AL's Hobby Shop succumbs to the recession.

[BarCrawl]

Just got a call and was told Al's Hobby Shop in Elmhurst is closing it's doors today.
Many smaller hobby shops have come and gone over the years but Al's has been there for decades, catering to many different hobbies.

Lack of sales due to the seemingly ever growing number of mail order sellers was cited as a main reason.

Hate to see them closing.

[Mega Fattie]

in the last few years every time I've been in there they had less and less of anything i was interested in. Then when i asked about a stock HPI or Axial part...they didn't have it but "could order it"

So i ordered it myself.

I remember the first time i went to AL's, that place was badass! Then it just got worse every time since then.

[sally1800]

Wow

You just blew my mind. I have been shopping at Als since i was able to ride my bike across busy streets. I called a friend Chip who is the manager and has been working there before i can remember. He was told yesterday today is the last day the store will be open.


Sad day in my rc world.

[bronc4now]

I found out this morning one of the 1st hobby shops i remember going to as i kid ...It Sucks!

[johnnyh66]

That really sucks... but I get it.

[BJoe]

I saw this on Model Cars Magazine's forum this morning and have been hearing about it from the airplane guys at work all day today.

[motorbikemike]

WOW! I was just wondering about Al's just the other day. I was thinking of heading over there just to go check out how the shop was doing after I was just horrified to see Venture hobbies also closed it's doors. I drove over to venture just before the St. Louis G6 to get some paint and...WTF? Ghost Town! I haven't been to Al's in a Few years. I used to plan a trip down to her shop from Wisconsin almost every month for just about all 7 years that I built and raced nitro and gas boats. Al's was the only place to get hardcore race boat hardware and good hulls and engines without using mail order. Probably because Cindy and a few others in the shop were serious racer's as well.

This Just sucks! After seeing venture disappear I was hoping and planning to take my two nephews to Al's later this summer so they could see a real hobby shop before this soon to be mythical fantasy land we all once knew goes extinct. I guess I missed the boat on that one. Sadly I knew it would eventually happen. I just thought Al's would be one of the ones that would hang in there for another decade or so. There are no "real hobby shops" left around here after the death of those two. All we have in northern IL that I know of are a few tiny little shops that sell mostly model railroad, plastic models, and bicycles on the side.

huh.....

[Howler]

Sad to see this happen! It's all too easy to click and order nowadays. Unfortunately people don't realize/care that this affects them in the long run. If given the chance, I'll always try to support the local shops. I'd rather pay a few bucks extra in order to have a place to hang, as well as meet new and spend time with old friends. Try to support these shops people. Next time, print your part numbers, and bring them to the shop to order them.

[thzero]

Oh this is all BS. Al's has sucked for years with unfriendly staff that was more interested in doing what they wanted than helping customers, not have stock on hand, noncompetitive prices, etc.

Few bucks more, especially if you avoid shipping, is great. But poor service, well you just deserve to go out of business and that describes Al's. Venture in BG (or thereabouts) was the same way.

And there are hobby shops. The HobbyTown in Lake in the Hills is pretty good, and they seem to care more. unfortunately they are also out of the way. There is also a decent one in Orland Park too.

[badhoopty]

last time i was at al's looking for a pinion that their website said was in stock it was painfully obvious they were not gonna be around much longer.

iirc there were around 4 people working there at the time but the only guy who could help me was busy talking to some guy about how to get a radio shack rc car updated with modern elecs. all the other employees literally standing around. couple of them couldn't keep their eyes off my gf...

im sure the people at al's are good people and its sad to see it go, but nothing pisses me off than the 'wait behind the newb' shit that happens at pert near any hobby shop. there is nothing at all hard with taking a break explaining what a ****ing servo is to ask the next guy in line what hes looking for.

[motorbikemike]

Originally Posted by thzero

Oh this is all BS. Al's has sucked for years with unfriendly staff that was more interested in doing what they wanted than helping customers, not have stock on hand, noncompetitive prices, etc.

Few bucks more, especially if you avoid shipping, is great. But poor service, well you just deserve to go out of business and that describes Al's. Venture in BG (or thereabouts) was the same way.

And there are hobby shops. The HobbyTown in Lake in the Hills is pretty good, and they seem to care more. unfortunately they are also out of the way. There is also a decent one in Orland Park too.

What you stated is true. Both places were on a downhill slide for the last 5 or 6 years. And I agree That most of AL's employees were stuck up hobby snob ass holes. I never liked that part about Al's. I was just speaking to the point that they were the 2 biggest shops around and it sucks to see them gone. I forgot about hobby town. That's a good place too.

[Dostradamas]

Originally Posted by Mega Fattie

they didn't have it but "could order it"

So i ordered it myself.

This is what killed your LHS.
If you don't spend your money with local brick & mortar shops they will go out of business.

An internet company with little to no stock (they direct ship from their suppliers,) 1 or 2 employees, and no building (and all the costs associated) has a HUGE pricing advantage over the LHS.
It is simple, if you want your LHS, spend your hobby budget there.

This is America people, support us with your $$.
Buy local.

The internet killed Al's.

[Mega Fattie]

Originally Posted by Dostradamas

This is what killed your LHS.
If you don't spend your money with local brick & mortar shops they will go out of business.

An internet company with little to no stock (they direct ship from their suppliers,) 1 or 2 employees, and no building (and all the costs associated) has a HUGE pricing advantage over the LHS.
It is simple, if you want your LHS, spend your hobby budget there.

This is America people, support us with your $$.
Buy local.

The internet killed Al's.

Im not complaining they went out of business, nor do i miss them. I will support rpphobby.com 10 times out of 10 instead of having a LHS order a part for me.

If they dont want to stock what i need/want.... That is their loss, i dont bitch to them that they dont have what im looking for.

This is America, where we all have the right to spend our hard earned money how we please.

I will not pay more for a part, plus wait for them to order it, wait for it to get delivered, then spend my gas a 2nd time to go pick that part up so they can keep their head above the water they tread.

Fu ck that...ill save money by paying less for the part, not driving to the shop a 2nd time, not paying state tax, and most likely have it before the LHS would. Yeah i pay for shipping, but that is only a negative cost if you buy 1 small part.

Most of us are typically buying multiple parts that when the cost of shipping is divided up by the parts, its still cheaper than state tax, and gasoline expenses.

Sounds like AL's killed AL's.....

[Die-Laughing]

I went on a few unexpected shopping spree's at AL's in the past.. It used to be fun to go there and leave broke. It used to be the best hobby shop IMO but, yeah.. It got old driving an hour to get there when I can just order the part online.

[jetboat]

Havent been there since I got there at 5:20 on a week day, cash in hand and they were locking the doors because business had been too light. What retail shop doesnt do most of their business between 5 and 8?