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South Florida Hobby Shops


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Hi guys, Haven't seen such a list around so here are the current worth wile stores to visit on your next trip to south Florida.

Disclaimer: I have only lived in South Florida for the last 6 years and I only picked up the hobby again this year, I don't know all the history of these places but I'll try my best to point you in the right direction.

To start with Here are the 3 biggest names down here, there are other smaller ones i have visited but these are the major ones IHMO, the rest will be added soon.

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Store name: Warrick Hobbies

Address: 7676 Peters Rd # B Plantation, FL 33324

Phone: (954) 424-6229

Website: http://www.hobbysuperstore.com/

Paints: Big paint selection very rarely do you see an jar paint row. They are very good at keeping a nice stock at hand. Brands include Tamiya (only small jars) and sprays, Testors regular, Model masters jars and sprays, MM acrylics Metalizes and Rail road colors, Along with some Poly S acrylics.

Tools: Good selection here, lots of blades, saws, clamps dremels, paint brushes, sanding and buffing sheets and a decent airbrush selection. their cement selection is good to from testors to micro weld and lots of AC to go around. They have full stock of Evergreen plastics and lots of metal tubes and pipes.

Kits: A bit Lacking, but more than many others stores around. They about half an isle of aircrafts and half an isle of combined automobiles and AFVs. On the plus side they have good traffic so what you see one week might be gone and replaced with something new the next.

Comments: Warrick is a South Florida Icon the store has been around for a long time and gone through many changes. Unfortunately its more of a Trains and RC store but still a strong contender in the plastics market.

Prices: Average price range, you can sometimes find some really good specials like Hasegawa's F-18 1/48 for $45 can remember whichone thought.

:):thumbsup::yahoo::thumbsup: four stars geat paint selection poor kit selection.

Edited by Pep
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Store Name: Micro Macro Mundo

Address: 7564 S.W. 117th. Ave. Miami, FL 33183

Phone: (305) 279-8033

Website: www.rocousa.com‎

Paints: Full range of tamiya paints, big and small jars and sprays, but that's all he carries only Tamiya. Always has a full stock of these so never a problem of running in and not finding the one you need.

Tools: Not a huge selection but has all those nice tamiya tools, from files to brushes and airbrushes to weathering kits.

Kits: The guys is a Tamiya rep, he has one full isle with one side filled with every tamiya AC you can think of and the other side revell Germany, his prices are also very very good! I'm talking lower than internet prices. last kit I bought was the tamiya 1/48 Korea P-51 and it cost me $18. there are two more half isle filled with AFV and automobiles all from Tamiya and Revell.

Comments: The guy does mainly export to south America and has been around for a while: unfortunately he's missing some brain cells and depending on what day you visit he might be in "one of his moods". He can be the nicest guy around or he can be a freaking ogre it all depends on the time of day I suppose. The young guy that works there is nice though and always very helpful.

Prices: Again Very good prices this place is hard to beat. Note: There are no prices on any of his items, you have to come to the front and ask them to look it up for you (not sure the reason for this).

Others: Lots of train and RC stuff here to, never look at the stuff to much so can't really comment sorry.

:):thumbsup::yahoo::yahoo: three and 1/2 stars for good prices but rude owner.

Edited by Pep
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Store Name: R C Hobbies

Address: 6800 North University Drive Tamarac, FL 33321-4011

Phone Number: (954) 721-5720

Website: www.rchobbies.net‎

Paints: Full range of Tamiya's, small and large bottles and sprays, Testors Model masters enamels acrylics and sprays, Marine and Rail road line to. Metalizes, and the works. Unfortunately they don't keep up to well with stock but if you can't find one brand they normally have it on another.

Tolls: Big selection of specialty tools here. lots of squadron and tamiya tools as well as other brands, Cements brushes and putties. Good selection of airbrushes although a bit overpriced just like anyone else. Full Stock of evergreen plastic cards and the other brand who's name I cant remember.

Kits: Don't be fooled by the name of this store, This is the place to go in SF for plastics. Half the store (and it's a big store) is dedicated to our hobby. they have a huge selection of AFVs Aircrafts, Ships and Sci-Fi, with every brand being represented; from Hasegawa to Revell, Academy to Zvezda and everything in between. They keep their stock fresh and with the latest's kits on the market, this was actually the first place I saw Zvezda's new Hind in the US even before online retailers.

