[Finnster]

Sucks. Went by today (to buy glow plugs ironically) and the owner told me he's closing up. Sales just died lately and he can't risk burning his remaining savings trying to weather the storm.

It was a nice shop too and he just moved and expanded last year. Literally across the street from work, so very convenient too. That's about the last LHS in my area. There is another by my house, but its small, expensive, poorly stocked, and open strange hours. Stopped there recently and it looked on its last legs too.

The economy is a murder right now, and its depressing about the RC hobby shops. They seem to be on a decline for a while now. I've talked to him about how he basically has to compete against his own suppliers online (horizon hobby, great planes (tower), etc.) and they don't charge tax. The margins suck and you get to deal w/ some real idiots in the store. However, if all the LHS shut down, how is that good for the hobby? I love some of the online places like RCM, but you have to have the locals as well. Out bashing and break or lose one little part, do you really want to have to go online and roder it and then wait for days? The LHS has saved me tons of times.

Really sucks for nitro as its very expensive to order online. That will kill nitro and move people to BL faster than anything else.

Oh well, sad day. Know quite a few people who have been laid off out of the blue, and now stuff like this. :(