Here's a little background.

Two weeks ago I purchased a Hobbyzone SuperCub. I bought the BNF version from my usual local hobby shop for $169 which is what you find them for online, and at Horizon hobby. I was thrilled. Excited to finally have a decent trainer, and get in the air. This shop is nice. Reasonably knowledgable staff, and prices on par with online. They only sell new gear, not wanting to deal with the hassle of used.

Now we look forward to yesterday... I'm driving my kid around, because for his birthday he wants to go to garage sales.

I know, exciting birthday, right? Well, it's a good thing he did.

As we were driving, we passed a store, and my kid says "Wow, look at all the planes! They have some just like yours!" Of course after hearing this my body naturally brings the car to a screeching halt, using the emergency brake to do a 180. We walk in to this run down looking building to find a clean, well lit hobby store with nothing but planes and helicopters both in boxes and hanging from the ceiling.

I'm in awe. It was really strange having this store so close to me (5 miles, which is about half the distance as the other one) and never even having heard of it.

Then it happened...

"Hey Dad, isn't this the plane you just bought?" says my (now) 11 year old pointing to a SuperCub NIB. I said "Yep, sure is." as I looked at the price tag. $169. Just like the other.... er... wait a minute... RTF? $169 for a RTF version? I looked at the box next to it. BNF Hobbyzone SuperCub $129.

You gotta be kidding me. $40 less than I paid two weeks ago?

Well it must have been the stunned look and my jaw banging into my knees that got the attention of the clerk. She walked up to me and introduced herself. She offered that the prices are so low becuase the owner's mission was to keep the hobby affordable for everyone. I asked her why I had never heard of them before, and she stated they don't advertize much because A. they don't really need to, and B their prices are so far below MAP that they really can't without losing distributorship of most their merchandise.

In walking through the store I found similar stellar deals.. A (brand new) Blade BNF Nano QX for $50, Kits I've been looking for at 30-50% less than I see them online, etc. Then I see their used section... Used gear for stupid cheap. I mean, just kind of Jaw Dropping cheap.

I'm still floored that I didn't even know this place existed, and just literally happened across it.

I guess the moral of the story is this. Know your local hobby shops. ALL of them. There just might be one around the corner with lower prices, more knowledgable staff and better selection.

Wow it sounds like you found the RC equivalent of Aladdins Cave.

Originally Posted by dedStik

Wow it sounds like you found the RC equivalent of Aladdins Cave.

It was insanity. You couldn't see the ceiling through all the hanging models, and every inch of wall space was floor to ceiling product... not to mention isle upon isle of kits... new stuff, vintage stuff, off the wall stuff, gliders, nitro, gas, electric, free flight...

:drool:

I'm thinking about going back today with the kiddo so that I can look at all that stuff WITHOUT my wife present.

It would make it easier to talk to the sales clerks. lol

Also, I think I'm going to need a second job.

and more storage.

and possibly some counseling.

i wish i lived near you!!!

hear in england we pay £100 for a nano qx thats equilavent to $154!!!

its rediculous!!!

Originally Posted by planemad man

i wish i lived near you!!!

hear in england we pay £100 for a nano qx thats equilavent to $154!!!

its rediculous!!!

Nano is about the same price here.

Strad what kits do they have that are vintage?

Originally Posted by dedStik

Nano is about the same price here.

Strad what kits do they have that are vintage?

I couldn't tell you off hand.. and when I say vintage, I mean from my experience 20 years ago.

They had some Gentle Lady kits, and sophisticated lady kits with browned cardboard... and several others that had some obvious age to them. Although I know they still make both of those kits I called out by name, I personally would rather have one boxed 30 years ago than one boxed yesterday. (unless its a matter of die cut vs laser cut.... just sayin')

They may or may not be "vintage" by the standards of others.

Send me a PM if there is anything in specific you are looking for and I will see if they have it.

well i am looking for a reasonable price nano qx!!!

no only jokes it is fine

We used to have a great shop right on main street. In the basement of a toy store, it was messy, mildewed and, really, sort of creepy. It was, however, piled to the ceiling with boxes and boxes of every kind of model. Flying, static, planes, trains, the works. Boxes spilled into the aisles and you couldn't see the shelves anywhere at any point, making it really seem like piles to the top. Very regrettably, the clerk in charge of this ill-maintained basement passed away several years ago. Afterwards, his trainee made quick work of selling 90% of the remainder in a 75% off sidewalk sale (I really didn't know how I was supposed to feel about it at the time...) Regardless, fast forward several years and half of the basement is an outlet for various card games (not the kind you actually play with a deck of cards.) Now, hobbies are hobbies, but the fact that an identical store exists about a block away, and, to worsen matters, is owned by the best pals of said new basement clerk, is a little irritating. I'm going back for less and less on account of the prices driven up- before the clearout, I was buying balsa from the 70's at cents a sheet. I envy everyone with a great shop in their town.

$40.00 extra for the world's greatest trainer, small price to pay.
Removing 'Perpetual Noob' from your Handle, Priceless.

RCbyAIR

Originally Posted by Rcbyair

$40.00 extra for the world's greatest trainer, small price to pay.
Removing 'Perpetual Noob' from your Handle, Priceless.

RCbyAIR

The extra $40 was worth every minute of the information I got from the sales people at that store over the last few months. I will always gladly pay for service.

I was just surprised that they come in so far under even the lowest internet prices I've found.

As far as the handle... If my last few escapades are any kind of guide, I'm pretty sure that handle is there to stay.

Does this magical shop happen to be on Chicago Ave?
Your location shows 0 miles from me. If you want to talk local flying PM me.

Originally Posted by Rhea

Does this magical shop happen to be on Chicago Ave?
Your location shows 0 miles from me. If you want to talk local flying PM me.

As a matter of fact, it does.

And I will be heading there again tonight!

There's a hobby shop like that near me- in the back he has a literal 5 foot high pile of boxes, mostly slightly older, stuff, going all the way back to the early 2000s! Even has an old multiplex twinjet. Pretty fun to explore!