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Gus
01-05-2007, 09:56 PM
Sandman and I visited a local hobby shop today looking for old rocketry products. It was a great shop, but it was obvious how anachronistic such places have become. I was in a different one yesterday with my daughter. The similarity between the two stores was striking. It's no wonder so many hobby stores have gone out of business. I can't imagine them existing at all in another 10 years or so.

All of the patrons and employees were grown men, middle aged plus. No kids.

All of the newer rocketry products were at full price plus. So anyone making a habit of buying rocketry stuff certainly wouldn't buy it there.

We were excited to find some really old motors on the shelf, probably 10 years old or older. But how can you run a successful business where inventory stays on the shelf for 10 years? Why wasn't this stuff written off and closed-out years ago?

The rest of the store had millions of little doo-dads for trains, RC planes, etc. Most of it, like the rocketry engines, will probably sit there for years. I bet 95% of all the sales in the store come from 5% of the items. Amazing.

I love hobby stores. So it is sad to see how poorly most have kept up with modern retailing and how their customers and staff are so ancient. It is definitely a dying industry, and I will miss it when it's gone.

sandman
01-05-2007, 11:55 PM
Gus, post some picks of the "old" engines we scored...OK, you scored, 'cause I left my money home. :(

I think we got one or two unique old Aerotech motors.

I sure would have liked to rummage around in the back of that place! :D

ghrocketman
01-06-2007, 11:53 AM
Was it "Prop Shop Hobbies" on Van Dyke south of 9 mile you visited ?
Sounds like them; old time hobby store, old employees, older customers, heavy on R/C stuff, and mostly retail pricing on anything NOT R/C.
They advertise several Aerotech reloads on their website that they do NOT have.
I don't recall seeing any OOP motors there in the last couple of years, but bought out several pint cans of Aero Gloss dope that were AT LEAST 15-20 years old.
I bought the Aero Gloss for 25% of the marked price (less than $1 per pint can..they did not ever increase the price on the existing stock)....that's what I offered them to get rid of their stock that was 20+ years old....I told them NOBODY wants this stuff :D
They actually took my offer.
3 of the cans were Royal Purple, which has been OOP for at LEAST 15 years !
Even though I live about 55 miles from that place, I work only 5 miles from it.

Arley Davis
01-18-2007, 07:18 AM
And the main reason Video Games!

cas2047
01-18-2007, 12:32 PM
And the main reason Video Games!

It's actually the classic tripple threat: TV, Video Games, and now Personal Music Devices i.e. MP3's, Ipods, etc..)...

Arley Davis
01-19-2007, 12:22 PM
You are right, If a toy dose not use batters, most kids don’t what it, Have you ever heard were do the batters go. It was a different world growing up in the 60’s.

Today, why use your imagination when you have all this technology to do it for you.

Building things by hand and taking pride in your work is replaced by are modern world of faster is better.

So it’s up to us to make the kids turn of the TV and lean to dream again.

A Fish Named Wallyum
01-19-2007, 01:48 PM
If you think about it, this is not a real surprise. This hobby is probably going through the same thing the marble industry went through when rocketry came along. We're just not marble fans. ;)

Mark+3
01-20-2007, 01:56 AM
If you make something (marbles, rockets) fun and interesting for kids you can make fans.

cas2047
01-20-2007, 10:31 AM
It all starts with prying kids out from in front of the TV and/or getting the video game controllers out of their hands, getting out and doing things with them.

In my humble opinion too many kids today are couch potatos because unfortunately their parents are couch potatos, or are just too busy to interact with their own kids.

I know people who use video games and tv as a free in home child care system. It's sad really...

Arley Davis
01-20-2007, 11:10 AM
I know what you mean? It’s easier to let the kids watch TV than to spend time to teach them to use their hands.
I Have seen many Kids at High Power launches with Hand held video games and Portable DVD players, and the reason is the parent what’s to have time for themselves and not be bothered with the kids, and taking time to spend with them.
But I would not call it a free baby sitter, Have you seen the price of some of the video games, and my cable bill is ridicules.

cas2047
01-20-2007, 11:22 AM
I know what you mean? It’s easier to let the kids watch TV than to spend time to teach them to use their hands.
I Have seen many Kids at High Power launches with Hand held video games and Portable DVD players, and the reason is the parent what’s to have time for themselves and not be bothered with the kids, and taking time to spend with them.
But I would not call it a free baby sitter, Have you seen the price of some of the video games, and my cable bill is ridicules.

LOL! I stand corrected. You are so right about the cost!

One point of clarification... I'm not trying to say that it's not ok to have all of the cool electronics, or that it's a bad thing for kids to use them. I guess my point is that, like all things, they should be used in moderation, and that's where I think the problem really lies. It's easier for many parents to let the electronics take care of the kids, and I think down the road they will pay a big price for that.

barone
01-20-2007, 02:19 PM
Buy them RockSim and then let them build what they design......