 |
Re: End of the line for Franciscan Hobbies in San Francisco
Author: OPRRMS
Date: 01-02-2014 - 23:30
Carol L. Voss Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> While I was never aware of this place, it reminds
> me of "The Train Shop" in Santa Clara which is
> world renowned and I wonder if it is still doing
> well. Haven't been there for quite a few years
> since we moved here to Prunedale but they were
> always a highly reputable source for modelers and
> etc. Very sad to see the hobby dying
> out--------or maybe it is just morphing into
> another form of participation that some of us old
> timers can't understand. ??
> C.
In the notice of the store's closing that was posted by one of the employees (shown below), one of the points mentioned is of the changing nature of the hobby purchaser. I think that's a good point. Time was when most hobbiests would regularly frequent their favorite shop or shops, and from what I've been told, nowadays the "younger generation" (that ain't us, Carol - lol!!!) will often use the internet, including eBay, for their purchases.
In my case, I'm not a modeler, so I very seldom have reason to visit a hobby shop. In the last three decades or so, I probably visited Franciscan once a year if I happened to be in that neck of the woods, which isn't often. As you say, The Train Shop in Santa Clara is an excellent and well-run store, but a roundtrip from my home takes a good 3 or 4 hours, and I don't purchase any of the Big Ticket items, anyway. I usually visit Hobbies Unlimited in San Lorenzo a couple of times per month, but that's mainly because it's on the way to our main vet's office and near the OSH I frequent. My point being that none of the hobby shops stay in business because of me.
Anyway, here's the text of Franciscan's posting:
My friends, sadly the era of Franciscan Hobbies has come to an end.
I have been given the responsibility as bearer of bad news, but I speak for Bill, John, and the entire crew.
The tight profit margins and reduced sales volume caused by the pricing policies of the distributors, suppliers, and the internet have left us with little to no room for the needed profit margin to remain in business in the city of San Francisco.
The blame game is useless because the fact is no one specific thing caused this. It was the preverbal death by a thousand paper cuts. In all honesty, our suppliers became our own worst enemy. While they sold to us, they sold the very same products on their own websites at below our cost. Of course the youth of today, as a whole, has little interest in a model airplane or a steam train, when they can play on a Ipad or a Xbox. This, coupled with the vast amount of cheap phony merchandise available to the masses on the internet, has spelled the demise of an “old school” establishment such as ourselves.
I share these details with you not to blame, but to explain how a 68 year old business can be slowly, but steadily, squeezed out of business. Its sad to say, but is a small consolation that five hobby shops in the bay area closed this year alone. This indicates it wasn’t something we were specifically doing wrong - its the hobby industry as a whole that’s doomed in the traditional sense of a brick and mortar store.
For me, and four generations now, Franciscan wasn’t just a store, it was a clubhouse, a ‘bar without the boos‘, a man cave, an after school hangout, whatever you want to call it. It was a place to share not only your hobby, but where discussions on world events, the city, and life in general could be heard. Not only are you customers, but many of you are our personal friends. We’ve talked to you though personal goods and bads, marriages and divorces, births and deaths. As the only old school hobby shop left in the bay area we were able to hang on and outlast the rest because of our very loyal following.
For me, this is deeply personal. At the age of 6 years old I first came into FHS. Seeing the airplanes on the ceiling ignited my passion for anything that flies. When my parents first let me take the bus by myself, where’s the first place I went on my very first solo bus ride? Franciscan of course! Over the years I bought R/C planes, John showed me how to wire my Lindberg PT-109, and I built countless 1/48 plastic kits. I share this story because it’s the norm, not the exception. Almost every one of our loyal customers have the same fond memories and stories to tell.
The decision to close was the hardest thing we have ever done, but we will remember all of the people and families who kept Franciscan Hobbies alive for nearly 68 years. We hope each and every one you continue to do whichever hobby you are into, not only for the love of your hobby, but out of sheer desire not to let the timeless skills of patience and craftsmanship be lost by today’s youth.
Noah and the entire Franciscan Hobbies crew.
