Our Hobby

So as with all conversations, they all tend to lead to the constant struggle all of us have watched over the past years between the local shops. This unfortunately only affects the hobby itself, So I thought I would start a thread to encompass these conversations, as they can get heated. But the main thing to keep in mind here are the two main facts:

1. Without local hobby shops we don't have places to get parts when we break our toys.
2. With a ton of Drama, Local shops lose our business for not wanting to deal with it.

I have been in the hobby much like everyone in So Oregon for quite a few years, and have watched the division of the groups. One shop leaning heavier on the 1/10th focus and the other being more of a 1/8th and racing platform. I will be the first to say that I know all parties involved and am good friends with both sets of owners. But that is not the point on who you back. The point is our shops provide us with the parts we need to play, and a place to do that by adding a track or other amenities. By favoring only one scale it causes some to drop off and lose interest. Lets take a look at larger events that include everyone and every scale.
1/10th gas and electric truck are usually the first run in the group, followed by The nitro 1/8th buggy and truggy class. If there is not enough people to make a class it is removed from the roster. The track is built to accommodate both scales, yes the jumps are bigger but this is to provide some challenge to the bigger scale rigs. So why is it that we can not all work together to accomplish a goal of making a place where EVERYONE can come and play and be challenged?

Whats the point of this you may ask? In the past 5 years since I started working my into the race side of the hobby, I have seen it go from club races every weekend to only racing maybe once a month, if I can make it to one of the tracks around the state. There is close to 4k worth of race rigs that only sit on the shelf in the hobby room unless I can shell out the money to make it over to one of the races. Now lets think about it a Track in Medford/White City/Central Point (where ever in southern oregon) would allow for everyone to pull those rigs out and go play on the weekend. Playing usually leads to Breaking somewhere along the day, which leads to guys going to the LHS to get new parts, which gets money in the pocket of the shop owner.

Want to continue to hold with the rivalry between shops? even though RPM is not open currently? why not look at having a Southern Showdown? They both have tracks even though RPM is a private track Chad is a racer at heart and loves the hobby and helping guys have fun, Gene and Betty have the old track that could be brought up to accommodate all scales. I would even be willing to work with some of my sponsors and connections to try and get a prize pack for the winners. Have a points series for the local guys alternate each track on the weekends and build a accumulated points total over X amount of races. (and we all know Chad is FAST so he prolly gonna take 1/8th by storm but lets try and bring local racing back, with the economy like it is lots of guys are dropping off, this is the best time for everyone to work together to PROMOTE our hobby.

**Rant Off** sorry for the long winded post.

Great post

Our hobby here in Roseburg just took a big hit.
The news has it that The Bargain Bin has burned up.
See the headlines in the News Review.

Hey Smitty - I think I have been to the Bargain Bin.  Wasn't it a hobby shop on one side and arts and crafts on the other?  Lots of large models hanging from the ceiling?

I found this news story:

http://www.nrtoday.com/article/20110908/NEWS/110909839/1063/NEWS&ParentProfile=1055

Does the Bargain Bin have a local track?

It would be nice to get a race together with the proceeds to help get Bargain Bin back on their feet. Just an idea.

truly tragic  hard enough to keep shops around in the current economy, to have such a horrible event happen just makes it sad.

I'm told the owners plan to rebuild.

To the best of my knowledge they do not have a track. Which is too bad.

A benefit event would be a really good thing. Maybe the Umpqua Modelers are thinking along these same lines. I'll ask around. If we could get the fly guys together with the dirt racers I'm sure something could be worked out.

Hey Smitty - Any news on the Bargain Bin hobby shop?  What's going on with them?

No news.
My neighbor went by yesterday and they are still shut down.

http://kezi.com/news/local/223469
http://www.kpic.com/news/129438478.html
http://www.nrtoday.com/article/20110908/NEWS/110909839

Bargin Bin does have a web presence.
But no online store.
http://www.bargainbn.com/

I read the news articles and their website.  The articles seem to be from the time of the event and they make no mention on the current status on their own website.  I was curious about them and remembered that Bret had mentioned some kind of fund raiser and wondered if anyone had thought that through any further.

I'm in the dark here.
Due mostly to my mobility issues, or lack thereof, I must rely on others.
So far no news.

Some of the guys here belong to Umpqua Modelers, but nothing out of them either.

