[gbanger]

You could drive to Kellets in Liverpool and pick it up for $2.80.
Save yourself $1.20 but cost you $15.00 in petrol !!!!

[Too Drunk to Fly]

You could drive to Kellets in Liverpool and pick it up for $2.80.
Save yourself $1.20 but cost you $15.00 in petrol !!!!

Yeah I thought around $2.50 would be about right.

[secant0give]

I noticed that hobbies in the hills have 45" yak 54 by thunder tight for $99 at the moment
Looks like a nice little plane. They had a few left when I dropped by yesterday it a built up balsa kit looks like airframe and hardware only need to supply own motor ESC etc

[secant0give]

Correction it comes with a motor but not an ESC

[Too Drunk to Fly]

So bloody expensive! No such thing as 'club discount'!
Du-Bro wheels I really really wanted $17!

Receivers there are at least $10 more than modelflight.

---

They are on my blacklist unless I can't find it at Ultimate Hobbies and I'm really desperate.

[samste]

I understand what your Saying, But i Guess they need to price it enough so there a viable buisness Too, All the Hobby Shops Know that Hobbyking is There and, If They Dont there got there Head in The Sand.
They Stock Stuff that i guess if you needed it Now and cannot wait well thats there price, There Products To are known Brands Parkzone, duo bro, Eflite Etc which do make it more expensive as well, Possible driving around to get it cheaper from say rc hobbies liechhardt, Kellets, ultimate Hobbies, Hornsby Hobbies, could end up just making it cost more.

Heh i gone in and bought props and paid 3 times more than i pay online but when you need it Asap well thats the Price you Pay.


Thats my 2 cents Steve

[secant0give]

Some things from there are very well priced the shoestring I bought was actually cheaper than what I could've bought it for online

The thunder tiger yak 54 I got from there was a bargain for $99
Love it I've put 30 odd hours on it so far

[Flying fisho]

I have bought from Hobbies in the Hills many times, sometimes I think I have shares in the place. As far as planes are concerned, I have found their prices to be very comparable to Model Flight's prices even taking into account free postage for sales over $200.00. Yes you can buy specials when hobby shops are clearing stock. I have a lot of respect for my favourite local shop. You cant expect them to sell quality gear at a price that is provided by cheaper manufacturers. By all means be happy to buy from Hobby King, Hobs in the Hills respect our rights to go cheap and I have never heard them having a shot at anybody that does, including myself. Sometimes I might pay full price from them, but on some items I have been given a discounted price. Such are the priveleges of being a regular customer. As Steve pointed out, there are times we need something right now.
I have also had a missing part from a kit & went there to buy what I needed to finish the plane & walked out with the part free of charge even after the offer to pay. I had a problem with a motor shaft that had punched through the retaining collet, and rear bearing shit itself (crash damage). Walked out with a repaired motor, again free of charge despite being a hobby king motor and my offer to pay. Again, priveleges of being a regular customer.
Try that with Hobby King or any other on line store.
What you lose on the hurdy-gurdy you gain on the roundabout, what goes around comes around, pick your old saying they all mean the same thing

[Too Drunk to Fly]

My local is Ultimate Hobbies, they often take a few dollars off if i ask. This an expensive hobby, and as we spend loads in these shops I think we deserve to be treated with a bit of respect. Makes me think of sourcing these hobby products myself and blowing all these crooks out of the water....

[Raptorfly]

Hobbies in the Hills and Kelletts are my selection of hobby shops, and sometimes they have bargains but most of their product/brands are the market price, they have to sell to make a profit and stay in business. 90% of the time I buy from HK but the time I need something urgent or a good brand I have to go to a hobby shop and you cannot go wrong with these two.
Ultimate Hobbies (Ultimate Ripp off) I would stay away from as my last experience with them they over charged me on carbon spar and prop and the guy was rude and lacked knowledge about the products and our hobby (DX8 issue with first batch) but he was adamant to tell me that he was right and I was wrong. People like that should not operate a hobby shop.

[Too Drunk to Fly]

I know the one :-)

I just bought 2 propellors from Kellets as I was doing a job at Warwick Farm. So cheap :-)

[Flying fisho]

A sad piece of news, Hobbies In The Hills, my favourite hobby shops has closed it's doors for good. On their telephone answering service, it gives competing with internet sales as being their reason for closing. I have been a regular customer of theirs for years & am already getting withdrawal symtoms.

[Chris Mc]

It's a shame to see local businesses closing because of On Line Stores, but unfortunately that seems to be happening more and more.
Having been self employed for 30 odd years I would have to say that the owner didn't do himself any justice. He was always very short with customers and was not forthcoming with information regarding enquiries. Wayne, I know you had good rapport with this guy but at the end of the day, the ones missing out are his employees, Steve, and ultimately us. The service I personally have received from Steve and his co-worker had been excellent. Sad to see it closing though.

