Ukrconsul... I hear ya, I too must do business in Asia on occasion. I never look forward to those transactions as buyer-beware takes on a whole new meaning. Maybe it is possible to make a hobby shop profitable (not just make ends meet) and still offer a lot of useful presales service to newbies. Without a doubt it is a goal to work toward for LHS, but I think it will be a very difficult goal to obtain.

nilo, I know how you feel. However, it is not gross that matters, it is net. On that $1K you spent, maybe $500 was profit, but I doubt it was that high. Even so, considering overhead, wages, inventory costs, everything else that goes into running a business, even a small RC shop of three employees and a small retail storefront probably needs $150K/year net to break even. Your $1K in total purchases only helped keep their doors open for one day at best. I too can't imagine a beginner spending $5K in the first year... but that is kinda my point. Many LHS don't make enough on sales to hire knowledgeable persons that will spend a hour answering questions. My LHS actually will spend a hour with a new pilot and they are never rude or arrogant. However, typically the help are not modelers, so often the advice they give is bad or just wrong.

I guess what irks me about this thread is the negative context, i.e., post hobby stores you don't like because they are rude, won't help beginners, etc. While this may help some avoid a bad store, it doesn't provide any help in selecting a good store. On that I bow out. Cheers.