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I just stopped by to grab some styrene sheeting and found that longtime hobby supply stores American Eagles and North End Train Center are closing. Currently the discounts are at 20% but will increase as time goes on. Doors shut forever around the second week of April. American Eagles has tons of 6mm & 15mm stuff as well as older RPG, Revell kits, hobby supplies, boxes and boxes of military decals, etc. NETC has hobby supplies for model railroads which we use, too.

Here's the address for anyone close enough to make it there:

12537 Lake City Way
Seattle, WA 98125

Both shops are in the same building in Seattle Washington. NETC is downstairs.

Picked up a few kits from them on weds. Too many people buying from internet. Got some great 1/35 german and us armour kits. More aircraft than armor left. A lot of stock there that just never moved.

I'm surprised to see that they are having a sale despite closing down.

'Sale' was a dirty 4 letter word to the old man of the store back when they were in Ballard.

Too bad they are closing, I have many happy memories of their store in Ballard bafore they stopped carrying minis. My best friend used to work there so we could raid the basement for old or OOP things that they never bothered stocking the shelves with.

They seemed to stop selling minis and RPGs around the early 90s, so if you still are in need of the original D&D Hollow world or Tales of the Floating Vagabond stuff, head on down there.

Aside from that, they really were the best military modelers and train shop around the Seattle area.

Have any of you guys been to this place?
http://www.skywaymodel.com/
Will try and make it up to check out these stores before they close.
cheers.

Never have made it out to Skyway. It always has been a bit out of my stomping grounds.

Now the closest independant store that sells minis is either Gary's Games in Greenwood (Seattle neighborhood) or Ernie's Games in Woodinville. I'm pretty much smack in the center of these two.

I went in that place a couple years ago when I lived in Everett and it felt like a mausoleum.

My last visit was back when Clinton was President, but that place is fun. Like an antique shop for gamers. May have to check it out one more time before it closes.

So many places cloising down! The internet is killing retail for books, games, etc. Just can't compete with price, no sales tax, free shipping, no gas, etc.

Mez

Mezmaron wrote:My last visit was back when Clinton was President, but that place is fun. Like an antique shop for gamers. May have to check it out one more time before it closes.

So many places cloising down! The internet is killing retail for books, games, etc. Just can't compete with price, no sales tax, free shipping, no gas, etc.

Mez

You know, it's killing businesses that don't have great customer rapport, event sponsorship, and all the other things that the internet can't give you. Stores that care about that stuff and do it well (like The Dreaming on University Way, Blue Highway Games on Queen Anne Hill and Gamma Ray Games on Capitol Hill) are keeping their doors open (although even they seem nervous these days). Sponsoring things like Friday Night Magic, actually smiling at your customers and learning their tastes- these are the way to get people to come back to you.

American Eagles never really did any of those things well, from what I can tell. They weren't particularly helpful unless you looked like an older person with money and a serious hobby addiction of one kind or another. They also had an enormous space that held mostly old stock, in an area of town where no one walks.

Long live the FLGS, supported by both retail and events. Vote with your dollars and your presence, folks. It's supposed to be a social game, after all.