No Shows After 2020. . .for hobbyvendor

For over twenty years now, hobbyvendor has been attending and supporting local hobby shows and events throughout the Southern California area.  Many hobby kits, decals and detail parts were traded to hundreds of customers over the years, many who became regular buyers at the shows.

After careful consideration, hobbyvendor will be phasing out participation as a vendor at all hobby shows in the Orange County, San Diego and LA after 2020.  Many indicators for the last few years have been a determinate factor showing that stand alone hobby shows (shows without a model contest) are fast becoming obsolete and unnecessary to the hobbyist.  Over the last several years, shows have become more than less of a personal burden considering the prep time, expense outlay, and somewhat marginal sales,  All in all for the hobbyvendor, trading at hobby shows is neither worthwhile nor enjoyable anymore.

Changes within the retailing environment at the shows to include, but not isolated to: low attendance at all shows; attendees leaving shows early, mostly staying 1-2 hrs.; lack of "new" attendees on a continuous bases; too many low grade bottom feeders looking for 1960s/70s prices; "kit dumping" by a couple of spoilers who now regularly attend most of the shows in the SoCal area; and too many hobby shows vs the ratio of "real buyers".  Bottom-line, hobby shows are no longer viable (for the hobbyvendor) in the primary market area that hobbyvendor has traded at for many years.

Instead of trading at hobby shows, hobbyvendor will focus efforts on Internet sales.  After surveying the Internet and test trading on ebay, hobbyvendor will utilize this venue to continue trading in the hobby kit & accessories market taking it globally instead of locally.

Next year hobbyvendor will only be attending 2-3 hobby shows (to be announced later on Twitter). hobbyvendor will continue supporting local hobby shows by attending a few select shows either as a buyer or helping out another vendor.  The single hobby event in the SoCal area that (imo) is still worthy of attending every year is the IPMS OC Orange Con Model Contest & Vendors Fair.  hobbyvendor will make every effort to attend this show as a vendor.


Editor's Note: So to avoid any misunderstandings about the above blog post, hobbyvendor is not singling out any particular show, all shows attended by hobbyvendor on a regular basis is how decision was made. It should also be noted that although hobbyvendor has determined that local hobby shows no longer provide a viable market for the hobbyvendor, it does not mean that other vendors have not enjoyed success at these shows. There are many vendors who still do quite well at the shows and enjoy serving the general public.
Also, for those who organize and present the hobby shows , your tireless efforts have been greatly appreciated over the years by the hobbyvendor, and it's probable safe to say by all the other vendors as well.  Hats off to you - each and every hobby show organizer. 

FREE Shipping on hobbyvendor's ebay page

All auto and aircraft detail sets, and some vehicle kits now have FREE Shipping for a limited time during the summer months.  Will be adding new kits and accessories throughout the summer.  Selected newly listed kits and accessories will also have FREE Shipping - Go hobbyvendor's ebay listings to see what's new. Keep in mind that any item on my ebay list is subject to being unlisted for local hobby shows in the SoCal area. However, some items are ebay only exclusives and will never show up at the hobby shows. hobbyvendor will start phasing out all detail parts and decals trading at hobby shows. They will be listed on ebay (and other seller sites) only.

Upcoming Hobby Events - SoCal Area

This Saturday, July 27, 2019 - Roundhouse Gang Model RR Club will hold a SWAPMEET at the Old Santa Fe Train Station in the City of San Bernardino, CA. For more info., click on the flyer to expand.

Next Month: Sunday, August 18, 2019 at Military Hobbies in the City of Orange, Military Hobbies will present Science Fiction & Real Space Model Contest. Contest takes place at the hobby shop. For more information, click on the flyer. I will post a reminder in August close to the contest date.

Kit Collectors Show & Sale Plus Brewer Bros Show in August

Sunday, July 14, 2019 - Remember Kit Collectors Show will be at the Community Center in the City of Garden Grove, CA. Doors open at 9AM. Show ends at 3PM. Get there early for best selection of hobby items. hobbyvendor will be helping Herb Deeks Models.
In August, hobbyvendor will be at the Brewer Brothers Show in HB at Old World. Show takes place at the German Beer Hall. In the afternoon hours, there might be the small dog races as well.

