West Virginia Shops

[kenlilly106]

One shop in Charleston WV, Fountain Hobby Center, located about 2-3 blocks west of I-64 at the Civic Center Exit, instead of turning to go towards the Civic Center, turn the other way, be careful though, there are a lot of one way streets in that part of town.

Shop has been in business since the 50's, family owned and operated since the beginning. Shop caters mainly to the r/c airplane and model railroad bunch, they do carry Floquil Enamel Paints, Testors Model Master Series 1 and the old standard ¼ oz. bottles, not much in the way of Tamiya paints, just a few bottles of acrylics.

Kit selection is ok, mostly cars (you're in the middle of NASCAR country afterall), some armor and aircraft, kit prices are ok.

Update 10-14

Fountain Hobby has drastically reduced the plastic kit selection from the last time I was there, looks like they're going to sell mostly cars, there were about a dozen each of a/c and armor kits, this was down from probably 40 or so of each category.

Hobbytown, on top of the hill @ the Cross Lanes exit, follow the road up the hill and either turn left at the light above Burger King or turn left and go up the back road below Arby's. Store is now in the strip of stores to the left of Staples. Store was very heavy into r/c before the latest move, and due to the smaller size of the new store I think they're going to concentrate more on r/c and gaming than anything else. A/C kit selection is nearly gone, I was in there the last week of the year and counted 8 a/c kits and no armor kits, there were a few ships, everything else was auto-related. Prices are standard MSRP+ for HT unless something is on clearance.

Best part about the store is the paint selection, Testors 1/4 oz. rack + Model Master I and II enamels, MM Auto enamels and the MM Acryl auto and military lines. If you want to get Tamiya "TS" series spray paints, this is the only store in the area I know of that carries them and they carry the full line of the Tamiya small bottles as well. They recently added the Games Workshop line of figure paints.

West Virginia Hobbies and Crafts @ the Winfield exit on I-64.

10 minute drive west from Cross Lanes. Nice place, nice people as well. Tons of model RR stuff, most I've ever seen in one store, as a bonus he carries a lot of Plastruct and Evergreen and K&S and other related stuff for the RR scratchbuilders.

Decent kit selection, lots of cars but that's typical for the area. One of the better armor kit selections I've seen (DML, AFV Club, Revell AG, Tamiya), aircraft selection was decent, more of a little bit of everything when it comes to a/c, nice ship kit selection as well.

Prices on all of the above were good (more than mail order but cheaper than MSRP). Paint selection consisted of Testor ¼ enamels, MM 1 enamels, MM auto enamels, Tamiya acrylics in the small bottles, and Floquil Enamels, prices on all of the above were very good as well. For the figure guys they now carry Games Workshop paints.

Added 12-30

Hobby Lobby Opened a store in Beckley WV in late October. Store is in the strip of stores with TJ Max and Kroger, ie the 'point' between Robert C. Byrd Drive and Eisenhower/Rt.19, smack in the middle of the worst traffic in town. This is across the street from the new Wal-Mart up on the hill and the movie theater complex.

Standard HL kit selection and prices, they also carry the standard mix of Testor's acrylic and enamel paints that all HL's carry, but it's your only choice in town.

Ken

Edited August 30, 2008 by kenlilly106

[CiscoKid]

Well, there's ALWAYS Wal-Mart.

Brian (ducking for cover)

Edited November 7, 2006 by CiscoKid

[Mike Phillips]

Hey Ken, there's a couple more as well...

"West Virginia Hobbies and Crafts" at the Teays Valley/Winfield exit on I-64. You can see it from the highway. Good selection of paints and supplies, pretty decent selection of kits. Prices are ok. It's kits/RR/RC on one side, and "girly hobbies" on the other side. Nice staff.

"Hobby Exchange" in Downtown Huntington. On Fourth Ave. about a block from the Civic Center. Some paints and a small selection of kits. Mostly a place for the Dungeons and Dragons guys to hang out, but I've bought some stuff there before. The say they can order anything you need.

Mike

[kenlilly106]

Thanks Mike, I forget about the sotre @ the Winfield exit, it's not that much further down the road than Cross Lanes, I need to go there next time I'm in the area.

And Brian, remember, I know where you work

Ken

[stevearado]

There is also Nitro Hobby and Crafts in Nitro behind the Rite Aid. They are about the same as WV Hobby in what they carry: Big in model RR, and a decent selection of cars, ships, planes and armor.

[leatherneck224]

i'll have to remember these the next time i'm up home. Me and Dad will have to take a road trip down from Parkersburg to check some of them out.