowledge seem like your bad choice. If you don't buy the latest greatest trendiest stuff, they don't want to waste their time on you.

 

[WPLGOODIE]

Are hobby shop was a mile from me. Been there 33 years before it closed. The father passed and his son tried to run it for another 3-4 years before closing. Man his dad new his stuff about the old and new. He started in the 80s with Tamiya. I had some old stuff from the late 80s he would help me with. He had a carpet oval track and would get 4-5 dozen people there. Dwindled down to about 6-7 people on a Friday night. Sad stuff.