Comments: My favorite store to visit bar none! I can always find what I'm looking for and the staff is very helpful. A must go to place if your ever down here.

Prices: Some of the people i know feel that their prices are a bit high. i have never felt that way. Their kit prices are always on par with online store prices, sometimes a bit higher but when you add shipping cots R C hobbies comes out winning. Last kit I bought from these guys was the Academy 1/48 Mi-21 (swordfish one) I paid $29.99 which is about the same as spruebrothers.

Others: The rest of the store is dedicated to RC and some RR but mostly RC. I normally don't look in there, so again I can't comment.

:):worship::yahoo::worship::yahoo: Five stars great Kit selection, paints and staff.

Edited by Pep
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Orange Blossom was the best! May it RIP! Does Warrick have a guy working in models yet? When dad gave the shop to Jr. he pretty much kicked the models to the curb. A bunch of good guys used to work in that shop back in the day.

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yeah theres a young guy working plastics now, he's more into gundams and scifi not realy into the hobby, but atleast hes nice and keeps the place well.

I remember not 5 years ago their plastics section was huge now its just a fraction of it =(

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When I lived down there in my youth (25+ years ago), I used to go to Warrick when they were in a shopping mall off Davie(?). I'd love going there after school and just look at kits. They used to have tons of kits. I go back there when I can while visiting family.

Will have to check out RC hobbies next time I'm down. Thanks!

Edited by Chorse6
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  • 3 weeks later...

Warrick Sr. Died recently. And the. Place is nothing what it use to be for plastic kits. Many hobby shops are not selling plastic because the profit margin is to small or non existent. They are concentrating more on RC now.

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  • 3 months later...

Thanks for the info Pep. Just got back from my old stomping grounds.

Warrick-dissapointing for plastic-still a nice hobby shop.

RC Hobbies- Fantastic for plastic! Though they don't have AM, the selection of kits is the best I have seen in a LHS. Impressed by the number and variety.

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  • 1 month later...

Just got some news from warrik hobbies, apparently they purchased the location next to them (used to be sound advice store) and will be expanding in the next coming months! Should be interesting to see how the try and compete with RC in the kit department.

Will keep updating!

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  • 2 months later...

Bit of an update:

Warriks has since expanded to the adjacent location. It's now the size of a small Best Buy!!!

Plastics is growing fast! Even saw a tamiya detail up set for the viper which sold fast.carlos (the plastics guy) is great and verry helpful. He's doing a great job at expanding the selection. They also have two new racks of full humbrol and Mr. Color paints (no mr. Thiner though but it's been ordered). It's a huge store now and aust visit if you come down here.

No major change on the other 2 stores.

Note: if your looking to stock up on tamiya paints micro macro is the only option, everyone else's stock

Is verry bleek.

Edited by Pep
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  • 1 year later...

some updates,

Warriks is now calle "Hobby Maniacs" its a full blown hobby/toy shop with everything from trains to scale models and airsoft guns well worth the visit.

they stock most paints Humbrol, gunze, tamiya, vallejo and model masters. Lots of tools to go around! Also it is now the meeting place of a local hobby club the "Rum Runners" on the first saturday of every month at 11:00am so come on over.

RC hobbies owners have retired and it has been taken over by Sean the previous manager. It looks like they are taking the place into a new direction but they havent figured out what it is yet.

Still the best option when it comes to plastics variety so always worth the visit.

Havent been to micro macro mundo in a while but i hear theres no change. still a full range of tamiya and revells at the best prices in the country.

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  • 1 year later...

Latest update.

RC Hobbies (Tri-County Hobbies) has definitely taken a new direction. Mostly focused on RC now. What used to be a 50foot isle of plastic aircraft is now down to 10. Looks like most of the plastic inventory has been compressed. Supplies are okay. Disappointing compared to what they used to have.

Hobby Maniacs is about the same selection wise; only about 10 feet of isle for plastic. Mostly focused on RC.

If you're in to RC, both would be good to check out.

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Agreed George, but that business model was killing them.

They are more condensed now but still always have the latest kits available and the tools and paint selection are very good.

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  • 3 years later...
  • 1 month later...

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