Premier Hobby Show in SoCal

Sunday, July 14, 2019 - The Premier Hobby Show in the SoCal area will take place at the Community Center in the City of Garden Grove. Doors open to the general public at 9AM. Show concludes at 3PM. Look at flyer for additional details about show.

Stay cool and attend the Kit Collectors Show. There will be over a hundred vendors selling (and a few buying) from around the West Coast area.

hobbyvendor will be there helping Herb Deeks Models.

Train Shows in Southern California Area

Below is a current listing of Model Train Shows in the Southern California area.  If there are other train shows that are not listed, please email me and let me know event and location.

Train Shows in the SoCal Area

January 26-27, 2019 (Sat. & Sun.) - Great Train Show - Ventura
Show Hours: 10AM to 4PM
Location: Ventura County Fairgrounds (Seaside Park) 10 W. Harbor Bvld., Ventura, CA.

March 9, 2019 (Saturday) - 2019 Spring Railroadiana SWAP Meet
Show Hours: 9AM to 2PM
Location: Southern California Railway Museum (formally Orange Empire Railway Museum)
Contact: 951-943-3020
Link: Spring Railroadiana SWAP Meet
NOTE: Annual Event

June 15-16, 2019 (Sat. & Sun.) - Cajon Division-CIM3 Summer Meet
Show Hours: Look at this link - CIM3 Summer Event Schdule
Location: Outdoors Education Park in Irvine Park
Contact: Gary Butts Director@cajondivision.org
Link: Cajon Division-CIM3 Summer Meet flyer

July 7-13, 2019 (Sun. thru Sat.) - NMRA National Convention, Salt Lake City, UT

For More Information on this Event: NMRA 2019 Salt Lake City - Utah

July 27, 2019 (Saturday) - Old Santa Fe Train Station SWAP Meet
Show Hours: 8AM to 11:30AM
Location: Santa Fe Train Station 1170 W. 3rd Street, San Bernardino, CA.
Contacts: Larry Kucharski larry@dslextreme.com or Gary Wintergerst gwintergg@gmail.com
NOTE: Previous show date, February 23, 2019 - Same location and show hours

August 10-11, 2019 (Sat. & Sun.) - Great Train Show-Pomona

Show Hours: 10AM to 4PM

Location: LA County Fairplex, Building 7, 1101 W. McKinley Ave. Pomona, CA.

Link: Great Train Show - Pomona, CA

August 24, 2019 - Santa Susana Depot SWAP Meet

Location: 6503 Katherine Road, Simi Valley, CA. Map: Santa Susana Depot Location

NOTE: For Additional Information About SWAP Meet - SSRHS SWAP Meet

October 19, 2019 (Saturday) - Southern California Airline, Railroad and Transportation Show and Sale

Location: -New Location- Expo Arts Center 4321 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach, CA. 

Link: SoCal Airline, RR and Trans Show and Sale  flyer

October 19, 2019 (Saturday) - Old Santa Fe Train Station SWAP Meet
Show Hours: 8AM to 11:30AM
Location: Santa Fe Train Station 1170 W. 3rd Street, San Bernardino, CA.

Kit, Model and Aviation Collectible Show and SWAP Meet - Gillespie Field

Saturday, June 1, 2019: Kit, Model and Aviation Collectible Show and SWAP Meet

Kit, Model and Aviation Collectible Show and SWAP Meet hobby show is presented by the San Diego Air & Space Museum, and Produced/Organized by Tony Beres.  The show takes place at the San Diego Air & Space Museum Annex at Gillespie Field in El Cajon, CA.

This show incorporates two model contest, military and model cars. Contests are hosted by: IPMS San Diego and San Diego Model Car Club. For more information and updates:  www.ipmssd.org

The large hanger space is reserved for the vending area where several vendors will be set up for selling scale model kits, accessories, and collectibles.

Museum staff will be selling food and drinks outside of the hanger area. There will also be a raffle with many model kits and other items.

