batcode Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 (edited) well spoke to freind in lms told me that amarang aint taking any orders and they havnt been told anything but that dont oreder!!!! but saying that i contacted amarang several weeks ago for a part for an old hasagawa kit as them being the uk retailer thougt they be helpful, but the reply i got back was put this way not great ,they basicaly said "" its an old kit and would expect it to be deleted plus would take to long so not worth the look"" which personal is not how you run a business?? i contacted the american contact for hasagawa as advised on another forum and they coudent be helpful enougth asked me for all the details said may take several weeks but should be able to help Edited July 8, 2013 by batcode Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sennapod Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 From what I could understand, I don't think we can read anything into the above comment which could be taken as any sort of formal announcement of intention, either for MZ or Amerang. Let's keep this on topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manipled Mutineer Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 Popped into the Cardiff branch this lunchtime, no further news, but I did note that they are having a liquidation sale (to raise funds I was told) - 10% to 30% off everything in store, including 20% off plastic model kits and 30% off paints, tools etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaddy Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 I have to be in Manchester city centre tomorrow, so I'll pop along the The Model Shop (it's still that as far as I'm concerned) on Deansgate and see what's on offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caerbannog Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 Puh - that is awful news (I was on holiday and found out only today). The company I work for (not model related) went through insolvency too. It did not come as a shock as it was pretty much home-grown. Luckily we found new investors easily and they realized that the old CEO crashed the whole thing by "dancing on too many parties" and lost track of our main market. Some of the comments sound like ModelZone could have a similar problem (selling a too wide range and loosing the depth if you can say so). Whatever their problems come from, I hope they can sort them out. I have been to a ModelZone shop (Newcastle) only once when I was on holiday in England but I ordered from their website a few times (despite the high P&P they charge to Germany) - and had some hope that they might expand to the continent in the future... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 Popped into the Norwich branch yesterday, and bought a couple of kits, got the 1 48 Tamiya Beufighter kit and 1 72 Revell Harrier GR.7 both with 20% off. There is still a reasonably nice selection of kits there; Hasegawa 1 72 Tornado F.3, Tamiya 1 48 RAF mustang, some Eduard kits, Zvezda 1 144 747, loads of Revell and Airfix stuff. But then again, I've always though the Norwich branch has a fairly decent selection of kits compared to MZ branches. Hopefully something will get sorted for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 I have to be in Manchester city centre tomorrow, so I'll pop along the The Model Shop (it's still that as far as I'm concerned) on Deansgate and see what's on offer. Yes, Deansgate is/was a good model shop. I think this was mainly down to them being able to treat it like two separate shops; large model shop on the ground floor and toy/trains etc., downstairs in the basement. Always liked going there when I used to work in Manchester and would quite happily spend a fair amount of my wages in there. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhtmo Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Popped into Merry Hill today to find everything at least 20% off except the railway items. Sad news for the staff. They've always been good for me. Seemed to have loaded the shelves with everything they had. Academy Gabreski thunderbolt caught my eye at less than twenty quid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caerbannog Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 I actually wonder why they closed their webshop. I could imagine that they want to supply their shops as long as possible untill a new busines plan is done and all deals with the suppliers for the future done. Well... I hope so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffreyK Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Been to the Stratford (London) store today. Was relieved to see no "closing down" posters, just "stock liquidation" and 10-30% off posters. Kit stock had shrunk considerably compared to what they usually have which also meant that I couldn't find anything I fancied but bought some paint at least. I asked one "senior" looking and quite friendly (and surprisingly cheerful) staff if they had any news and he said decisions had been deferred again and they would probably know by Friday. My visit confirmed once more what I said before though: The shop window display, the stock layout near the front and displays further down the shop complete lack any imagination. Next door is a toy shop and except for the Airfix, Revell and Tamiya stickers on the Modezone window there's absolutely nothing that separates the two shops. Remote controlled helicopters and Spiderman (or something) merchandise is the only stuff in MZ's display followed by more R/C stuff and then sales' shelving units (which always in that position, not just now). Not a single built-up model anywhere in the shop, not even a half-arsed Hornby layout. I know that the shop is small, but you HAVE to make better use of the space in order to draw customers in. To a casual passer-by it looks exactly like