Local Hobby Shops (lhs) Should Support You!!!

[mudbogger]

Hey there, mudbogger! That hobby shop that you are talking about is in Canton, Ohio...isn't it? I've been there! I use to live in Canton, quite a few years ago. It is a small shop but I never had any issues while shopping there.

YES! Aero Tech Hobbies is located in canton, Ohio. Like you said-it is small but they have almost anything and everything you need in stock. You might have to order something once in a blue moon, but typically they are well stocked with R/C airplanes, R/C helicopters, and R/C parts.

 

[SIXFOOTER]

I am pretty new to RC craft, but I am learning.
I am pretty lucky I guess, I have 2 decent shops in the area, sort of. RC Boca was in Boca but it moved to Hillsboro Beach. New location is RC BOCA HOBBIES • 109 W HILLSBORO BLVD • DEERFIELD BEACH, FL 33441 • 954-570-8114. They are ok guys, kids mostly and a smallish shop. Not a vast depth of knowledge. They mostly have trucks and cars, some aircraft and hell stuff.

The other shop is Maniacs, Wow, now that is a hobby store. They have all kinds of stuff
7676 Peters Rd
Plantation, FL 33324

Been in there several times, everyone is helpful and seem to know their stuff, LOTS of aircraft, Heli, Car and Truck stuff.

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I am pretty new to RC craft, but I am learning.
I am pretty lucky I guess, I have 2 decent shops in the area, sort of. RC Boca was in Boca but it moved to Hillsboro Beach. New location is RC BOCA HOBBIES • 109 W HILLSBORO BLVD • DEERFIELD BEACH, FL 33441 • 954-570-8114. They are ok guys, kids mostly and a smallish shop. Not a vast depth of knowledge. They mostly have trucks and cars, some aircraft and hell stuff.

The other shop is Maniacs, Wow, now that is a hobby store. They have all kinds of stuff
7676 Peters Rd
Plantation, FL 33324

Been in there several times, everyone is helpful and seem to know their stuff, LOTS of aircraft, Heli, Car and Truck stuff.

 

[Derek]

So, as many of you know, I tipped over my Trex 450 Pro DFC while attempting a hover test....two weeks ago. I'm not upset about that. It's all a part of heli-flying. I went to my LHS and found that the parts I wanted weren't in stock. Well, that's ok. It happens. They said they would order the parts and that they'd be in on the following Tuesday....that was last week, Tuesday. I went in on Tuesday to get my parts and they hadn't come in yet. That's odd but ok. I go in to the LHS today to check on the progress of my ordered parts and I was told that my order was cancelled. What??? Now I'm upset!!! There was no rhyme nor reason for my order to be cancelled....but it was cancelled and my parts never showed up.

I can't believe this!!! I'll be ordering my parts from Heli-Direct later today. I can't even begin to tell you how "not happy" I am about this.

 

[Derek]

So, as many of you know, I tipped over my Trex 450 Pro DFC while attempting a hover test....two weeks ago. I'm not upset about that. It's all a part of heli-flying. I went to my LHS and found that the parts I wanted weren't in stock. Well, that's ok. It happens. They said they would order the parts and that they'd be in on the following Tuesday....that was last week, Tuesday. I went in on Tuesday to get my parts and they hadn't come in yet. That's odd but ok. I go in to the LHS today to check on the progress of my ordered parts and I was told that my order was cancelled. What??? Now I'm upset!!! There was no rhyme nor reason for my order to be cancelled....but it was cancelled and my parts never showed up.

I can't believe this!!! I'll be ordering my parts from Heli-Direct later today. I can't even begin to tell you how "not happy" I am about this.

 

[pvolcko]

Did they give you a reason at all? Did they cancel it or did their supplier? And why didn't they call you? What the hell? It's totally shoddy customer service like this that is killing local hobby shops more than anything else. People will pay a bit extra if their LHS will eat shipping costs, provide some nice personal touches (phone calls when things aren't going to plan), and kick in some help on things when needed.

 

[Derek]

I was given no explanation as to why my order was cancelled. Whether it was the supplier or the hobby shop. In their computer, it just showed "cancelled". I got no phone call, nothing. In fact, the guy that told me my order was cancelled proceeded to greet another customer and began helping him...as if he had just washed his hands clean of me. My last several orders from the LHS came quickly and on time and, in fact, I never paid the shipping costs. That's why I proceeded with my current order.

Now, I have to wait another 3 days for Heli Direct to send me my parts. Hopefully I can get them and get my 450 setup so that I can get back to trying to fly it this weekend.

 

[HeliDinoRC]

Man, that bites, Derek!

I had a similar experience. At first the LHS treated me well but every time I would order something, the order would not even get placed. Eventually, as I grew in the hobby, they never had anything I needed in stock. Things like batteries, blades, etc. Well, I'm certainly not going to order it. I turned to online shops. HeliDirect, RC Depot Hobbies, and A Main Hobbies are my 3 primary. RC Depot is where my Goblin came from and I got nothing but great service from them. I emailed and got a discount on my first order, the Goblin, and when I had a problem with the tail boom, Chiem sent a brand new one to me no questions asked. My only problem with these three is it seems like what I want is alwasy out of stock! UGH!