I searched to see if there were any followup news articles, but none.
I posted links to what I found.

Update:  I have just spoken to Jeanette Tolleson, owner of the Bargain Bin. She said it could be 6 months before they can move forward due to the insurance process. The phone number for the shop has been routed to their home so they can answer questions from the hobby store customers. As of today. they really don't what they will do.

Thank you for the update.  If they had a track in your area I bet there would be enough guys to put on some sort of 'Exhibition" fund raiser.  I wonder if a shopping center would donate the use of a parking lot for a half day for a cause?  Get the local news to post something and get some citizens to turn out?

So, I'm curious....what sparked this story/rant?

IMHO: TRYING to fair by looking at the question from both sides. Look at every forum that's into Rc and you will find a thread very much like this one. So Yes it's a very HOT topic and for LHS's in general the question could be perceived as a "Mater of Life and Death"

QUOTE: "Without local hobby shops we don't have places to get parts when we break our toys"

Great theory but: How many times have we needed parts (needed not wanted) and the LHS can't help us because they don't stock or are out of stock!?! Being fair to our LHS it costs allot keeping inventory and the worse thing about keeping inventory is the amount of inventory that is destined to sit on the shelf never to be bought but forgotten.

For a LHS to be viable in "this economy" it's my opinion and the opinion of many they need to increase their market which on a local level is not that easy, they NEED to expand into >> Mail-Order >> WW Market >> Teh Internet !! At the VERY least get into some "added-value" as suggested by this thread, such has, tracks, tech shops for building & repair and whatever I can't think of just to name a few. As it's only open to and limited to our imaginations

QUOTE: "With a ton of Drama, Local shops lose our business for not wanting to deal with it"

{LOL} Don't even go there, if I had a nickel for every time I've run into this issue I'd be a RICH man. OK OK I'm exaggerating but when i'm willing to give away "my hard earned" who needs it. Then again I'm NOT the looser when presented with this scenario (or this cop out) as I just walk away. I VOTE with my dollars so we have a message for any LHS's with this attitude "GOOD LUCK staying in business" Note the Hint of Sarcasm! 

Disclaimer: No I'm not from Oregon nor that much into Rc CARS so this should be looked at has an outsiders view. I believe the issues being discussed are probably TRUE and problematic for every LHS around the world! YES there are some very good reasons to use our Local Hobby Shops but at the same time there are some very GOOD reasons NOT to

On a personal level: One of those and my biggest reason I don't visit my LHS's is a very simple one. Actually it's more an inconvenience and those being my "Mobility" issues. I've learned the ART of being patient and waiting for the UPS dude to arrive.  This is only one reason and a very personal one but it's NOT to say I don't have some good reasons to use them.

But alas I to am trying to keep my "RANT" as short has possible, yeah. Although given the scope and the seriousness as seen from the owners side of the questions it's very difficult to keep the discussions short, better maybe we shouldn't be trying eh ...

LIST YOUR Reasons (if not already) for "using" and/or for "NOT using" your LHS(s) I'm only curious, I'm ONLY a customer ...

    [glow=maroon,2,300]w00d[/glow]

wOOd, your words ring true.
In this day and age, the old brick and mortar LHS model is destined to decline.
Back in my day the LHS was a hub of activity. But even then they had to coop their retail space to other products, like bicycles for example. Later when the slot car was king, our local track did sell parts and equipment, but that was secondary to their primary purpose, the tracks.
Today, and for that matter the past decade or so, the internet is forcing the LHS to "innovate or die" (Bill Gates).


I would love to support a LHS. But brick and mortar just can't compete without a strong web presence, or a specialty that draws the customers. 

The BIG thing I DO LIKE about our LHS is the ability to get hands-on, to brows, to research and to PLAY before we BUY ... This is something and sometimes the "shoddy" photo's on the NET doesn't or can't compete against. It's very HARD to judge an items value virtually but I suppose this is where teh users and the value of the forums comes into play. Although this has an EVIL side which the shopper brings to the shops, this being the misuse and the use of the LHS to get "hands-on, to brows, to research and play" and then leave to BUY on the nET, to net the best price ... This practice is JUST WRONG and it could be said and I'm sure has been said is also adding to the demise of our loved LHS!

http://roseburg.craigslist.org/tag/2834612442.html


I just found this posting on CL.


New hobby shop coming to Roseburg???