For a bottle of whisky of three...
Something can always be worked out if you see something you want...
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Something can always be worked out if you see something you want...
Lucky13
Forum Mascot
Are there still B-29's sitting about? 
In 1/48 scale?
Crimea_River
Marshal
Jim, that place looks a lot like the best model shop we used to have here in Calgary (Uncle Bill's) until Rick, the Owner, died of cancer last year and all his stuff was shipped to Hong Kong.
I made it to 3 of mine today, all in a futile attempt to stock up on some Alclad paints. Seems our customs people have trouble with Alclad and Tamiya paints and there are long periods between shipments. When the shelves get stocked they get emptied pretty quick by hoarders. Anyway, after I came up dry at the first place I went to, I forgot about this thread and didn't take a picture, though it's the second of two locations for this place:
This is by far the largest store in Calgary and stocks a wide range of hobby items, including pink, fluffy, crafty stuff for the ladies. Below is one of the model aisles with planes on the nearest shelves on the right and on half the shelves at the left. Beyond are cars on the left and ships on the right. In the next aisle over you'll find the armour models.
Here's the paint aisle with racks of styrene rod, sheet, and shapes in the middle and diorama stuff on the shelf at right.
I used to frequent this place as it was the closest to my home. It specializes in trains and used to have lots of models at decent prices but it's become one of those places that carries a lot of sci-fi stuff now in addition to trains. As a result, the model stock has been depleted to make room for the sci-fi stuff. When I asked about Alclad paints, which I could not find, the guy wanted me to spell it as he never heard of it. Not going there any more.
Sorry for the crap picture - cell phone from the car.
I made it to 3 of mine today, all in a futile attempt to stock up on some Alclad paints. Seems our customs people have trouble with Alclad and Tamiya paints and there are long periods between shipments. When the shelves get stocked they get emptied pretty quick by hoarders. Anyway, after I came up dry at the first place I went to, I forgot about this thread and didn't take a picture, though it's the second of two locations for this place:
This is by far the largest store in Calgary and stocks a wide range of hobby items, including pink, fluffy, crafty stuff for the ladies. Below is one of the model aisles with planes on the nearest shelves on the right and on half the shelves at the left. Beyond are cars on the left and ships on the right. In the next aisle over you'll find the armour models.
Here's the paint aisle with racks of styrene rod, sheet, and shapes in the middle and diorama stuff on the shelf at right.
I used to frequent this place as it was the closest to my home. It specializes in trains and used to have lots of models at decent prices but it's become one of those places that carries a lot of sci-fi stuff now in addition to trains. As a result, the model stock has been depleted to make room for the sci-fi stuff. When I asked about Alclad paints, which I could not find, the guy wanted me to spell it as he never heard of it. Not going there any more.
Sorry for the crap picture - cell phone from the car.
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Looks good to me amigo!
Lucky13
Forum Mascot
- Thread starter
- #47
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Nice one Andy. And I agree with your decision re the second shop !
fubar57
General
This is where I buy supplies, paint, glue and plastic. Maybe about 50 kits of various scales but none that I need. My only choice for paints are Tamiya and Vallejo, the latter I'm learning to love. Next door is a convenient Tim Hortons that I send SWMBO...
...the sad part of this is it's a 4hr round trip. I actually drove down and back once for 3 bottles of paint.
Geo
...the sad part of this is it's a 4hr round trip. I actually drove down and back once for 3 bottles of paint.
Geo
Crimea_River
Marshal
That's expensive paint then!
Dedication George!
- Thread starter
- #51
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
It sure is !
I notice that Wayne hasn't shown his LHS - but as the shelves there are empty, the contents being at Wayne's house, I'm not surprised !
I notice that Wayne hasn't shown his LHS - but as the shelves there are empty, the contents being at Wayne's house, I'm not surprised !
Hahahaha! No doubt!
Lucky13
Forum Mascot
....or, Master Wayne being the LHS!! He just doesn't like to sell any of the kits!
Catch22
Major
Went around to 4 of the local shops today, only to find out one of them is closing. They had everything at 50% off in a sale that started a full month ago, so I missed out entirely on any deals, besides some paints that were still laying around. The good news is, they're closing after 37 years because they want to retire, not because they couldn't afford to keep doing it. Unfortunately they were the best stocked for paints, even if they didn't have the greatest kit selection, so that will hurt.
Anyway, here are the different shops:
Comex Hobby
There are two locations in the city, one in West Edmonton Mall, another in a different mall. While they have a decent selection and a few brands that nobody else carries in the city, such as Kitty Hawk, their prices reflect the overhead they have in the malls. You're almost better off ordering online than buying from them sometimes. Even with our dollar being crap compared to the US, I could order a Seafire kit they had there for less from spruebrothers. For instance, they had a 1/48 Meng Me 410 for $109.99, while another store in the city had the exact same kit for 74.99...
