What happened to lhs?

[Trex-Twizzle]

I am really shocked about the only decent hobby shop around having absolutely nothing except drones and micros. I found this out when I decided to make the drive drive to my lhs a couple days ago. This shop used to carry .90 raptors to 250s and walls filled with parts. Almost like wallmart for us. I hadn't been there in about a year bc its a two hour drive for me and stopped flying for a while. I went for some 450 parts and some things for a 600N im building. They had not one thing on my list. For a store that used to sell it all its kind of sad. Unless i want to fly boring little drones the internet is my lhs now.

[907Heli]

Originally Posted by Trex-Twizzle

I am really shocked about the only decent hobby shop around having absolutely nothing except drones and micros. I found this out when I decided to make the drive drive to my lhs a couple days ago. This shop used to carry .90 raptors to 250s and walls filled with parts. Almost like wallmart for us. I hadn't been there in about a year bc its a two hour drive for me and stopped flying for a while. I went for some 450 parts and some things for a 600N im building. They had not one thing on my list. For a store that used to sell it all its kind of sad. Unless i want to fly boring little drones the internet is my lhs now.

Most people don't go to their local shops anymore. The drone guys and looky loo's are about all that go in there any more. My closest shop is about 6 hours away, and the prices are way high so I look around, shake my head and go online. I have a feeling they'll stay in business because of the drones and cars, but they're keeping less and less heli stuff and less and less planker stuff. Can't blame them though, that's what people are buying and they have bills to pay too.

[Trex-Twizzle]

It sucks! I know i dont go there much but if i needed a part right away i always had the option of making the drive.

[Heliwhisperer]

I used to go to Capstone Hobbies when I visited my sister in Columbus, I miss that shop.

HW.

[Canadian_Jesus]

Unfortunately I have to order online for even my Blade micro stuff now. It seems my LHS does the bulk of their sales through cars/trucks/buggies, which I assume they have always done judging by the inventory on the shelves. The shelf that used to stock helis is now all RTF drones, which I have little interest in.

If we plan to keep on flying our helis, it appears the internet is really our only good option for supplies.

I'd hate to see the LHS presence disappear altogether, it used to be really convenient seeing as how I'm in town every week, but I since have begun to move away from HH anyways.

I'll continue to support my LHS via planks/planker supplies through the coming years.

[Desmond]

Round my area pretty much all the LHS's closed years ago. These day's a "hobby shop" means a place that sells golf, tennis, and jogging equipment. These days the Internet is my LHS

[Canadian_Jesus]

Originally Posted by Desmond

Round my area pretty much all the LHS's closed years ago. These day's a "hobby shop" means a place that sells golf, tennis, and jogging equipment. These days the Internet is my LHS

Where I live that's called a 'sporting goods store' . Except you add hockey sticks, skates, baseball bats and footballs to that list.

What exactly is 'jogging equipment' besides shoes anyways? I'm not trying to sound rude, but I sometimes wonder why more people aren't into RC stuff.

[ser123ser]

Here in southern CA there are two shops that I know of that a still have helicopter parts and kits.
Westminster RC depot
Montclair Pegasus

I go to them FIRST before I go online now because I am doing my part for the free advice and keeping them in business. If you don't go they will dry up

It's like support your local hobby shop....

Cliche I know.....

But sit back before you hit the keyboard and think, it's a tough business and the whole on line deal just makes it hard to stay in business...family business's also. The are there because they love the sport beyond just buying and flying.

In 2010 when I got into this addiction there were two other shops also one in corona and the big shop in the city of orange...they are still in business selling cars and other non helo stuff....that shocked me earlier last year.

So if you know of a shop in your area and you can get to it and they have what you want then go buy from them before u go online. The prices are all the SAme because the manufacturer's control the pricing at retail online and at the brick and mortar. You save on shipping but spend time and gas for the drive...I think it's worth it to be able to see and talk with humans....

What do you think? Good idea?

Steve
Perris ca

[EjectEjectEject]

Originally Posted by ser123ser

H
So if you know of a shop in your area and you can get to it and they have what you want then go buy from them before u go online. The prices are all the SAme because the manufacturer's control the pricing at retail online and at the brick and mortar. You save on shipping but spend time and gas for the drive...I think it's worth it to be able to see and talk with humans....

What do you think? Good idea?

Steve
Perris ca

I see it as just a changing business dynamic -- market forces at work.

Do we support salt suppliers now that the refrigerator has been invented? What about record shops when the CD/DVD was invented? Or the CD/DVD shops how that online purchases are common place for music and movies? Do we keep buying books from our local bookstore at sometimes over 3 times the cost of a Kindle purchase?

Point I'm trying to make is "just because traditional bricks and mortar shops are closing does it necessarily mean that that's a bad thing or just a different thing"?

Many will say that they valued the advice that they got from their LHS - and if that's the case, do sites like this one actually contribute to the problem by talking away the need for advice from a LHS?

I think history will eventually show that these traditional stores are currently in a "swimming against the tide" mode and in 10 years will be either gone or completely different. Personally, it won't be of concern to me; yes, it's sad (change is tough on those involved), but you can't have progress if you can't have change.

[banditpowdercoat]

The internet has killed Brick and Mortar stores. BUT, without the internet, I would never have even gotten into helis, or most of my other hobbies truthfully. Small town Canada, No hobby shops for hours.

[waxman]

The Internet has given people easy access to research and shop for exactly what they want. Lhs can't compete with that, for example a 10 year old kid jumps on the forum and bags brand x which is the only brand my Lhs sells and all of a sudden people won't buy them because this is the first thing that pops up in there search results. Meanwhile 100s of experienced people are flying brand x and have no interest in posting.

The only option for the Lhs is to stock every brand and all of the parts at near cost price and hope they sell enough to keep the doors open.

[dogtooth]

lhs are going out of business because of horrible selection and over priced on what little they did have in stock . the selection of parts on the internet is world wide , any thing made by any company anywhere can be purchased .
where as in the lhs shop only the the few brands that want to sell and at a premium . so why go there to get gouched for something you didnt want ,because you have no choice ?

[rcflier1]

same with hobby mags, gone. it's all internet now. and 3 months faster......

[vebbyson]

I'm into this hobby because of a LHS. I'd seen it for years, finally decided to stop in. I spent a lot of cash there till it closed.
We wonder why numbers of participants in this hobby are declining.

[MariaFan]

Originally Posted by Trex-Twizzle

I am really shocked about the only decent hobby shop around having absolutely nothing except drones and micros. I found this out when I decided to make the drive drive to my lhs a couple days ago. This shop used to carry .90 raptors to 250s and walls filled with parts. Almost like wallmart for us. I hadn't been there in about a year bc its a two hour drive for me and stopped flying for a while. I went for some 450 parts and some things for a 600N im building. They had not one thing on my list. For a store that used to sell it all its kind of sad. Unless i want to fly boring little drones the internet is my lhs now.

When I first got into this hobby, I made many, many trips up to Dad's Toy Store in Wapakoneta. They always had any Blade part I needed. Basically a 2 hour round trip.

I recently received a Trex 450, and I don't think Dad's carries any Align parts. But I'll still go there for carbon fiber, ABS sheets, etc.