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Models in WH Smiths


Julien

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That looks great, let's hope the other stores are as big. Needed a pot of red acrylic paint for my hobby boss 1:350 USS Arizona and was going to go to Metros WHMZ but was worried it wasn't opened yet so opted to go to hobbycraft instead. BTW, hobbycraft have sold tons of kits judging by the state of the shelves in some areas, the starter sets were almost all gone. Can anyone answer, do they sell revell aqua?

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I really wonder how people justify earning any money from their so called "jobs". When you're calling the head office of a company and have a straight forward query, the least you can expect is that the person you speak to makes enquiries themselves if they can't answer your question.

Why do I get told by WHSmith that, apart from a shop in Birmingham, no other confirmed plans exist for Modelzone departments in WHS branches? Apparently there are lots open already - so that answer was entirely made up. All I wanted to know was if there were plans to open one in the London area to compensate for the loss of the Holborn and Stratford MZ branches...

The Stratford (Westfield) WHS used to have a MZ "coming soon" poster in the shop, but that disappeared when I was there a few days ago. I asked staff in the shop and, again, no one had a scooby...

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according to the clued up chap in Meadowhell WHS, there are plans for 10 to 12 in store MZs in total all up and running before Christmas and they are not planning a rapid growth like the old Modelzone, WHS will evaluate the stores success in February and see what is viable, even then it will be a slow growth at best.

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Looked in at Metro Centre the other day. Two smallish racks of kits and big glass display cases full of die cast and r/c. :hanging:

I overheard two of the workers who were stacking said cases;

"These metal things look good"

"Aye, until you see the price of them"

Nuff said.

Edited by goggsy
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Cardiff is open visited it today. it's on the first floor and looks good , they have done the obvious and put a selection of magazines up there also gave me a 20% discount card that lasts through to xmas " c'mon Airfix where's those Lightnings "

As for stock that was a bit thin on the ground ,I guess an opening package I hope for better things and wish them well.

Glenn.

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Been to the Croydon store and did my bit by buying the Revell 1/72 F-4F Phantom Pharewell kit. Good to see that the Humbrol acrylics are more easily available now and they had all the new RLM colours.

Robert

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Been to the Croydon store and did my bit by buying the Revell 1/72 F-4F Phantom Pharewell kit. Good to see that the Humbrol acrylics are more easily available now and they had all the new RLM colours.

Robert

That phantom looks awesome, I'm going to MZ metrocentre on Friday so look forward to seeing the kits. Being able to get Humbrol acrylics is great news for me as well. I must say, by the comments on the Internet and by the photos, the kits look very thin on the ground but it's early days. Regards

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I keep popping into my local WHS down here in Worthing! in the forlorn hope that one day I will walk in to be greeted with selves stacked full with wonderful model kits!

Alas I am rapidly loosing hope! :weep:

The strange thing is though! the new MZ brand is operating out of what used to be the old Amarang HQ! which is based only five minuets away in Lancing!

so you would have thought we would have seen something down here by now! :shrug::mental:

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Not surprised to see nothing in our local WHS (in Bishop's Stortford). However, I am surprised at no mention of Cambridge. There was a large-ish MZ in the past and there are a couple of WHS outlets, one of which could contain some MZ stuff. Am probably going there at the weekend (Christmas shopping :( ) so will have a look-see at what may or may not be happening.

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Cambridge WHS does have a small model section now, upstairs. Last week they had the kit offer of "buy one get second (cheaper) one half-price".

It is a disappointingly small section but still, nice to see at least something there. They have mainly Airfix and Revell kits, but there are a few Tamiya kits, both armour and aircraft.

I just hope this small start there will develop because my next nearest model shop is in Ely, although I haven't tried that one yet.

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Cambridge WHS does have a small model section now, upstairs. Last week they had the kit offer of "buy one get second (cheaper) one half-price".

It is a disappointingly small section but still, nice to see at least something there. They have mainly Airfix and Revell kits, but there are a few Tamiya kits, both armour and aircraft.

I just hope this small start there will develop because my next nearest model shop is in Ely, although I haven't tried that one yet.

Mark

Thanks for that - will check out the Cambridge WHS when next there.

A couple of weeks ago I was in Ely and I think the model shop you refer to is in fact a model section on the first floor in a toy and bicycle shop. I bought a couple of odds and ends there. It is reasonably well stocked for a smallish area and had a wide selection of genres. Prices seemed a little on the high side. The people in there were OK and helpful, but not as friendly perhaps as those you meet in Model Junction in Bury St Edmunds. If it was my nearest I would not be disappointed and I suspect if you were regular in there and got to know them they could get in what you need if they didn't have it.

