It’s a good topic, and shows how things have changed over the years, especially since post-COVID-19 swept the planet. I haven’t posted a status update in years…
Around here, Gundam and comic books stores have risen compared to the local hobby shops that have almost gone extinct. The city’s only local hobby shop closed over a decade ago for “Earthquake building seismic refitting” since it was under an apartment building. Over a decade later, no retrofit work has been done so it’s not coming back. No new hobby shops have opened and there are a LOT of vacant stores around here. The local hobby shops around here have closed for some reason or another, often with not much explanation besides retirement, theft (can’t afford the damage repair insurance), mysterious disappearance (no idea what happened and no one said anything–just GONE), and just went out-of-business for whatever reasons. The ones that do exist are far away, like a day’s outing, just to go to the hobby shop that isn’t local. The largest hobby shop far away is a wargaming store…no model kits, but lots of paints, groundwork, board games, etc. Modeling clubs and online friends drifted away or because so secret that they don’t communicate. I was invited and went to a local Sci-Fi modeling kit club once-a-month a few times over a decade ago in someone’s house in a totally nice neighborhood (a totally remodeled basement Man-Cave) and the owner/organizer said that it’s a secret because some strangers used to come in off the street looking for free food.
Modeling is still taboo around here; it’s just not supported and never really was even though LucasArts is close by. Art, radio-control, and railroad hobby shops have closed too, and with that, so too have the attitude towards hobbies. Most people have pets or just watch TV and surf the internet. Most people are glued to a smartphone in public. I have really dwindled down in building model kits myself although I do look online and buy (collecting).
Over a decade ago, I stopped buying vehicle kits and focused mainly on resin figures because I don’t have the space to display horizontal models whereas figures take up vertical space.
I normally buy online from ETSY for 3D printed figures and direct from online hobby shops and resin figure makers in Europe and Asia. Since the Ukraine War over four years ago, the Russian model figure companies have ceased advertising and producing modern U.S. military figures, and they were often considered the best sculpts. Even a Russian 3D CAD sculptor worked for a South Korean resin figure company and stopped, telling me why via email. Thus, I went into buying more fantasy, Sci-Fi, and other figures.
I normally don’t wait for online sales although I’ve noticed that online hobby shop sellers have about 2-3 sales a year (Spring, American Thanksgiving, and Christmas). Some online USA hobby shops have sales whenever there is a big US Holiday.
Lately I’ve noticed that eBay sales are mainly 3D-printed generics from China. They’re OK, some are quite pricey for a small 3D print though. I rarely buy from eBay as I’ve noticed that their listings often don’t change and the sellers charge full price or over.
I usually buy new (resin figures are 3D-printed new or released as new), rarely buying pre-owned unless it’s super rare and I really want it.
Decades into the hobby, I still support mine because each and every day it’s like there is something new that is released. I need to sell off my old kits to make room for new ones that look just so much better and are much better quality.
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