Models in WH Smiths

[roymattblack]

Ipswich WHS is rubbish too.....

What little they did have has shrunk to half a shelf.

However, can we blame WHS???

If nobody is buying the stuff, they won't sell it.

It's the very reason Modelzone went down the pan.

We were all quick to whinge when MZ started selling Lego and cheap R/C helicopters, but they only went that way because the model market was too small to keep the business going.

I was as guilty as many here.

I went into MZ to look, but often bought online.

Sadly, as far as the High street is concerned, ours is a dying hobby.

[Max Headroom]

To be honest, the Chester outlet was in the basement and in a corner next to the half price annuals and bargain DVD's. Upstairs could be rammed and no one would be downstairs. Choice was limited too. So if they're blaming poor sales they only had themselves to blame.

Trevor

[Silver Fox]

Still pretty good choice in Meadowhall, Sheffield, stock does alter and you get some oddities, Fujimi Stuka D-1 in 1/-72nd and Graf Spee in 1/700?

[Tarnish One]

Just saw the mention of BA Aviation Models in this thread - I remember the shop well (well, as well as I remember anything 30 years ago...). Think I still have one of their flyers in what's left of my stash from back then. They definitely sold more "exotic" stuff than Wonderland did at the time. Pity they didn't last long - I believe there's a tattoo parlour at that address now!

[Alan 47]

From reading and scanning this thread I must live in modellers heaven lol , I origional come from Birmingham and I thought the hobby was dead , when I was a kid in the seventies everywhere sold models no matter what the shop but by the mid nighties you were lucky to see them in toy shops but I moved to devon five years ago and I'm amazed at how many shops Stock them , within a fifteen minute drive there are two model shops a hobby craft and a toy shop that sell a good range of models and a little further out in Exeter a new model shop has opened , I've given instructions t the domestic engineer expert to make a visit for Christmas about that one

[PaulT 876]

BA Models i whent there on there last day of trading did not know that be fore i whent in. I was down from Aberdeen to go to a Meatloaf concert in Edinburgh that night.

I said to my then GF that it would be better to get down there early, she twigged when we pulled up out side the shop.

I got one or two things and a French poster of the wall that Brain gave me still have it, shame he was a nice chap and a good modeler also.

Paul

[GordonD]

BA Models i whent there on there last day of trading did not know that be fore i whent in. I was down from Aberdeen to go to a Meatloaf concert in Edinburgh that night.

Think I was at that concert...

[PaulT 876]

Small World

[John]

BA Models i whent there on there last day of trading did not know that be fore i whent in. I was down from Aberdeen to go to a Meatloaf concert in Edinburgh that night.

I said to my then GF that it would be better to get down there early, she twigged when we pulled up out side the shop.

I got one or two things and a French poster of the wall that Brain gave me still have it, shame he was a nice chap and a good modeler also.

Paul

I worked in the shop on and off during the Summer of 1984. Brian was an exceptional modeller and won quite a few competitions in his time. His best known models were probably the 1/32 Blue Angels Skyhawk getting resprayed - Birth of an Angel IIRC - and a fantastic derelict Paris bus from the Heller kit.

I haven't seen or heard of him for the best part of 30 years.

John

[Albeback52]

I worked in the shop on and off during the Summer of 1984. Brian was an exceptional modeller and won quite a few competitions in his time. His best known models were probably the 1/32 Blue Angels Skyhawk getting resprayed - Birth of an Angel IIRC - and a fantastic derelict Paris bus from the Heller kit.

I haven't seen or heard of him for the best part of 30 years.

John

Then you and I may even have met !! It was a nice little shop. I still remember wandering up one Saturday afternoon ( I hadn't been for 2 - 3 months) and found to my horror that the shop had gone!!

Allan

Allan

[JBOHMSS]

It is with a wave of nostalgia that we all remember our model shops.

ELS Model supplies was my local at the bottom of the high street Sutton Surrey - the shop was in the Eagle Star Building complex which has recently been pulled down - sad really but the demise of the model shop is sad in my eyes. The new development in Sutton will be superb I am sure - new housing, shopping complex and a new Sainsbury's - be nice if they put in a model shop but that is wishful thinking.

Sad news also is that Jason at LSA is selling up - we will get news nearer the time I suppose but I hope someone with the same attitude as Jason takes on the shop.

[John]

Resurrecting a zombie thread here to say that the boy and I were in WH Smith in Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow yesterday afternoon and the ModelZone branding has gone, along with most of the kits. There are a few left on clearance.

 

What's the situation elsewhere?

 

John

[Silver Fox]

Same at Meadowhell, no branding, no kits, an experiment that didn't work according to the ex Modelzone employee now working for Smiths. Shame as It was a little oasis of enjoyment in the hell that is Meadowhall

[John]

That's a pity. It wasn't the greatest but it was always somewhere else  to go to pick up bits and pieces.

 

John

[dfqweofekwpeweiop4]

What's it like at the Metrocentre smiths then? I don't fancy a trip there to find notihing.

 

thanks
Mike

[DWC1968]

On 03/03/2017 at 9:19 PM, Mikemx said:

What's it like at the Metrocentre smiths then? I don't fancy a trip there to find notihing.

 

thanks
Mike

Hi Mike 

I was in there couple of weeks ago and they had sold most of the kits off, looked like it was the end of the model zone in there.

Dave.

[dfqweofekwpeweiop4]

I suppose I'll just go to my nearest smiths and use up my gift card on a modelling mag or something then! Thanks for saving me a visit to the metrocentre, that's always a bonus!

