Sad news for scale modelers and gamers on the Kapiti Coast: Toyworld is shutting shop.
I stood by the graveside of yet another gaming shop today. Steve is closing down Toyworld in Coastlands, Paraparaumu on Christmas eve. Everything went on sale today. Sad news indeed for the gaming and scale modeling community in the area.
A victim of competition from large retailers, circumstance and internet shopping. Add to that family health issues, and you have a perfect storm. So sadly, a decision to close the doors.
The last purveyor of modeling materials on the Kapiti Coast now gone.
Steve has supported our club well through the years, and I find it very sad to see this happen. He was the only local supplier of GW, Tamiya, Airfix, Italeri and other brands of popular models, glues and paints. He also recently started stocking a great range (Zap) of glues and acrylate accelerator, which has revolutionised my own hobby glueing practices.
So, 30-70% off all stock today. (I was told of the sad state of affairs by one of my staff last night.) Got there at around 12 this afternoon, and the vultures were circling. Feeling quite guilty in some ways, I joined the fray.
GW at 30% discount. Not a lot left, but I made off with a daemon prince and a box of skullcrushers, a handful of citadel paints. Couldn't speak with Steve. He was to busy. Got a brief word in with his wife, pain and sadness clearly apparent in her eyes. Didn't go into details, but just told them I'll miss them.
The Dutch and Afrikaans languages have a saying: " Een man se dood is 'n ander se brood" (One man's death is bread to another) Looking at the feeding frenzy in the shop I couldn't but wonder how many regular shoppers there were, and how many were just opportunists. I for one am saddened by the loss of yet another hobby retailer
With STP gone and Mighty Ape giving so-so service, and not being able to get to GW WTN regularly any more, Wayland games seem to be the way to go. If you can wait...
Yeah, sad to see another trader go under... I'll join the vultures tomorrow and grab what I can... sad thing is I would dearly have supported the store were it not for GW draconian stance on international trade prices... I can buy from abroad at 30% cheaper than buying from local store... which is crazy... that said we have supported the store through the kids toy purchase over the years... guess it just leaves warehouse and farmers now for that... and I will have to look for an alternative paint supplier...
ReplyDeleteAs the Hobiies Gorilla at Mighty Ape I'd love to hear your feedback as to where we're not living up to your and our own expectations for high customer service. Please feel free to send us a message on our Hobbies facebook page or email me directly at david.greig@mightyape.co.nz so we can look into any issues and how we can do better in the future.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to Wayland Games Herman, and particularly paints. "Royal Mail" in the Uk has recently changed it's terms and conditions in regards to the shipping of Acrylic paints etc. No longer can we get free postage on paints, and apparently no more than 170ml? or 4 pots of paint can be shipped in one package. (I am unsure of the reasoning behind this.. seems a little ridiculous to me).. Ware the dangerous waterbased acrylics *coughs*
ReplyDeleteAlso using the likes of "YouShop" which is the only way that I am aware of to get GW product from Europe unless you know someone over there... means that you pay not only postage costs, but VAT as well. NZPost seem to charge somewhat more for the YouShop service than would normally cost if the retailer was sending to you directly.
All in all - unless you are making a major purchase of many items at once... the total cost works out fairly similar for GW product here in NZ to which you pay at a local supplier (especially if you can get a deal - Livewire and Mighty Ape both seem to do a few of these)
For non-GW/Battlefront product then yes the likes of Wayland are far far cheaper - free postage and not paying VAT makes for irresistable pricing.
I use primarily the Vallejo Model Colour range of paints at present and Mighty Ape do now stock those just as STP used to (and the prices are relatively similar to what they were costing me overseas). I've also just ordered some paints (I think they are Spanish?) from a range called Scale75 that seem to have a good range of metallics and paints for painting NMM with.
Shopping around, and planning purchases are certainly the ways to go... but overseas purchasing is not automatically the "cheapest" option as much as it once was.
Ebay can be a bit hit n miss... it is fantastic in regards to "Bitz" though - especially from the US.
Thanks for the advice. I used to consult in Wellington once a week, but now work remotely. So I don't get in to any of the hobby shops nearly as often as I would like, and end up ordering online. It is convenient, but obviously there is a wait. It was great just to pop down when you run out of glue, or wash, or whatever. I use a mix of citadel, vallejo. MSP and tamiya paints, army painter shade and recently discovered Belton Molotov sprays at Gordon Harris in Wtn. For the run-of-the mill stuff (and the more exotic stuff) I'm happy to wait, and have now learned to keep a spare of every glue, acellerator and thinners for the airbrush, but somehow you always end up with multiples of one colour and try pots of another...
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