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I've seen posts from one or two vendors regarding the shrinking nature of the model hobby, and it's knock on effect to their business.
My take on this is- there has never been a better time to be involved in this hobby. Fantastic products at low prices, many of which were the stuff of dreams only a few years ago.
I have also never known a period over the past twenty years when there were so many model shops setting up business, and they all seem to be doing plenty of trade.
At the tail end of the '80's, model shops were almost extinct. Interest in the burgeoning computer gaming industry had successfully killed off interest in model making as regards my generation.
However by the mid 90's things started to pick up again, but the emphisis had shifted from kits and materials, to cheap ready built cars boats and planes imported from the far east- kind of like an expenisve toy shop for big kids.
This is the future of the model business I think, instant gratification.
There are other factors too I think. As manufacturing industry shrinks in the western world, so the demand for practical skills required by industry diminishes.
Modern education gears more toward academic subjects, to the extent that many young people have difficulty knocking a nail in straight, let alone the multitude of skills required to build a working model sub.
Someone who could come up with a completely turnkey sub that performs as well as the kit built offerings would be on to a winner I think (I don't count the Nikko pool toys), although warranty conditions could be interesting.
The latter can't really be counted as modelmaking, IMHO. However, I do get the feeling that this is the only way the hobby will grow in the future.
It's that or an xbox, most likely!
Andy
Edited By Sub culture on 1094670664
My take on this is- there has never been a better time to be involved in this hobby. Fantastic products at low prices, many of which were the stuff of dreams only a few years ago.
I have also never known a period over the past twenty years when there were so many model shops setting up business, and they all seem to be doing plenty of trade.
At the tail end of the '80's, model shops were almost extinct. Interest in the burgeoning computer gaming industry had successfully killed off interest in model making as regards my generation.
However by the mid 90's things started to pick up again, but the emphisis had shifted from kits and materials, to cheap ready built cars boats and planes imported from the far east- kind of like an expenisve toy shop for big kids.
This is the future of the model business I think, instant gratification.
There are other factors too I think. As manufacturing industry shrinks in the western world, so the demand for practical skills required by industry diminishes.
Modern education gears more toward academic subjects, to the extent that many young people have difficulty knocking a nail in straight, let alone the multitude of skills required to build a working model sub.
Someone who could come up with a completely turnkey sub that performs as well as the kit built offerings would be on to a winner I think (I don't count the Nikko pool toys), although warranty conditions could be interesting.
The latter can't really be counted as modelmaking, IMHO. However, I do get the feeling that this is the only way the hobby will grow in the future.
It's that or an xbox, most likely!
Andy
Edited By Sub culture on 1094670664
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