Franciscan Hobbies 1946 - January 31st 2014
-------------------------------------------------------
> While I was never aware of this place, it reminds
> me of "The Train Shop" in Santa Clara which is
> world renowned and I wonder if it is still doing
> well. Haven't been there for quite a few years
> since we moved here to Prunedale but they were
> always a highly reputable source for modelers and
> etc. Very sad to see the hobby dying
> out--------or maybe it is just morphing into
> another form of participation that some of us old
> timers can't understand. ??
> C.
In the notice of the store's closing that was posted by one of the employees (shown below), one of the points mentioned is of the changing nature of the hobby purchaser. I think that's a good point. Time was when most hobbiests would regularly frequent their favorite shop or shops, and from what I've been told, nowadays the "younger generation" (that ain't us, Carol - lol!!!) will often use the internet, including eBay, for their purchases.
In my case, I'm not a modeler, so I very seldom have reason to visit a hobby shop. In the last three decades or so, I probably visited Franciscan once a year if I happened to be in that neck of the woods, which isn't often. As you say, The Train Shop in Santa Clara is an excellent and well-run store, but a roundtrip from my home takes a good 3 or 4 hours, and I don't purchase any of the Big Ticket items, anyway. I usually visit Hobbies Unlimited in San Lorenzo a couple of times per month, but that's mainly because it's on the way to our main vet's office and near the OSH I frequent. My point being that none of the hobby shops stay in business because of me.
Anyway, here's the text of Franciscan's posting:
My friends, sadly the era of Franciscan Hobbies has come to an end.
I have been given the responsibility as bearer of bad news, but I speak for Bill, John, and the entire crew.
The tight profit margins and reduced sales volume caused by the pricing policies of the distributors, suppliers, and the internet have left us with little to no room for the needed profit margin to remain in business in the city of San Francisco.
The blame game is useless because the fact is no one specific thing caused this. It was the preverbal death by a thousand paper cuts. In all honesty, our suppliers became our own worst enemy. While they sold to us, they sold the very same products on their own websites at below our cost. Of course the youth of today, as a whole, has little interest in a model airplane or a steam train, when they can play on a Ipad or a Xbox. This, coupled with the vast amount of cheap phony merchandise available to the masses on the internet, has spelled the demise of an “old school” establishment such as ourselves.
I share these details with you not to blame, but to explain how a 68 year old business can be slowly, but steadily, squeezed out of business. Its sad to say, but is a small consolation that five hobby shops in the bay area closed this year alone. This indicates it wasn’t something we were specifically doing wrong - its the hobby industry as a whole that’s doomed in the traditional sense of a brick and mortar store.
For me, and four generations now, Franciscan wasn’t just a store, it was a clubhouse, a ‘bar without the boos‘, a man cave, an after school hangout, whatever you want to call it. It was a place to share not only your hobby, but where discussions on world events, the city, and life in general could be heard. Not only are you customers, but many of you are our personal friends. We’ve talked to you though personal goods and bads, marriages and divorces, births and deaths. As the only old school hobby shop left in the bay area we were able to hang on and outlast the rest because of our very loyal following.
For me, this is deeply personal. At the age of 6 years old I first came into FHS. Seeing the airplanes on the ceiling ignited my passion for anything that flies. When my parents first let me take the bus by myself, where’s the first place I went on my very first solo bus ride? Franciscan of course! Over the years I bought R/C planes, John showed me how to wire my Lindberg PT-109, and I built countless 1/48 plastic kits. I share this story because it’s the norm, not the exception. Almost every one of our loyal customers have the same fond memories and stories to tell.
The decision to close was the hardest thing we have ever done, but we will remember all of the people and families who kept Franciscan Hobbies alive for nearly 68 years. We hope each and every one you continue to do whichever hobby you are into, not only for the love of your hobby, but out of sheer desire not to let the timeless skills of patience and craftsmanship be lost by today’s youth.
Noah and the entire Franciscan Hobbies crew.
Franciscan Hobbies 1946 - January 31st 2014
