Wow, after starting to read the posts in this thread, I have to say that I'm becoming more and more appreciative of my "local" hobby shop, the only one in the entire Adirondack region, (EDIT: they might have some competition, now, though) with each post I read. Norwood Hobbies is foremost and above all a train store; they had to expand into the storefront next door just to have room for all of the trains. Walking into that section is like walking into a model railroading museum, in both a good way and in a bad way. They have so much stuff, but I never see anyone over there. The biggest part of their business right now seems to be their gas-powered R/C stuff, mostly cars and boats. They seem to do a decent boat business, which isn't surprising in light of all of the ponds and lakes that dot the region (many on public land, with no access restrictions). But their R/C car business is bigger, by all appearances. They do have stuff for planes, but I have never seen anyone bring one in or carry one out.
With all that being said, I have to give them credit for the fact that the owners really try not to slight other hobbies, including rocketry, that don't comprise as much of their business. They have decently stocked, if small, sections for other hobbies. Their rocketry section is right near the front of the store, just inside the door, and it is visible from the street through their store window. They stock pretty good selections of Estes, Custom and Quest kits, some Estes parts, some launch sets, and almost all Estes motors from 1/2A to E. (No 1/4A, though - they didn't know that those even existed when I asked about them.) They keep the motors on the wall at the very back end of the counter, though, all the way in the back of the store, and mounted low on the wall so that you can't easily see them. It is not easy to see what motors they have on hand; you have to ask, and I think that is intentional. The staff is always pleasant and patient, if not always very knowledgeable about rocketry.
The two owners both have rocketry experience, but it seems like neither one has done much in this hobby in quite awhile. (Their idea of a high power motor is an Estes E9 - I'm not kidding!) Yet, in spite of that, they faithfully keep a decent stock of LPR stuff on hand, and they present it where you can find it (except for the motors). For a small to medium-sized independent hobby shop located in a small community way,
way out in the sticks*, they also have a pretty decent stock of building supplies, too, which is mostly what I buy there. The wood, plastic and metal stock bins and parts sections are all pretty complete and are all restocked often. They also have a complete selection of BSI adhesives; I always buy my CA and epoxy from them. So they seem to be chugging along; if anything, I would say that their business seems to be slowly growing.
I can't really call it my "local" hobby shop, though, it is more like the "regional" hobby shop (up until recently, the only one in all of the north country of NY) and it is a mere 52 miles away from my front door.
In this year's edition of our local phone book is a listing for another hobby shop in another community practically just up the road from me, about 20 miles away. I haven't checked them out, yet, but I'm a little perplexed, because the community in which they are located has absolutely no business district at all, not even a gas station. I'll have to do some investigating soon to find out their story.
Mark \\.
*Actually, it is me who is way way out in the sticks - the hobby shop is a bit closer to civilization...
