Mike Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 Less than a month after we announced the opening of a new store in that there London, we're sad to report that the Telegraph have run a story stating that MZ amongst other companies on the high street have gone into administration this week. The article here mentions that they have fallen prey to the seemingly endless recession and the changing retail business model that is leaving the high street devastated as consumers move onto the internet to seek the best bargains. I hope that their administrators can find a solution that sees the brand name stay in our towns and cities, as for a lot of us (self included) they're pretty much the only model shop for miles around. A worrying day for the staff as well as their customers Thanks to Airfix Andy for giving us the heads up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 I hope they pull through. The shops in Chester, Trafford Centre and Liverpool always have eople milling around (how many buy though?) Trevor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted June 25, 2013 Author Share Posted June 25, 2013 The one in Chester is my last link with Arts & Crafts... a model shop I grew up with. They moved premises, then sold out to MZ some years back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunpowder17 Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 Modelzone is the only reason alot of men going to shopping centers with their wives. What would we do without them? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 The one in Chester is my last link with Arts & Crafts... a model shop I grew up with. They moved premises, then sold out to MZ some years back The only model shop with a Romain mosaic in its basement (down a very rickety staircase) Trevor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 Running a business myself (not in models admittedly) it's tough! Especially in Construction...no sign of an early end to the general woes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murdo Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 Aaaaaargh! That's terrible news! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radleigh Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 Running a business myself (not in models admittedly) it's tough! Especially in Construction...no sign of an early end to the general woes Agreed, I run my own and have just been hit hard, and we give people money! There is no end to it... Hope MZ can sort something! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowler0000 Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 Well, that explains their Sale items having not a single item in my preferred scale, but showing whats (not ) available anyway.... After 2 visits to the new West End store & a brief trip to Stratford, I'm not shocked by this. MZ has no identity any more! Is it a model shop? Not really. It sells kits, but the range is neither large enough nor varied enough to entice regular visits & regular purchases. is it a Die-Cast collectable shop? Same answer... Is it an RC specialist? With mainly Tamiya for cars & sundry helicopters for flying fans, it's a small selection to peruse.... Train fan? Hornby sets & in a few shops, Bachmann & Lima stock & usually only in HO gauge. I REALLY hope MZ comes thru this one, but as an ex- Beatties staffer (Lewisham, & i was there the day it closed for good in March 2000...), we have been here before.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 Great shame if they go I am lucky to have 2 within 10 miles of me but some of their sale items must have been a giveaway,last year we lost model active in Durham Beatties went in Newcastle a few years ago thankfully we have models4hobbies a few miles away and they are an online retailer as well as shop, but I had the situation recently where I ordered a kit from Wonderland Models with £5 off even after standard postage and it arrived the next morning!no drive to town petrol use or car parking but you can.t beat a visit to a shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little-cars Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 I had wondered how long it would be before this would happen. Endless sales and bargains are always a bad sign. Hope they pull through or there will be the same high street void that was felt after the demise of Beatties. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stan Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I thought Modelzone was the retail outlet for Amerang. Sad to see this happen and echo Steves comments regarding visiting shops. My visits to Modelzone in the last few years have swelled my stash with some bargains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Driver66 Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 My thoughts and hopes for all the staff that work in all of the stores. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scimitar F1 Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I found an old sheet of Plasticard the other day with a Taylor & McKenna label on it. So they have form for a rebrand, management buy out etc. I think the more fundamental question is whether a model shop can survive on the high street in the age of the Internet? In London, the largest city in Europe, we only really now have Hannants and that is in an industrial unit. Will 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CockneyCol Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I can only wish them luck. It's a very tough market out there right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickpadwick1801 Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Well whilst I am upset by this, I cannot say I am surprised especially after my last experience with ModelZone just last weekend. I went into Guildford and found the only shop I know of which had stock of a model kit I was looking for (Into Darkness USS Enterprise by Revell) and found that the box had been opened. I spoke to one of the 2 staff that was working on Sunday and he said I can give you 10% off which was fine. Now my wife wanted to buy the kit for me for my birthday, so when I had looked through the box to make sure everything was there, we went up to the till and tried to buy it. Only the other member of staff was on the till, and basically said that the other person had no authorisation to reduce prices down as he wasn't a manager (even though a manager wasn't around) and that it would be full price. To say the least, we came away without the model. They do seem to be the most expensive of the online model shops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karl Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I really hope ModelZone does pull through this period; my shopping highlight is visiting the MZ store and I do often come out with a purchase. Not sure what I'll do if they do close (work my way through my stash?) luckily we do have one other model shop in the area but it does not have the same expansive range of kits as MZ does. I despise making purchases over the internet, but I may be forced in to it. Karl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spfparker Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Sad news indeed. But... What's the chance of Hornby going into direct retail and cherry picking some of the stores, probably in the shopping centres, and stocking Airfix, Humbrol, Hornby, Scalextric, Corgi etc only? As a similar example - the Lego stores always seem popular... Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardtarget Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I think this was forseen by all including their management. As people have mentioned selling kits at trade or below isnt very good for business but does create turnover to stave off the administrators. I will be exptreamly sad if the one in maidstone closes as that is part of the lunchtime ritual. I know the gus well there so it will be very sad for them. I will pop in at lunchtime to see if they know anything else. Remember adminstration doesnt always mean the shop will dissappear but i am fearful in this case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodders154 Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 It is hard to make money at the moment I used to have a business but now find myself as a paid emploeee again. Everybody was undercutting each other until it became to cutthroat. Who knows where this will end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardtarget Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 It is hard to make money at the moment I used to have a business but now find myself as a paid emploeee again. Everybody was undercutting each other until it became to cutthroat. Who knows where this will end. Exactly, i forsee a few of our friends going before the ecomomy picks up again where companies will still sell with 10% off RRP and not worry as we will generally buy at that price. With unemployment and people watching their pennies everyone is looking for a bargain therefore the 10% off company wont get sales unless they have a unique product or give a greater % off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I will pop in at lunchtime to see if they know anything else. Hi Stu. Will try to be in there about one o clock. Robin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Séan Pádraig Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I am not surprised... in recent years my only purchases (from regular visits) have been a few paints and the 'odd' model in it is in the sale section... not being into the RC-Train-Diecast side a browse in a MZ shop does not take very long... walk in, head strait to the kits, reel at the prices, check out the sale rack... maybe pick up some paint and leave. As someone said above having a MZ in the town meant somewhere to go while the better half shops... now a trip to MZ is so brief my wife actually comes in and waits... Shame really 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breaker Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Really sad to hear this, I enjoy popping into the MK store and having a chat with the staff! Hope the administrators don't just liquidate everything to pay their fee's and then close everything down! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardtarget Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Hi Stu. Will try to be in there about one o clock. Robin. Hi Robin, Ok il see you there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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