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I visited my first hobby shop yesterday

2209 Views 17 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  The-Nightsky
Wednesday myself and my wife drove over to Tampa to visit our DIL and son and pick up their dachshunds for dog sitting for a week. On Thursday while they were at work we drove over to Tarpon Springs, where I was raised, to get some Greek food at the sponge docks and drive through my old neighborhoods. Also when I am over there I visit the House of Hobbies which was in Clearwater when I was growing up. A few years back he consolidated his Clearwater and New Port Richey stores into one store only a couple of miles from where I was raised. I've spoken to him before but yesterday he seemed much more talkative and we chatted for a few minutes as I was leaving. His name is Bob also and he has been in the business for a long while. I visited him back in the early '60s and told him I used to save my lawn mowing money for a trip to his shop when I was growing up. I told him about the one time I had saved enough so that I walked from the Maas Brothers, where my family was shopping, the 10+ blocks to his shop to buy a large scale WW1 triplane. He was rather impressed by that. He then told me this year would be his 50th anniversary of being in business. His store looks like a store that has been around that long and I noted that he has increased his stock of plastic and added a third aisle for plastic models. He keeps a reasonably well stocked store and I always enjoy going there. He does know the business and eBay and such though so you won't find any "deals" there. Still, I usually pick up a couple of supply items and always visit for the memories.
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Bob is a much nicer guy now a days.I just visited them on mylast trip home.I have been buying from him and his wife since I was 8...he has quite a bit of vintage stuff as well....I remember the old Maws brothers.coachmen park stands on the property and if you had to make that 10 block walk today it would take you through the heart of scientology Hq.and as for tarpon.......I could sure use some saganaki from Bella's right now...I'm driving a semi now and I cant wait to get back soon.....glad you had a good time
Where were you raised over there Nightsky? We moved to Tarpon from Ohio when I was turning 6 in '59. It is a totally different place now and all the woods we played in are housing developments, glad I they weren't back then. We ended up grabbing a small soft dip cone at the Dairy Rich in Crystal Beach before our planned lunch at the docks and it so filled both of us up that we drove around for 45 minutes to get our appetites back but still only split a gyro at Hellas. I always have to drive through Baywood Village where I grew up and I think I am going to drive my wife crazy!
I was raised in new port richey.Moon Lake specifically....dad retired from the navy and we settled there...I live (when I'm home) in palm harbor now not 3 miles from house of hobbies.......just recently bought my first real r c plane from Bob and he actually had the best price on it....got an electric 2.4 ghz piper j3 cub with a 32"wingspan...his price on kits is kind of high for the most parts but I did get a vintage aurora 1st issue black knight from. Him for $20....I spend my money there or at Phil's or Ralph's hobbies in pinelas park......sadly Phil passed away in december.
I remember as a kid and into my early thirties...what an a$$ he was......maybe he got some good meds....lol
Well the thing is you need to learn how not to antagonize him. DO NOT ask for discounts. DO NOT say something about prices being high, etc. Also paying with Cash is good. Don't work out a big deal then whip out a credit card, etc. Make him laugh with some good non PC jokes...
Now where is the fun in that?:wave:I'm glad I bought the plane from him he really helped me and I will continue to spend money there
Honestly...I love House of Hobbies.....will be back in town tomorrow to take my hazmat test.think ill stop by.....gonna start a new thread soon... about modelingnon the road in my;18 wheeler....plenty of room.at times.lots of downtime
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