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Author Topic: Proper Model Making - a rant against the decline of good model shops  (Read 6351 times)


Offline OSHIROmodels

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Re: Proper Model Making - a rant against the decline of good model shops
« Reply #1 on: June 02, 2018, 11:07:22 AM »
That was an enjoyable five minutes  lol

I tend to agree with most of what he said at the beginning although the model shops in Japan seem to be going from strength to strength (as far as I can tell).
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Offline SABOT

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Re: Proper Model Making - a rant against the decline of good model shops
« Reply #2 on: June 02, 2018, 11:12:06 AM »
I enjoyed that.

Online Cubs

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Re: Proper Model Making - a rant against the decline of good model shops
« Reply #3 on: June 02, 2018, 11:27:05 AM »
Bricks and mortar retail need to fight harder these days to survive. Those shops that prosper are the ones that are able to innovate, to remain reactive to changing trends and keep striving to stay ahead of the competition.

Firestorm Games in Cardiff for example, is successful because the premises are outside of the main shopping centre, and has its own free parking. Model shops in the city centre have come and gone in droves.


Because it's not in a larger mall complex, Firestorm is able to stay open unusual shopping hours to suit its clientele. They have branched out from being a model and gaming store, to hosting all sorts of gaming events, and even having a small but creditable bar and food menu (the bus and train stations are a short stagger away for those who have more than is healthy for driving).

The old retail 'Golden Rules' about keeping the shop clean, keeping the shelves full and putting a price tag on everything is now the minimum necessary level and will not ensure success or even survival. 
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Offline OSHIROmodels

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Re: Proper Model Making - a rant against the decline of good model shops
« Reply #4 on: June 02, 2018, 11:33:09 AM »
I'm sure the general increase in town centre rates/rents hasn't helped the niche shops.

Offline duhamel

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Re: Proper Model Making - a rant against the decline of good model shops
« Reply #5 on: June 02, 2018, 12:32:16 PM »
I personally like this kind of stores
the seller from whom I bought my models since I was a kid closed some time ago. it was a very big loss for me, finished the discussions in front of a coffee with the manager, now for a simple pot of paint I have to order on the internet
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Online Cubs

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Re: Proper Model Making - a rant against the decline of good model shops
« Reply #6 on: June 02, 2018, 12:44:57 PM »
I'm sure the general increase in town centre rates/rents hasn't helped the niche shops.


Very true. My wife used to managbe a small toy shop in a cute little arcade in Cardiff and opposite it just happened to be the most wonderful Ian Allens Bookshop (and model shop). The owners of the arcade did for them both with contunally hiked rates. Now the arcade is full of boutique jewellery shops that last about six months or so. The turnover of shops is dizzying.

Offline Mako

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Re: Proper Model Making - a rant against the decline of good model shops
« Reply #7 on: June 02, 2018, 09:07:12 PM »
True about the rental rates issue, though in my state there's a vast "wasteland" of commercial space going unoccupied for years, if not decades.

Don't know how the commercial real estate guys stay afloat.  My guess is many don't, and they get swallowed up by the big fish with very, very deep pockets that have the big money to sit on this stuff for ages, since they probably are getting it for 5 - 20 cents on the dollar.

I need some small decals now, but can't just go down to the shop to buy them, so will need to order via the internet.

It's both a curse and a bane. 

Can't justify shipping for just a pack or three of decals, so need to wait until I can place a larger order.

A pity..........

Offline Gary Peach

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Re: Proper Model Making - a rant against the decline of good model shops
« Reply #8 on: June 03, 2018, 10:25:38 AM »
Not a bad short thesis of what is, with a good little conclusion that the world is changing and so things change. 

Working on the basis that I am seeing an increase in people buying 'stuff' using a broader range of 'shop' internet, craft shops, even Aldi sells the odd Airfix kit once in a while, the 'hobby' most certainly is still alive.

As for saying that the 'modern' child doesnt want to do it, and he counters that positively too, truth is are they all being given the chance?  are the parents giving the child the chances?  I dont include school as not everything needs to be 'taught' formally or be future money earning focused.

Yep some shops are closing, bit like pubs, more wargame spaces are opening too...  or are they a more flexible 'shop' that has realized the dusty box on a shelf with the mint expert built kit in the window 'shop model' no longer works in all cases.  In the UK Hobby Craft has demo days, with modelling and Knitting.  The old model shop, or railway shop was seen as the preserve of the Male...  Like collecting seemed to be.  Its not anymore.  So the potential market has increased.

