University Hobbies is closed. Not sure how long, but definitely gone.
Joel
God bless Wisconsin!
Well as mentioned there are some good hobby shops in the north suburbs, but I doubt you want to drive 30 miles one way to pick up a package of Kadee’s and a tube of glue !!
Unfortunately many Mpls area hobby shops have closed over the years, Woodcraft Hobby in Minneapolis, Hobby Depot in Richfield etc.
Hub Hobby in Richfield is pretty good and has a lot of stuff, it’s probably the closest to you. I grew up going to the original one in the sixties, shopped there ever since. BTW don’t get confused by the name, the store hasn’t been in the Hub Shopping Center since about 1980, it’s near 66th and Penn now, a couple miles west.
If you’re in the south suburbs across the Minnesota River (Apple Valley - Burnsville) just take 35W north. You can either get off at 66th st. and turn left (west) and go about a mile to Penn Ave., turn right on Penn and it’s about a half block up on your left (across from the BIG water tower)…or stay on 35W and get onto Highway 62 (“The Crosstown”) going west and exit at Penn. Turn left and it’s about one block down on your right - past the bowling alley.
I live in the suburbs SE of St.Paul now, after living 47 years in Richfield. I work in DT St.Paul so I go to Scale Model Supplies. It wouldn’t be too hard for you to get there from where you are, it’s a mile or two west of DT St.Paul on University Avenue. It’s very VERY big inside but not outside - it’s in the basement (used to be a bowling alley IIRC) so there’s only an entrance on the streetlevel.
BTW I assume you’re going to the Woodbury High School flea market tomorrow, 10-3?? [:)]
Unfortunately, I have two more weeks before I close my store. I won’t be moving to the area for another month or so. I use to go to the Twin Cities on a regular basis. That was ten years ago though. I’m sure after a few weeks I’ll get use to driving up there again. Are there any stores near Stillwater? My aunt lives in that area.
Recently migrated to northwest WI after 30 years of the madness that is Los Angeles. I know of NOTHING in all of Southern California that can match Scale Model Supply in St Paul for inventory. Allied Model Trains in Culver City is a fascinating place to shop and you can easily spend a fun afternoon browsing their displays, but I don’t think they come close to SMS’s stock. SMS stocks lots of stuff you would never see in your LHS. The place is nothing to look at, and finding what you want can be challenging because of the sheer volume of stuff, although the staff is quite helpful. And you WILL pay MSRP + a hefty sales tax for the People’s Republic of Minnesota. But if you want something right now, rather than ordering it off the 'net and waiting a week or two, you can be pretty sure SMS stocks it.
Geez, I forgot all about Lightfoot’s, Hobby Depot and Woodcraft in the Signal Hills Mall!!!
Terry
Where abouts in NW wis. ,Walleye? I’m just south of Spooner.
Just a bit south of you, in Chetek. Haven’t yet met very many people locally who are into the hobby. I hear there’s a club in Rice Lake, but I think they’re just O scale. (Out of Grampa’s Train Store.) The only other guy I knew in town who was into model trains moved down to Rio last June. I bought his N scale layout when he moved. Are there any other modelers (organized or othrewise) in the area?