Do you recall those cluttered shelves, brimming with model kits, paint, glue, and materials for pinewood derby cars? How about the coin collecting books, model trains, plastic tanks, and fighter planes? Let’s not even get started on those walls adorned with epoxy tubes, rubber tires, train set buildings, nylon airplane propellers, and model rocket motors. Ah, the sheer excitement and anticipation filling those shops’ air!
Now, as you know, model collecting and building were truly the quintessential American hobbies back then, particularly from the 1930s to the 1970s. And who could forget those balsa wood gliders, cars, airplanes, and boats? They were the epitome of craftsmanship and imagination.
As a fellow enthusiast, I’m sure you’re familiar with Revell, the company that changed the game by pioneering plastic model kits. That ingenious idea by founder Louis Glazer in 1943 sparked a revolution in the world of modeling. And soon enough, other companies like AMT, Aurora, and Monogram jumped on the bandwagon, turning plastic models into a staple of our childhoods.
It’s hard to believe that by the 1950s, 80% of boys would become builders of scale models, as Boy’s Life magazine reported. But as times changed and video games rose to prominence in the 1980s, the popularity of model building dwindled. Now, most of those kids who once spent hours gluing and clamping plastic parts together are adults with kids or grandkids of their own.
While many hobby shops have closed their doors, a few still stand as testaments to our cherished past. I’d love to hear about the hobby shops you remember from your childhood. Let’s share our stories and reminisce together because that’s what friends do!
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