Despite uptick in sales during pandemic, hobby store closing after nearly 6 decades, moving online
PALM HARBOR, Fla. - After nearly 60 years in business and several different locations, House of Hobbies in Palm Harbor is moving solely online.
Bob Kotimaki started House of Hobbies in 1962 because his hobbies got out of hand and he needed to start selling things.
"The House of Hobbies is a playhouse for boys 8 to 80 -- and sometimes older," Kotimaki shared. "Anything they can put into miniature we can almost duplicate in a kit. The kits we sell today are kits that you have to put your touch to. You have to have skill in assembly and take pride in your workmanship."
When the coronavirus pandemic started, House of Hobbies saw a major uptick in business because people were staying at home more and wanted something creative to do.
"We have a lot of people, the first time they enter the building, they feel the further they go, they are reliving their youth," Kotimaki explained. "They are finding things they did back in the day and they want to take one of those things back with them that day just to remind them of days gone by."
However, Kotimaki says hobby stores like are dinosaurs and they are going extinct.
"With what is happening these days, you have to reinvent yourself and go on the Internet like everyone else in order to survive these ever-changing times," he explained.
One advantage for House of Hobbies is the fact that they carry extremely rare merchandise.
The storefront is currently open but it will be closing soon and going strictly to online sales.
LINK: Click here for more information about House of Hobbies.
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