The closest LHS for me is now an hour drive. It's not that bad but inconvenient......They don't have much in the heli department anyway.

 

[scottwells]

My local hobby shop is great....

Hobby Proz
2225 Wyoming Boulevard NE, Albuquerque NM 87112
(505) 332-3797

Excellent customer service very knowledgeable and friendly staff. My only thing is that they are a HH dealer and they dont carry parts for my 250 dfc..

I brought my 250 in there after I first wrecked and asked if they could check my setup. They did and even did a test fly in the back parking lot. They have also done some soldering for me before I got my own soldering kit. Free of charge too. Plus they support the military with military discounts, being in the military I think that is pretty great.. I buy from them every chance I get but I do still order parts from online...

If I had one request from them it would be to carry other brands of helicopters and some parts for those brands. If I want to see or buy anything other than Blade then I need to go online. Overall I give them 5 stars out of 5 for customer service.

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My local hobby shop is great....

Hobby Proz
2225 Wyoming Boulevard NE, Albuquerque NM 87112
(505) 332-3797

Excellent customer service very knowledgeable and friendly staff. My only thing is that they are a HH dealer and they dont carry parts for my 250 dfc..

I brought my 250 in there after I first wrecked and asked if they could check my setup. They did and even did a test fly in the back parking lot. They have also done some soldering for me before I got my own soldering kit. Free of charge too. Plus they support the military with military discounts, being in the military I think that is pretty great.. I buy from them every chance I get but I do still order parts from online...

If I had one request from them it would be to carry other brands of helicopters and some parts for those brands. If I want to see or buy anything other than Blade then I need to go online. Overall I give them 5 stars out of 5 for customer service.

 

[Danie Dup]

From What I am reading on this blog, it seems I am the lucky one. I stay in Pretoria in good old South Africa and I have about six hobby shops within 45 minutes drive from me. Between the hobby shops I have always managed to get what I need. I do have to shop around a bit sometimes as most of them aren't very big stores.

Only issue is that we have only one official align Importer in SA and all other shops buy from them. This off course means that parts can become expensive, but I do not mind much if it comes with some friendly advice and support. I have also promised myself that I will not return to some of these shops, but end up having to go back because it is the only place I could find spares.

Best regards from Sunny South Africa

 

[Daniel Migneault]

I too, feel like trash in my LHS, maybe i'm not spendind anought money in there??

 

[Tony]

If you are spending any money, they should be grateful. You shouldn't have to purchase a grand worth of stuff just to get a smile.

 

[Daniel Migneault]

That i know but that's how it's working here and i'm sad about that!

 

[Tony]

I hear ya. That is the way my LHS is. However, it has gotten better recently.

 

[SIXFOOTER]

My LHS is not so local. The only good one is Monster all the way down in Plantation, 40 miles or so. There are othere but they don't carry much of the stuff for builders. Pretty good helpful people there though

 

[Tony]

testing

 

[trainrider06]

Testing 1,2,3!

 

[Cloudancer]

I don't have a LHS near me. I count on you guys for guidance. You know what they say. A person who had a bad experience will tell 10 people, while a person with a good one may tell one or two.

 

[Tony]

That is exactly right CD. Bad sticks with them while good, although good, fades away.

 

[California Jim]

I had a wiring problem and called a local shop and asked how much did they charge to my problem. To my great surprise the answer was first a question. Did I buy the product from them? I said no it's a job for hire!

He said sorry our shop only works on products purchased from them. This was The Hobby People... Go figure, your willing to pay and they don't want your money!

 

[trainrider06]

I had a wiring problem and called a local shop and asked how much did they charge to my problem. To my great surprise the answer was first a question. Did I buy the product from them? I said no it's a job for hire!

He said sorry our shop only works on products purchased from them. This was The Hobby People... Go figure, your willing to pay and they don't want your money!

I think some of these hobby shops have been so long in the control of things, that they don't realize or want to give up control.
The hobby shop near me caters to mostly R/C cars and trucks, secondly planes.
They used to carry Blade heli's, but of no fault of theirs of course that line was mostly dropped for at least the larger ones. For the most part they try to be helpful, but no one in there has any heli experience. They don't even carry the latest heli's in there. Mostly the Blade or Aries brand micros. The only reason I even try and support them is because one of the plane guys is in my club. This last time I was in there I was going to purchase a new battery tester the Hyperon 03 something. I first looked online and supposedly it was in stock there. So I went there, at first I was told they didn't sell it, then it was discontinued, when I showed them online is said they had it, I was then told it must be at another Hobby Town.
So I walked out empty handed and the lost a sale.
I'll continue to shop there from time to time though just because of the guy that's a member at the club, and for little things like CA glue, Velcro, sticky tape etc. but there will be no major purchases done there for sure.
It's really a shame because I remember as a kid loving going to the local Hobby shop and checking stuff out, getting the latest model car build or whatever. But times are changing I reckon....