Show Hours:

Vendor's Retail Area - 8AM to 1PM

Contest - 8AM to 4PM, Refer to flyer (back side - p.2) for specific hours concerning contest registration and awards presentation.

Brewer Brothers - Old World Village Hobby Show

Sunday, May 19, 2019: Brewer Brothers Model Kit, Hobby & Toy Expo

If you are in the Southern California area, the Brewer Brothers hobby show is this Sunday at Old World Village in Huntington Beach. The hobby show takes place in the German Beer Hall. hobbyvendor will be attending the show, and will have kits, decals and some detail parts for cars and aircraft models.

The Brewer Brothers show opens at 9AM and ends at 3PM. Flyer shows address or search on the Internet for additional information. The show is presented by: Chris Brewer

Website:  www.brewer-brothers.com

RIP - George L. Creed

George L. Creed - Valley Con, Pasadena Modelers Society

I found out today that George Creed, founder of Valley Con had passed away on Tuesday, April 30, 2019.  George was well known in the scale modeling community around the SoCal area, and beyond. He was probably best known as organizer/producer of Valley Con and The Pasadena Modelers Society. Rest in Peace George, you will always be remembered by all who attended your hobby shows and events.

SoCal Open Model Car Show

SoCal Open Model Car Show - Sunday, April 5, 2019  Show Hrs: 8AM - 3PM

If you like Scale Model Cars, go and check out Art Laski's SoCal Open Model Car Show today. It just started about an hour ago. Click flyer image to find out more information about show. Since there are only 1-2 model car shows in the SoCal area now, this show will be well attended, don't miss out.

Kit Collectors Show - Sunday, March 10, 2019

Kit Collectors Show just opened its doors to the general public. There will be many vendors there selling a lot of kits, some Rare, some Hard-to-Find, some True-Collectibles, a lot of Common & Current kits, and there is even a vendor that dumps junk kits that are hardly worth looking at let alone buying the POS kits.

hobbyvendor will not be attending this show nor the one in July (July 14, 2019). We will be returning in November 2019.

Above photos are from the November 2018 show. The November show was not quite as busy as past shows, November show is usually well attended, but not as busy as the March show. These pictures were taken before the doors opened to the general public, and does not reflect the true attendance level.

Kit Collectors Show takes place three times a year: March, July and November. It is the most senior of all hobbykit shows in the SoCal area. Its history begins in the 1980s when Bob Keller organized and ran the show for almost two decades. Edie Keller continued running the show after Bob had passed away.

In 2017, Kit Collectors Show was passed on to a new organizer who moved the show to its current location in Garden Grove, CA. The show remains as it was (for the most part) when the Kellers ran the show.

The Kit Collectors Show is still the largest hobby show that specializes in Scale Plastic Hobbykits on the west coast. Those who reside in the SoCal area have been very fortunate to have such a show at our disposal for many decades now. It is still a great bargain to attend the show, only costing $5.00 to enter the venue hall. This small fee allows access to the largest number of vendors selling a wide variety of model kits and related accessories from around the world.

For more current updates about hobbyshows (mostly in SoCal area), please visit hobbyvendor's

*Twitter:   @hobbyvendor 

**Facebook:   Hobbyvendor Modelkits  

Valley Con Back in Pasadena, CA. for 2019

Valley Con 2019 will be back at the Pasadena Convention Center after a few years at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. Prior to Petersen's, the Pasadena Convention Center was home to Valley Con for several years. Glad to see Valley Con back at Pasadena.

For those who are not familiar with Valley Con, it is a dedicated hobby show for Scale Plastic Model Builders that is presented and organized by George Creed Family Entertainment, Inc.  The show has been around consistently for over twenty years now.  Mr. Creed has also organized and leads a local scale model building club called Pasadena Modelers Society.

Show Information:

Date:  Sunday, March 3, 2019
Time:  9AM to 4PM

Location:  Pasadena Convention Center
               300 East Green Street 
               Pasadena, CA. 91101

Contact for additional info:  valleycon.wordpress.com

Type of Hobby Show:  Model contest for scale plastic model kits & vendors show