---

In saying all of that, I have found Kellets at Liverpool to be a great source of products. It's a little out of the way for most but as I work 5 minutes away, it's handy for me.
If any Club member needs picked up from there I am more than happy to organise it for you.

[Raptorfly]

Yes it's sad to see another hobby shop close.. You cannot stop the Internet and On Line sales, so what do you do? Join them. They should have had an on line store where we can order the product and have it delivered or walk in and pick up. If they did that, they would have been turning over more product, buying more bulk at less cost and the customers would have had the best of both worlds.

I recommend all Hobby shops to have the option to order on line or walk in and pick up.. They must catch up with the times

[wingtipper]

Well i'm saddened and dissapointed about this . i used them quite frequently myself . hobbyking AU WAREHOUSE IS OFTEN OUT OF STOCK FOR ESSENTIALS LIKE ZAP , PROPS ETC , EVEN SPECTRUM GEAR . .
but what can one do , i've now seen the penrith shop close , followed by hobbies in the hills , looks like i'll be driving to liverpool now . and ordering zap from china . i dont want to have to purchase tx's online .

[gbanger]

Now that's just SAD.
Ive been buying a lot of gear from them for about 6 years now and it is very disappointing to see the doors close.... Has anybody heard if they are having a closing down stock sale?
They have a lot of gear in there that has to go somewhere!!!
Gazz

[Flying fisho]

For a week or 2 they have been having a "pre-stock take sale", then last Friday the sign on the door said "closed for stocktake until 17/06/2014". I rang their number yesterday and the recorded message stated closed it's doors for the last time & gave thanks to past customers.

[Steven]

Yep, closed for good.

Discussions were had about online shopping, but inevitably any retailer with a shop front should be paying GST and the flow on from import duties so it's practically impossible to match small volume importing from overseas. Is it worth it for a business to cut their margins so much they basically see nothing gained from stock passing through? Nope.

Am I dirty about online shopping? Nope, I do it myself as not every shop can carry every product from every importer, etc, etc, and when you know EXACTLY what you want... and obtaining that is now a doable thing. I remember seeing all this awesome cottage industry kit for rc cars from the USA in magazines in the 1980's and with the rigermorol of writing a letter to the seller, waiting for a reply, getting a money order... screw it lol... Now it's a consumer's paradise

This is just another sign of the way of all things

And from me, thank you to the guys here that were regulars.

[gbanger]

You have obviously lost your job too Steve and I really am sorry for that ... but what is Stuart doing with all that stock ?????

[Steven]

Thanks Gaz. Pm'mn

[secant0give]

I'm interested too

Shame that things had to turn out this way. It was a great shop and very well set up!!
It was a pleasure to go there.
I never had any problems with serivce there. I was happy to buy things and oftend did.

Unfortunatly every branch on the eveloutionary tree ends in extinction and with all the virtual shopfrints around compeeting I can understand the reasons for closing.

I whish all the guys from Hobbies in the hills all the very best and hope that new and better doors will open for you as this one closes

[Raptorfly]

You have obviously lost your job too Steve and I really am sorry for that ... but what is Stuart doing with all that stock ?????

Hi Gazz (Long time mate)

I was told by a friend at work who when in last Sunday that they sold it all that weekend and there was not much left interms of planes.

Sorry to see the shop go.. and best of luck to Steve and the rest of the guys

[Too Drunk to Fly]

I spent many $ over the years, I thought my face was known but no, apparently had to spend thousands to get 'club' 10% discount.
Always felt insulted after walking out.
Given no respect at all.
The owner had no clue about our hobby.
His cold faced rudeness encouraged me to spend my $'s with Modelflight.

Good riddance!

[Matt]

I went in there today and was pleasantly surprised. Stuart Kent, the owner, has expanded the shop upstairs leaving more space downstairs for RC stuff.

He has expanded his range of aircraft..ARF RTF BnF, and helis..thunder tiger. He now has a large range of battery connectors, XT60's Deans, Bullet etc, he is getting a range of batteries, HK.

He knows he can't compete directly with HK, but for convenience, he should do well. His prices certainly have dropped now that he has expanded, so that can't be a bad thing.

I'm not affiliated with him or his shop in any way, but I just wanted to save you a drive to caringbah or Liverpool.

The shop is in Victoria Rd Castle Hill.

It's such a shame they've closed down now!

[secant0give]

There's certainly enough room in the market for Australian online dealers to get amongst it.
especially if they're prepared to go OS and bargain with the manufacturers and organise shipping, customs etc.

I think it's pretty hard to just run a bricks and mortar shop front these days without any online component. Even Jerry Harvey has had to go online, It's the way peoples buying behaviour has changed in the last decade. People after all, will seek to not only find the best value for their hard earned $ but the most convenient method of obtaining it as well.

It is a shame that hobbies in the hills is gone and I feel sorry for the courageous few who put their life's effort into ventures only to find that changing circumstances and an uncertain economic climate make them difficult to sustain. It is a real shame!!