But kinda on topic really

I wholly agree with supporting your local shop I really do my lhs although they still stock some building materials last time I went in he didn't even know what thickness I was buying he started charging me 1/4 prices for everything until I questioned why the answer was he had no idea what I was buying "it's all wood init" was the reply when trying to educate this assistant that the thickness determines the price he was shocked !!! Anyway of the four assistants in there only one knew any imperial measurements ( not surprising since everything nowadays is metric ) can't blame them for that my next question was do you have any tissue paper the young bloke said the sh**er ain't working mate you'll have to go to the public loos after about 3 minutes of laughing i picked myself up of the floor cleared the tears from my eyes and began more education when I found some on the shelf he said we can't sell that it's the packaging that came with the balsa more laughing entailed he was shocked when told this is what they used to cover models with while trying to educate this kiddy there were three other assistants in the shop all listening avidly to how the conversation went the kiddy had no interest in modelling whatsoever and when asking and chatting with the guys there was only one that admitted to ever having built a kit !! This guy did have some knowledge wish I had spoken to him in the first place Now it's neither my place to judge but I don't understand how a shop of any description can operate without any knowledge of what they are selling this bloke saved the sale and ended up spending a substantial amount of cash on balsa and sundries now when asked a few of the guys can fly Helis and planes "expertly" well I'm definitely not an expert far far from it but I do remember when I used to visit model shops in the late 90's early 00's when everyone in your lhs was very knowledgable and could nearly always answer your questions and most definitely knew what he was selling I left the shop feeling somewhat disheartened when I overheard a kiddy coming in the shop clearly with all his Christmas money wanting a first rc plane they sold him a parkzone spitfire which they assured him would be no trouble easiest plane in the shop to fly when the kid left overheard them talking one guy to another asking why they didnt sell him a trainer the other guy was saying he'll crash it first flight then be back with more money to fix it !
This is not the way it should be
Sorry edit: I don't think this is the way it should be
Surely they must realise the more people they encourage and give good advice to the more people will have a good experience of
Modelling and further there modelling career with more and more models of every shape and description once the bug has bitten you ... Well we all know what then happens
Please don't take this as a rant because it's not meant that way I just think these are the forefront of our hobby the people that deal with the public these are the people that should know there stuff and more than anything be INTEReSTED in the hobby I shall support this shop but for the wrong reasons because it's the closest to me not because it's a nice experience maybe this is why model shops are in decline this is only one example in many thousands of shops but after a bad experience with that plane do you think he will be back for more with his birthday money or will he go and buy an x box !!!

Thankfully I'm not a betting man Phill, but if I were I'd stick
A shilling on these guys not being the organ grinder.
As for shop staff knowing products... Go into
B+Q's and ask for a half inch olive.
Then try compression fitting.
Then explain it's a copper ring on all radiators.
And marvel at the
"Naw we don't sell them reply".
As bad as your experience is they did have the stuff.


PS
They're in decline for many reasons but the biggest one
Is people not spending money in them,

Sadly the internet has killed a lot of local niche businesses, not just hobby stores. Another whole lot of businesses have been killed by the superstores, but that is a separate discussion.

My not-so-local LHS rips on me every time I am in because I am the "other" CL aviator that frequents their establishment. I am also one of the few who scratch builds, although I do not tissue. Never like using tissue. Silkspan was pretty nice, but I can't get dope locally, other than clear, and paying out the nose to have a few jars shipped is not my idea of a good thing.

I should give a call and see if they can get dope at a fair price without the shipping on one of their regular shipments...that might be worth both of our time. I can't paint till the weather breaks anyways.

I agree, support your local businesses. Fuel the local economy.

Phil