End of an Era

[Ron Tamburrini]

Glasgows best art shop goes bust , I think Millers art shop has been around as long as I have .
Sad to see this one go down along with model world this year.
Looks like the online stuff is destroying a lot of high street Shops .

Ron

 

[Tecumsea]

It's a crazy world Ron. I wanted some colour cartridges for my printer. On-line from Staples £12.19 each, I bought 3 so sent post free next day delivery. Local Staples store wanted £18.99 each for them and were unable to discount to match the on-line price...........so I saved about £18 and the petrol.............the high street hasn't a prayer of surviving in its current form.

Keith

 

[polyphemus]

Sad to see Millers go. I've dealt with them a few times online over the years.

Geoff

 

[Tubby-Nuts2]

Any business that goes under, is always sad news! especially one that is that old!

Mark

 

[DEL]

The real sad thing is that this is a genuine family business with nearly 180 years of history behind it.
Many of the staff have spent their entire working life with the company and some are 2nd generation workers.
Great shame but when you get right down to it Keith illustrates the reality neatly.
D.

 

[Tubby-Nuts2]

Although a certain amount of blame can be credited to the Council, and/or private owner! and there shop rental charge! .. making up monies due to central government cuts... I had best stay off this subject! ..Grrrrrr!

Mark

 

[Ron Tamburrini]

Well I went to Glasgow Saw centre the other day to get a new Chop saw blade ,they are a the name suggests main stockists for all this type off stuff.
All they had to offer was trend blades and much to my better judgment I bought one and as expected it is Fekin Naff might do for cutting firewood
Look on the net and you can get any make you want . This is the rub apart from price the net has the choice

 

[pmfs]

Hi Ron!

Apologize for the intrusion. Unfortunately is the same here in PT concerning the traditional trade, people prefer to buy everything in main surfaces because it is cheaper??? and they have almost everything.
I buy all my daily needs in traditional shops always trying to buy what is Portuguese avoid whenever possible the large commercial surfaces.
For example: something I cant live without is diesel for my car, and there i also avoid gas stations like BP, Repsol and the Portuguese Galp (I have other options). This contradiction is due to the fact that this gas station company (GALP) dictating market prices here in Portugal (the others follow the current), fuel are very expensive because of this fact. Shareholders of these companies with people like me would have to seek other investments.
I hate this globalization more than I love, of course, there are positive points like this hobby and some others, but negative points are more...

Cheers,
Pedro.

 

[Don]

I do hate that good shops are closing down across the country. I dont know about everyone else but I am a bit of a dinasaur and really like to have a good look at a thing, pick it up, check it out and examine it before I buy, not really one to buy from the internet. I have bought around three figures from the net and these only from makers I know and trust. Millers was a great shop to browse, right up my street, and to buy from.
For models I mostly tend to buy things I want from Euro and Sword and Lance. Dont know what I will do for paints now and how does one buy a good paint brush via the internet, surely you want a good look to check the point before you spend so much.

Don

 

[ChaosCossack]

Over here we had the sad loss of a great figure shop "The Sentry" run by PF members Joe and Greg McEvoy... the cost of maintaining a small brick and mortar shop in a niche market like ours was just overwhelming. Joe still runs an online service but it's just not the same. Their shop was just down the street from my work and stumbling across it a couple of years ago is what rekindled my love of the hobby. Spending my lunchhour at the shop was always a highlight of my day... shooting the bull with Joe and Greg, picking through the boxes of older figs and drooling over the new arrivals, bringing in a piece when I'm stuck to get some advice or just having a coffee and hanging out.

Damn the internet and it's beating down of the little guy Sorry, I haven't finished the grieving process yet

Colin

 

[brian]

I do hate that good shops are closing down across the country. I dont know about everyone else but I am a bit of a dinasaur and really like to have a good look at a thing, pick it up, check it out and examine it before I buy, not really one to buy from the internet. I have bought around three figures from the net and these only from makers I know and trust. Millers was a great shop to browse, right up my street, and to buy from.
For models I mostly tend to buy things I want from Euro and Sword and Lance. Dont know what I will do for paints now and how does one buy a good paint brush via the internet, surely you want a good look to check the point before you spend so much.

Don

Jackson Art Supplies online and tell them to check the point of the brushes for you.If there not up to standard send them back.Sign of the times unfortunately but when you can purchase something online a whole lot cheaper the shops can't compete sadly.
Brian

 

[DEL]

Millers got caught in the classic dilemma of all specialist art suppliers, stay niche or chase the wider craft market.
They used to concentrate on artists and architects materials but as the costs of maintaining a shop presence increased and I suppose to meet a then demand
they vastly increased their craft ranges to maximise income to the detriment of their root business.
And then along came the chain craft suppliers and suddenly their highly expensive city centre property is competing with out of town craft supermarkets.

 

[Mark S]

.................... I dont know about everyone else but I am a bit of a dinasaur and really like to have a good look at a thing, pick it up, check it out and examine it before I buy, not really one to buy from the internet..........
Don

I know what you mean Don, I've had the same damn trouble with mail order brides..If I was able to have a good look, check them out and closely examine them before committing I reckon I wouldn't have gone for the first three at all...... .

 

[Mirofsoft]

It's a crazy world Ron. I wanted some colour cartridges for my printer. On-line from Staples £12.19 each, I bought 3 so sent post free next day delivery. Local Staples store wanted £18.99 each for them and were unable to discount to match the on-line price...........so I saved about £18 and the petrol.............the high street hasn't a prayer of surviving in its current form.

Keith

Pity this is not true for figurines
In fact completely reversed ....
Ordering at the Manufaturer site 35£ + sending cost
Buying in a shop 35£ - 10% ( customer discount), no sending cost and the seller gave me a coffee and I spent some time discussing with other modellers

 

[polyphemus]

You're very lucky if you have a shop selling figurines. The last time I bought any figures in a shop was over eight years ago, it cost me around £14 travel costs and took around 2 hours each way to get there.

Geoff

 

[Ferris]

I think a key problem for a brick and mortar shop is the sheer size of the figure supply available these days. Although I loved to visit a good shop, I could almost never get everything I was looking for and had to order the remainder online.

Mirofsoft makes a valid point. Besides, i wouldn't mind spending 5%-10% more on a figure if I could inspect it closely before buying.

I'm affraid brick and mortar shops are doomed unless they offer something special, such as demos, courses, etc.
As an alternative, I'd love to see the online retailers open up 'outlet stores' that we could visit. It doesn't need to be a fancy store in a downtown area.

Adrian

 

[Mirofsoft]

You're very lucky if you have a shop selling figurines. The last time I bought any figures in a shop was over eight years ago, it cost me around £14 travel costs and took around 2 hours each way to get there.

Geoff

Allas, it was the last shop in Brussels for figures, the owner was 67 years old and just retired 2 months ago