My nearest model shop is in Harlow and last time I went in there it seemed to have been largely taken over by gaming. It was busy though and if that is what sells then good for them.

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Silly point perhaps, but are people actively asking the staff if there is going to be a ModelZone presence? Just visiting the store and walking off might not be getting the message across that there are potential customers out here.

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Well I popped into the newly opened Modelzone in W H Smiths Manchester Arndale today with my 20% off vouchers. What a disappointment! Well, on reflection, perhaps not.

There was one small "gondola" with a few (very few_ Airfix and Revell kits. Some Tamiya and Humbrol paints. and that was it. All the rest was the usual; trains, Scalextric, die casts, etc. In other words just like the old Modelzone only much, much smaller.

Personally I don't see it lasting.

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Well I popped into the newly opened Modelzone in W H Smiths Manchester Arndale today with my 20% off vouchers. What a disappointment! Well, on reflection, perhaps not.

There was one small "gondola" with a few (very few_ Airfix and Revell kits. Some Tamiya and Humbrol paints. and that was it. All the rest was the usual; trains, Scalextric, die casts, etc. In other words just like the old Modelzone only much, much smaller.

Personally I don't see it lasting.

What he said.

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Mark

Thanks for that - will check out the Cambridge WHS when next there.

A couple of weeks ago I was in Ely and I think the model shop you refer to is in fact a model section on the first floor in a toy and bicycle shop. I bought a couple of odds and ends there. It is reasonably well stocked for a smallish area and had a wide selection of genres. Prices seemed a little on the high side. The people in there were OK and helpful, but not as friendly perhaps as those you meet in Model Junction in Bury St Edmunds. If it was my nearest I would not be disappointed and I suspect if you were regular in there and got to know them they could get in what you need if they didn't have it.

My nearest model shop is in Harlow and last time I went in there it seemed to have been largely taken over by gaming. It was busy though and if that is what sells then good for them.

Thanks, didn't realise there's a model shop in Bury St Edmunds.

I was in W H Smiths again yesterday, hoping to get some Revell Painta Clean, but they don't have it. Anyway, I wouldn't make a special journey to the shop from Harlow, but maybe worth popping into if in Cambridge. It is more of a kid's model section I would say, which is great of course, no problem with that, but they do need to include some more products for the workbench. Kid AND Dad would be catered for then :)

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Mark

Model Junction is worth a visit if you are in or near Bury St Edmunds. It is in Whiting Street. Prices are not low (compared to what you can get on the internet). They have a reasonable range of plastic kits (Airfix, Revell, Italeri, Tamiya mainly) and are very helpful and will tell you that if you want something they have not got they will get it in for you. About half the shop is for rail stuff, 1/4-1/3 is for plastic models and the rest is RC.

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The modelzone concession, or whatever it is, has appeared in the Birmingham WHSmith - had a quick look yesterday.

Looks like the cheaper end of the blessed diecasts, a few railway bits, and then airfix starter kits and a few tamiya. But a reasonable if not quite full set of humbrols and a few tools. And two embarrassed looking staff with nothing to do.

So in short, not even as good as the Hobbycraft model section.

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The modelzone concession, or whatever it is, has appeared in the Birmingham WHSmith - had a quick look yesterday.

Looks like the cheaper end of the blessed diecasts, a few railway bits, and then airfix starter kits and a few tamiya. But a reasonable if not quite full set of humbrols and a few tools. And two embarrassed looking staff with nothing to do.

So in short, not even as good as the Hobbycraft model section.

So Parabellum and Mr Models have nothing to fear.........................

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Visited the Metro MZ today. The lady working there was very pleasant. They stock a nice selection of tools, Humbrol acrylics, a small selection of kits. Word has it they've been doing really well at metro centre so hopefully in the future they'll expand. I did pick up an f35 lightning ii, an airbrush as a stocking filler, and a pot of Humbrol acrylics so I can finally start my god dam tigermeet mirage, which I've been unable to start for months. Hopefully they'll expand. Regards

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I saw a few AIRFIX models on display at the W.H.SMITHS @ Northampton services yesterday.

Nice....sone elderly gentleman on a coach trip was seen by ME to purchase the entire models on display ..all three of them...

He looked full of glee!!!

Wasn't ANY of you was it.... :wicked:

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