They also deal with some board games, action figures, and a lot of Japanese anime stuff, which I personally have no interest in.
Great Hobbies
This store is a national chain, though they only have 4 stores, but they have some online ordering. They're nothing special but their prices are ok, generally slightly lower than elsewhere. They deal in a lot of RC stuff, so I think that's where they make their money.
Hobby Wholesale
These guys are probably the best store in the city in terms of both general pricing and selection. They have some random items pop up from time to time, but mostly it's fairly generic, with the odd weird kit laying around. Lots of Italeri, lots of Tamiya, and lots of Airfix. Not a lot of Revell. Nobody really carries Hasegawa here anymore. They're the healthiest probably because while they have dealt in RC stuff for years, they also expanded and now sell a lot of Lego, Playmobil and other toys. Their selection in that respect seems quite good, so I imagine they make their money mostly through that and the RC.
Kites and Other Delights is the store that's closing (I didn't bother taking a picture since the place was basically empty), while I didn't go to the other Comex location at West Edmonton Mall, and I didn't go to either location of Hobby Alley. Hobby Alley is ok for paints, but that's really only because it's the closest to my house (basically all the other ones are the opposite end of town). Their kit selection is generally poor to bad, and they are overwhelmingly an RC store. Nobody carries aftermarket decals here, nor are there a lot of books aside from Squadron books, and Kites had more of them than anyone. Basically, if a kit is in town I prefer to buy it here, but there's a lot of not completely generic kits that never show up, so I'm forced to shop online.
Anyway, here are the different shops:
Comex Hobby
There are two locations in the city, one in West Edmonton Mall, another in a different mall. While they have a decent selection and a few brands that nobody else carries in the city, such as Kitty Hawk, their prices reflect the overhead they have in the malls. You're almost better off ordering online than buying from them sometimes. Even with our dollar being crap compared to the US, I could order a Seafire kit they had there for less from spruebrothers. For instance, they had a 1/48 Meng Me 410 for $109.99, while another store in the city had the exact same kit for 74.99...
They also deal with some board games, action figures, and a lot of Japanese anime stuff, which I personally have no interest in.
Great Hobbies
This store is a national chain, though they only have 4 stores, but they have some online ordering. They're nothing special but their prices are ok, generally slightly lower than elsewhere. They deal in a lot of RC stuff, so I think that's where they make their money.
Hobby Wholesale
These guys are probably the best store in the city in terms of both general pricing and selection. They have some random items pop up from time to time, but mostly it's fairly generic, with the odd weird kit laying around. Lots of Italeri, lots of Tamiya, and lots of Airfix. Not a lot of Revell. Nobody really carries Hasegawa here anymore. They're the healthiest probably because while they have dealt in RC stuff for years, they also expanded and now sell a lot of Lego, Playmobil and other toys. Their selection in that respect seems quite good, so I imagine they make their money mostly through that and the RC.
Kites and Other Delights is the store that's closing (I didn't bother taking a picture since the place was basically empty), while I didn't go to the other Comex location at West Edmonton Mall, and I didn't go to either location of Hobby Alley. Hobby Alley is ok for paints, but that's really only because it's the closest to my house (basically all the other ones are the opposite end of town). Their kit selection is generally poor to bad, and they are overwhelmingly an RC store. Nobody carries aftermarket decals here, nor are there a lot of books aside from Squadron books, and Kites had more of them than anyone. Basically, if a kit is in town I prefer to buy it here, but there's a lot of not completely generic kits that never show up, so I'm forced to shop online.
Crimea_River
Marshal
Good post Cory. I can get the Meng 410 for about 75 bucks here in town as well. The owners of your shop there must be smoking something.
Catch22
Major
It was unbelieveable. They must stay open because of their other items. The Seafire has been there for ages, but there seems to be other new stuff, so I'm not sure what the stock turnover is like, as I haven't been to that location in quite some time. Once the 410s started showing up in stores here I felt a lot better about my auction "victory" for $40 down in your neck of the woods.
- Thread starter
- #58
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Good stuff Cory.
Cory you give me a LHS like that and my bank account would be deleted!!I drove to Mobile the other day about 1hrs drive and walked out with a book on the 'Admiral Hipper Class" not single kit jumped off the shelf at me.The LHS and the one Mobile are catering to the bigger bucks in RC cars,planes and boats whilst the plastic continues to shrink.I have heard it's tough to put that much money into an inventory and wait for it to move but just like the other day when it shrinks only the stuff no wants is left.
Bad-Karma
Airman 1st Class
Capt. Vick you ever visit Willis Hobbies in Mineola? That's where I used to go when I lived in Queens and later when I lived down the block in Roslyn Heights.
Will have to snap a picture of my new local spot in Rock Hill next time I pick up some paint.
Will have to snap a picture of my new local spot in Rock Hill next time I pick up some paint.
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