I grew up with a great local hobby shop - Wings in Lakewood Ohio. Place was huge and had tons of everything with helpful knowledgeable staff. Only thing lacking was my budget
Still have many happy memories of looking through the balsa kits with my dad picking out the ones we built. (and train stuff, and my steam engine, and later roll playing games from their book section, plastic models and all that other great stuff that goes into a great hobby shop.)
When I went to college we only had a small local hobby shop that was owned and run by the comic book guy from the Simpsons. Well, ok he looked just like him but he didn't have the attitude. Very friendly and helpful - but his store was tiny and he didn't stock much for what I was into at the time but he would still help me find on-line and mail order resources.
Then I moved out here to Yuma AZ
When I first moved here there was a small hobby shop in a side room of a local gift shop that was run by the store owners son to support his own RC hobby. Their selection wasn't great but wasn't horrible either...bit of everything, but mostly planes which at the time was a bummer for me as I was into ground vehicles! Then he went off to college and the hobby side of the business was all but abandoned and a few years later the whole place closed up and we were without a store for a long time.
About 3 years ago a new store opened up...at first he operated out of a trailer and only carried car stuff since he would setup at the local RC car track. Then he got a storefront...selection got better but focus was still very much mostly on cars/trucks. Then he got a bigger storefront...selection improved again but his aircraft selection is basically just the Horizon catalog. His prices are fair, same as on-line but with no shipping - at least on Horizon stuff. But on little things like DuBro bits and such his prices are crazy, I had to spend $5 on 4 screws one time
My big complaint is that he doesn't really support multirotor guys with the excuse "they don't support us so we don't support them". What? He doesn't carry anything for multirotors (other than some Horizon RTF's, and A few Hubsan/Estes RTFs). Even common sized props he sends people on-line. So how is the local MR community supposed to support him if he doesn't carry and doesn't have any interest in carrying the stuff we need?
Still, better than nothing...but so many times I've gone in with money in my pocket and walked out without spending anything because they just didn't have what I wanted and weren't interested in ordering it. I've seen others come in and ask for things and walk out frustrated as well. They're great for ground stuff...but for model aviation...it's pretty bare bones
Last trip out to CA though I discovered Discount Hobby Warehouse in San Diego and it's now on my list to visit every time I go over there
Nice big store with decent prices and amazing selection. Staff was friendly and helpful too. They were flying FPV in the parking lot with a blade 350 the first time I visited and demoing micro helis as well. Fun place, just wish it was closer!
