Is Hobby Lobby a gift shop or hobby shop?

[The_Second_Stone]

@Skammer

When I was doing model railroading (no space now :() I would go to HL quite often for supplies. Not the actual trains, models or track but scratchbuilding supplies like razor knives, sheet styrene, scale lumber, modelling materials, etc. And when I built my daughter’s dollhouse I picked up a bunch of supplies there as well. And the have a great selection of acrylic hobby paints.

But if you’re serious about a hobby, like (for example) trains, you’ll go to a specialty store or the internet.

ETA: I always considered the company’s Christian leanings a feature, not a bug

Have you considered Z scale. I’ve found that a suitcase can hold several miles of scale track. I just can’t see the damn trains!

[The_Second_Stone]

@billfish678

And those Jewish Deli’s that don’t carry a decent selection of pork products that I’d like to purchase?

I boycott those suckers too!

It is not kosher to mix Jewish and Italian delis. But it is tasty.

[salinqmind]

There used to be hobby shops featuring model railroad stuff, rockets, model kits of planes and cars, kite kits, but I haven’t seen one in years. I thought model railroads were sold in special model railroad stores at one time - I know once a year a bunch of MRR fans rent space in a hotel room and set up their little world, and the public is invited. Maybe that kind of stuff is a thing of the past - dads and sons of the 50’s getting into it, while moms and daughters did sewing and crocheting? I know the silk flowers and needlepoint kits stuff is taking over the world. The ONE remaining fabric store here barely has any fabric, it’s all vases, decorations, fake plants, beads…

[postcards]

I never heard of Hobby Lobby before today, then I see this on the front page of the NY Times.

[aceplace57]

I miss the old Hobby Shops. They were so much fun to visit. Especially as a teen. I was into WWII models and my local hobby shop had the most detailed. I’d spend weeks carefully assembling them, painting and decals. A few I brought by the hobby shop to show. They put a couple of my best models on display for a few months.

@kenobi_65

Just to echo what others have said: they aren’t a “hobby shop” in the sense that a person who’s more familiar with traditional hobby shops (that is, likely a guy over 35) would know it. As you saw, they do have a section devoted to those traditional hobbies (models, trains, etc.), but it’s not a very big section. (That said, I know that many model rocketry fans keep an eye on the HL weekly ads, for when rocket kits and motors go on sale.)

It is, largely, more devoted to arts and crafts, and home decorating. Given that they seem to be doing pretty well, whereas traditional hobby shops have become pretty rare, it’d seem that they’ve made a wise choice in their focus.

[Paul_in_Qatar]

@postcards

I never heard of Hobby Lobby before today, then I see this on the front page of the NY Times.

Me too. Funny how you never hear of something, then suddenly it is everywhere.

[Serenata67]

@TheChileanBlob

Hobby Lobby is more like Michael’s with extra decor stuff. They have an aisle of models, and also art and craft supplies, scrapbook stuff, fabric, a frame shop, etc. It’s not a traditional “hobby shop,” no.
It’s a fun place to shop, they have a big clearance area with lots of cool stuff.

That’s how I see it. Yeah, it’s no corner hobby store anymore. But there still is a lot of stuff for hobbies. Some people have decorating as a hobby. Some are into needlepoint, knitting, flower arranging, etc. Those are all hobbies.

As for me, I don’t go there as often as I used to. The only Hobby Lobby in the area is clear across town, where as the nearest Michael’s is about a mile away. Sometimes I make a point to get over there, like when they’re having a killer sale on frames (like I did this past weekend so I can finally frame and display my engagement and wedding pictures!)

[Serenata67]

@MikeG

Think hobbies for older women with lots of cats.

Sorry for the double post, but I didn’t see this one at first skimming.

MikeG, you are so dead on. And funny.