Now the market has changed, your route to buying has expanded.  Also the type of buyer has changed, all ages and genders are getting involved.  The days of it all being WW2 or Napoleonics, the big battle are being replaced with gaming, civilian kit building, different materials are involved...  The slight dismissive comment about dolls houses just compounds the blinkered approach some have.  The dolls house world is massive, not just because its 1/12th.  Its takes as much skill, even more, to scratch build an house as it does open a box with plastic parts in and glue it together.

We may even start seeing an expansion in the hobby and market as it changes to get all genders involved in some way.  We may even see some dyed in the wool WW2 vet modellers buy a 'super truck' and build it with their daughter and grand daughter.  Showing 1 generation how to so they can show another.  Been there with the question, my daughter wants to make a car like you, but I dont know how or what to buy...  OK lets do it together what does she want?

What matters is to show choice, guide people away from thinking they fail if its not perfect and get them hooked on making. 

Nice little Vid with I think some really up beat points, the world is changing and so is the 'hobby' and so to the providers for the hobby.

Offline Nordic1980s

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Re: Proper Model Making - a rant against the decline of good model shops
« Reply #9 on: June 30, 2018, 08:24:22 PM »
I have visited model shops both in England's Newcastle and Finland's Helsinki and on general level support point the video author made. If in Newcastle, be sure to check Graham's Wuerkshoppe and Midlam Miniatures near the Pelaw metro station outside the city centre. The first mentioned is a goldmine of second-hand miniature figurine models, hobby literature and some basic utilities like plastic rods and whatnot. The Midlam company in the immediate vicinity stocks also a good variety of second-hand miniature figurines, modelling tools and paints in addition to their own miniature figure product lines.

The way I see it, in this age it's necessary for the real-world retail store to cater several customer groups at one. We need to leave aside the relatively late phenomena of dividing ourselves unneccessarily into different cliques. One and the same shop could cater to all the people looking for doll houses, radio-controlled airplanes, toys, tin soldiers (the people of this forum), games, arts and crafts. We more or less use the same acrylic colours, brushes, glues and whatnot. Why are these different brands and product lines sold in different shops at the first place? From an outsider's point of view there's not much difference between building WW2 tank dioramas and building doll houses, or playing with toy soldiers and gaming with tin soldiers - and the outsider is exactly correct here. (Heck, I have even heard of an American DIY hardware shop that used to sell Dungeons & Dragons products and of a Finnish rattan furniture shop that likewise used to sell Citadel Miniatures and Battletech games. In both cases the owner was a hobbyist, even if his main profession was something completely else.)

This would also get the young and old, the boy and girl, man and woman visit the same shop. Something for everyone. This would also combat the empty feeling some shops have and make the shop feel positively crowded with the shelves stuffed with various items and products. One would never know what surprising find one could make. Just imagine: what if one could occasionally spot on the blister wall, amongst the newer stuff, a classic Citadel blister packs from the 1980s that the shop keeper brought from his own collections. Wonderful! Vintage Robotech/Macross plastic models sets? Of course! Some Japanese TV-series figurines? Sure! Doll houses for the girls and $1 army men toy soldiers for boys? Classic. Second-hand J.R.R. Tolkien books amongst the wargaming magazines? Why not!

When I look at old photographs of model and toy shops from the 1960s to 1980s and hobby literature from the same era, I could almost swear the businessmanship instict was better once then. For example, how often one sees today a large diorama in the shop window, made by the toy shop's or model shop's staff? What good and sound excuses there are for the shopkeeper not be part of the hobby and show it...?

The model shops need to have spirit and soul. It's absolutely necessary that at least one of the owners is himself/herself in the hobby and it must show in the product selection. For a bad example of soulless model shop, just visit one of Warhammer shops either in Newcastle or Helsinki. For a good example, visit the Graham's Wuerkshoppe in Pelaw, Newcastle and Hobby Point in Kamppi, Helsinki. (I believe the latter is the shop not shown in first poster's video.)
« Last Edit: June 30, 2018, 08:35:32 PM by Nordic1980s »

Offline mcfonz

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Re: Proper Model Making - a rant against the decline of good model shops
« Reply #10 on: July 03, 2018, 06:02:46 PM »
I guess where I am I am lucky.

Norwich has had various shops come and go but the oldies, thus far and long may they continue, have stuck around.

Kerrison's Toys which is not in the centre of the city as such but accessible has been going as long as I can remember and has a pretty decent model kit and wargaming section upstairs.

