When I was 13 down in Corpus Christi, TX, I used to walk over to the 'Toy Store' whihc had all sorts of hobby stuff, paints, art, models, electric AF/X cars, trains all scales, you name it they had it. I used to go to buy odds and ends for my big train set HO scale, Cannon City, which was loaded with Hot Wheels, my originals from when kid. But would buy lychen, train tracks, couplers, and even crossing signals and miniature people for train set, depending on how much money I had from cutting yards.
That place long gone, but the service was great as any of the people who worked there not only knew customers usually by name, but also what they liked! When I would come in someone would show me the new Tyco boxcars, tankers, engines, and other neat stuff they had gotten in.
Flash forward to 2009; there is big box store, Hobby Lobby abut 1 1/2 miles from me at I-10 and Beltway. This is what the little hobby store in Corpus would have been on steroids. Place is huge. They have whole row of you build it type models. At one point they used to have whole row of Johnny Lightnings, we are talking 12 rows top to bottom and about 12 feet across, BOTH SIDES of aisle But they don't sell the little 1:64th metal cars anymore, and the manager told me that while they still offer the electric AF/X type JL's they simply quit stocking the metal diecasts. I am not sure why as I told her that it was the only reason I came to that store with exception of Christmas items. I told her that my wife shops there and 'to get me to come along' she had to say I could dig thru the miniatures of course only way a guy would go into a store like that unless gay.
So no reason to go there anymore, too bad, sort of shot themselves in foot, one would think that if you can have 4 rows of easels and birdhouses to build, put some more stuff in there for the guys!
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, December 04, 2009 3:44 AM
Subject: [BaadAssGremlins] NOS AMC Models
Eddie 25 years ago there were 5 Hobby shops within a 20 minute radius of where I live. Now there is only one and it is not one of the original 5. He sells R/C cars, Go Karts, Cell Phones, car and home alarm systems, some diecast cars and a few plastic models and paint. I been buying strictly mail order for about 15 years. In the last 5-6 years 4 of the main places I normally bought from have closed up and a 5'th gave up cars altogether. I used to do one stop shopping for an order but now I have to buy from 3-4 places at one time just to fill an order of things I need. I guess it is just a sign of the times.
"Doc"
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