 

thanks

Mike

[alancmlaird]

Sorry if there's a thread somewhere else about this, but when Beatties opened up a high street shop in Stirling a few years ago, they put the local wee model shop out of business within months - then Beaties went out of business! The guy who ran the first shop might still be there if 'the big boys' hadn't tried to move in.

Anyway, what I'd like to suggest is we all support our local model shops - and each other's! After Jamieson's in Glasgow closed, one of the guys who worked there set up a new one. Scott's Models hasn't yet reached the 'treasure cave' that Jamieson's became, but he's getting there - so if you are in Glasgow - drop by (I have no connection to the shop other that as a customer). I now won't buy anything on-line that I can get Scott's to order for me. 'Use it or you'll lose it' applies to model shops too.
Now, in the last couple of years, i've been in Nottingham, Leeds, York, Harrogate, Liverpool and Aberdeen, plus many of the places in between, and I haven't found a model shop in any......so lets hear your recomendations....
Admins - if you think this should be somewhere else, or constitutes advertising, please take any action necessary 

[andym]

20 minutes ago, alancmlaird said:

Sorry if there's a thread somewhere else about this, but when Beatties opened up a high street shop in Stirling a few years ago, they put the local wee model shop out of business within months - then Beaties went out of business! The guy who ran the first shop might still be there if 'the big boys' hadn't tried to move in.

Anyway, what I'd like to suggest is we all support our local model shops - and each other's! After Jamieson's in Glasgow closed, one of the guys who worked there set up a new one. Scott's Models hasn't yet reached the 'treasure cave' that Jamieson's became, but he's getting there - so if you are in Glasgow - drop by (I have no connection to the shop other that as a customer). I now won't buy anything on-line that I can get Scott's to order for me. 'Use it or you'll lose it' applies to model shops too.
Now, in the last couple of years, i've been in Nottingham, Leeds, York, Harrogate, Liverpool and Aberdeen, plus many of the places in between, and I haven't found a model shop in any......so lets hear your recomendations....
Admins - if you think this should be somewhere else, or constitutes advertising, please take any action necessary 

AFAIAA there are two model shops in York : Monk Bar Model Shop and P+S Hobbies in Walmgate (when it's open).

 

HTH
Andy

[alancmlaird]

1 hour ago, andym said:

AFAIAA there are two model shops in York : Monk Bar Model Shop and P+S Hobbies in Walmgate (when it's open).

 

HTH
Andy

See what I mean? Been in York half a dozen times (and Elvington) - never found those! Thank you.

[dfqweofekwpeweiop4]

Monk's Bar models is pretty easy to find as it's right next to one of the 'old city gates'. I can't describe how to get there but if I was in York, I'd know how to find it.I know it's not too far from the Minster.

 

thanks

Mike

[wyverns4]

9 hours ago, Mikemx said:

Monk's Bar models is pretty easy to find as it's right next to one of the 'old city gates'. I can't describe how to get there but if I was in York, I'd know how to find it.I know it's not too far from the Minster.

 

thanks

Mike

 

If you are standing with your back to the Minster, (between Minster and St Michael le Belfrey church),  turn to your left and follow Deangate. Turn left onto Goodramgate, keep on the left hand side of the road and stop when you get to the stone gate at Monk Bar. Look to the left side of the gate and enjoy!

 

My sister-in-law lives 150m away!

 

Christian, exiled to africa

[John]

13 hours ago, alancmlaird said:

Sorry if there's a thread somewhere else about this, but when Beatties opened up a high street shop in Stirling a few years ago, they put the local wee model shop out of business within months - then Beaties went out of business! The guy who ran the first shop might still be there if 'the big boys' hadn't tried to move in.

Anyway, what I'd like to suggest is we all support our local model shops - and each other's! After Jamieson's in Glasgow closed, one of the guys who worked there set up a new one. Scott's Models hasn't yet reached the 'treasure cave' that Jamieson's became, but he's getting there - so if you are in Glasgow - drop by (I have no connection to the shop other that as a customer). I now won't buy anything on-line that I can get Scott's to order for me. 'Use it or you'll lose it' applies to model shops too.
Now, in the last couple of years, i've been in Nottingham, Leeds, York, Harrogate, Liverpool and Aberdeen, plus many of the places in between, and I haven't found a model shop in any......so lets hear your recomendations....
Admins - if you think this should be somewhere else, or constitutes advertising, please take any action necessary 

The Model Engineer in Stirling was a great wee shop.

 

The "curse of Beatties" affected local model shops in a lot of towns and many never recovered. Falkirk never had a Beatties, although they did look at renting a unit in the local shopping centre, but we still have a model shop.

 

Another shoutout for Scott's Models in Glasgow too.

 

John

[alancmlaird]

42 minutes ago, John said:

The "curse of Beatties" affected local model shops in a lot of towns and many never recovered. Falkirk never had a Beatties, although they did look at renting a unit in the local shopping centre, but we still have a model shop.

 

Another shoutout for Scott's Models in Glasgow too.

 

John

Yup - McLarens Models in Grahams Road, Falkirk. Good, helpful guy running it - interesting shop - not too many kits in stock but full range of paints and plastic rod etc, loads of railway stuff for dioramas. and he can order anything in. Unfortunately, Falkirk has a Hobbycraft- he cut down on Airfix and Revell stock because of that.

[huvut76g7gbbui7]

On 09/03/2017 at 10:54 AM, John said:

The Model Engineer in Stirling was a great wee shop

AH!  great wee shop that was.

 

On 09/03/2017 at 10:54 AM, John said:

Another shoutout for Scott's Models in Glasgow too.

and yet another.

Whilst he perhaps doesn't have a huge stock,he has been excellent in getting stuff in for me fairly quickly after ordering.

If we don't support the few local shops left then no point moaning in the future when they've gone.