Hobby Shop Closed!

Stanton Hobby Shop in Chicago has closed its doors for the last time at the end of January. The day of the local Hobby shop is truley nearing its end! Stantons in its hey day was one of the largest hobby shops in the country. Joe Stanton was in bussiness for almost 50 years ( it might have been 50 or 51 years). All I can say is Guys, shop your hobby shop first! There will never be a better place than Stantons to ride your bike to and dream of what to build next! Sorry, was dreaming of the old days! I think of Bob Hopes theme song "Thanks for the Memories" and it just fits! Thanks Joe Stanton and Stanton Hobby Shop for the memories!

God Bless! Bruce H

Since G&D closed in Sandwich Il.(west of Chicago), and now Stanton's, the only full service hobbyshop (that I am acquainted with) in the Chicago area is Al's Hobby Shop in Elmhurst. However they don't really carry much for CL, nothing like G&D's. The ubiquitous HobbyTown USA's are absolutely pathetic.So we are all reduced to mail order. Well so be it I guess.

What you have today is a communication squeeze. Compressed information. Its not so bad being a mail order business. The American Consumer asked for it. If that wasn't the case Great Planes/ AKA Tower hobbies wouldn't exist. So as the Tower Hobbies of the world determine that a specific product group is a waste of time. Enter the mail order business. We provide a service not currently available. If you have to have touch and feel you may have a problem. Thanks for your time. BTW, I will miss Stantons and all of the shops that have gone away.
Wayne Buran
Buran's Antiques and Hobbies.

Our local shop was Loyd Shales, a small place but the only place you could buy a bellcrank off the shelf. Loyd's retired now and the guy he sold it to changed it to a train and plastic model store a sad day indeed.
Dwayne

Wayne,
Didn't mean to imply that I am against mail order. I do a lot of it (especially now). However it is nice to go in and give it the touchy-feel. Sure got me to part with more cash due to spur-of the moment impulses than mail order!

Ah, perhaps we should all have a moment of silence for Stanton Hobby
Shop and all the former employees...

In Bruce H.'s modesty he neglects to mention that as a youth he was
one of those Stanton employees who added so much to the store.

We'll definitely miss Stanton's and G&D's stores.

Our "local" hobby shop is Hayes Hobby House in Fayetteville, NC
About 45 min. away. I have been doing business with Gentry (owner)and his wonderful wife for about 40 years. Fortunately it looks like his son, Alan, is in line to continue the business. He has been/is a PAMPA member. This helps us greatly, and they have been super people all these years.
I hate to hear about the older shops closing, it is losing a part of Americana! The smell of balsa, glue, planes hanging from the ceiling,new engines in their displays, seeing the new kits for the first time, etc., etc.,.......
Bill <><