one of those toy stands here on Walthamstow High Street market, not like MODELzone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaddy Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Called in at MZ in Deansgate, Manchester today. Downstairs in the basement had quite a few browsers. Upstairs in the "toy" dept. it was quiet as the grave. The shelves are pretty well stocked still, so if they've got something you want you can't really go wrong. In my sase there was not much in the model line I want, and what I would have bought they didn't have. I satisfied myself with some paints and one of those headband magnifiers. A good but I thought, at 30% off. The staff are all in the dark, but the guy I spoke to seemed pretty relaxed. Probably not much point in not being relaxed, when you've not actually been made redundant yet. He said business had picked up since the sale started, so no surprise there. As for anything else, the staff are still in the dark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Séan Pádraig Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 (edited) He said business had picked up since the sale started, so no surprise there. No Kidding... since the news broke I've been to the new London store 3 times.. Visit 1 - paints only... Visit 2 - Two kits and some paints... Visit 3 - another two kits and more paints... I've spent more in M/Z in the last week than in the last 12 months... Edited July 9, 2013 by Séan Pádraig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardtarget Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Ditto, ive taken my tally this past week past the hundred quid mark on paint and periferals alone (no kits) from the maidstone store. So ive done my bit to keep them affloat for another week . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin @ Freightdog Models Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 I went in and came out with....two sets of Lego! 20% off, so they have been put to one side for Christmas (not for me, its for the kids, honest!) Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caerbannog Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 As mentioned above my company has been through this too and the first thing the insolvency manager (don't know the correct english term at the moment) said that the publicity due to the insolvency will get many more customers in the shops and will improove sales a lot. Well he was right. Rene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowler0000 Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 (edited) New Oxford St about 2 hours ago: 50% off paint & glue! Includes aerosols, masking tapes, & i think tools too.... Staff (Very friendly, 1 remembered me from last friday!) still in the dark about their future. I wished them well, & hope they keep employed!!! Think i felt the presence of a few fellow BritModellers in there as well.... Edited July 10, 2013 by prowler0000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 MZ Reading - just stocked up on Tamiya paint, brushes, milliput, plastic strip, brass rods and tubes all 50% off - total came to £60 - very nice thank you! Wished the girls in their good luck - they've been there a while and are very helpful. We agreed that they were not helped by the draconian ordering and buying department! They are hopeful but understandably nervous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandrake Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 50% of all paints, glues, tools and accessories. At that price I walked out with what would of been £40 worth of Vallejo and styrene strips. It is also worth noting that 50% off tools includes the high ticket items such as airbrushed and compressors. Kits still at 20% off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunpowder17 Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 (edited) Anyone been in Lakesides store lately? Do they have many models left? Edited July 10, 2013 by gunpowder17 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandrake Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 You could just call them and ask: 01708 869412 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 There are, I think, 3 Modelzones in Scotland and 2 of them are in Glasgow, which is fairly well served by model and wargames-type shops as it is - there are at least 2 other outlets for Vallejo paints within a 10 minute walk of the city centre Modelzone. I try to visit the city centre branch whenever I'm in Glasgow and usually pick something up, so on that basis if no other I'd be sorry to see them go. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roo Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 There is still more than enough in the Stratford Westfield store, so I guess the Lakeside store would be similar. I guess it depends on what you like building really. As I like a bit of everything, I was more that well catered for at Stratford, just the Airfix Fiesta and the rust Airfix weathering powder escaped my grasp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigsty Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 they were not helped by the draconian ordering and buying department! How many times have we heard this, eh? And how is it that companies that do it never learn from the ones that sank themselves because of it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kallisti Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 Because the overpaid fools who call themselves management think they know everything and don't listen to the people who usually REALLY know what is needed - ie the workforce! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 I will try to pop into the Aberdeen branch over the weekend and report on its status next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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