Langley's Toy Shop, which is about as central as you can get, appears to be going from strength to strength and is pretty good at looking at the market, boardgames, model kits, wargaming stuff - probably the most comprehensive.

For less traditional model making stuff and more roleplay and wargaming there is the very long standing Games Room which stocked GW before Norwich had a GW. Athena Games which has bookable gaming space as well as hosting CCG, boardgame and wargame tournaments etc. Recently a new little shop sprung up in The Games Table, which is another bookable table space with stock of games as well. Finally, there is also the Great Eastern Model Railway shop for all of your train needs.

So there is a relative abundance and I will not complain - but I think there is evidence here that the shops some areas used to see, like the little one in Farnham in Surrey, that were pure model shops, may well be on their way out.
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Offline mcfonz

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Re: Proper Model Making - a rant against the decline of good model shops
« Reply #11 on: July 03, 2018, 06:39:16 PM »
Yeah. Norwich is pretty unique for many reasons, some mythical  lol and some real.

It's out on a limb, there is nothing else remotely close to it shopping wise until you get to London really. The football team is a good indicator of how a City of 200-300k can have strong support for something, regularly selling out games at 26k+ gates when other teams in cities three to four times the size of Norwich can struggle.

I think it could also be the strong student community and the equally strong artist/creative community that aids it.

I like to think it's more laid back and welcoming of various different hobbies where in other areas might be stifled in favour of more mainstream hobbies.

I would agree with the chicken and egg analogy. Certainly in my youthful days you only had the two toy shops and the games room before Games Workshop arriving. Almost everything else has sprung up in the last 15-20 years.

Mind you, that time also saw the arrival and death of Model Zone, Battlenet, Final Reroll and at least one other shop I can't remember the name of.

Offline mcfonz

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Re: Proper Model Making - a rant against the decline of good model shops
« Reply #12 on: July 03, 2018, 07:31:37 PM »
Yeah, I used to like it for the things like gundam which you struggle to find elsewhere, and the movie kits that revell do. If the one here was anything to go by, they invested too heavily in the wrong stock. Diecast cars etc and cheap pointless remote controlled random vehicles.

Plus mismanagement like you say.

Offline Charlie_

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Re: Proper Model Making - a rant against the decline of good model shops
« Reply #13 on: July 03, 2018, 08:11:07 PM »
I guess where I am I am lucky.

Norwich has had various shops come and go but the oldies, thus far and long may they continue, have stuck around.

Kerrison's Toys which is not in the centre of the city as such but accessible has been going as long as I can remember and has a pretty decent model kit and wargaming section upstairs.

Langley's Toy Shop, which is about as central as you can get, appears to be going from strength to strength and is pretty good at looking at the market, boardgames, model kits, wargaming stuff - probably the most comprehensive.

For less traditional model making stuff and more roleplay and wargaming there is the very long standing Games Room which stocked GW before Norwich had a GW. Athena Games which has bookable gaming space as well as hosting CCG, boardgame and wargame tournaments etc. Recently a new little shop sprung up in The Games Table, which is another bookable table space with stock of games as well. Finally, there is also the Great Eastern Model Railway shop for all of your train needs.

So there is a relative abundance and I will not complain - but I think there is evidence here that the shops some areas used to see, like the little one in Farnham in Surrey, that were pure model shops, may well be on their way out.

Hey, I'm from Norwich too!

Im aware Langleys has a model area upstairs where I can get my Perry plastic kits and vallejo paints... I didn't know Kerrisons had hobby stuff too, haven't been in there since I was a kid buying lego.
Great Eastern Railway... is that the one on Plumstead Road?
I wasn't aware of the Games Room or Games Table - I'll have to look them up right now!  :)

Offline zemjw

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Re: Proper Model Making - a rant against the decline of good model shops
« Reply #14 on: July 04, 2018, 09:42:38 AM »
I lived in Norwich for five years in the early 90s and only remember one gaming shop back then. It was more rpg and figure oriented from what I can recall and was tiny. Looking at a picture of the place, it may even have been The Games Room - the front of the shop looks about right. If it's still going after all this time, more power to it :D

Model Zone was bought by WH Smith, although they seem to have abandoned it now. There was a section tucked away at the back of the shop in Sauchiehall St in Glasgow for a few years, but there was less and less stuff every time I was there. The last time I was in it had completely gone.

They could have done something with the brand, but the selection of stuff was odd - enamel sprays rather than acrylic, fully built models etc. It was as if someone at head office had bought Model Zone to fulfill a childhood dream of owning their own toy shop but then got bored with it :(