HobbyTown — Attraction in Kennesaw

HobbyTown is a franchise, and I think that's important to keep in mind when you read this review. I worked at a HobbyTown (not this one) for a while and loved my job as an R.C. tech and salesman.

With that said, I just do not like this place at all. For most people it is 100% fine, and there isn't anything exceptionally bad about it. But the R.C. section just sucks. Firstly, the employees. Every time I make a (multiple trips and experiences at this location over the course of years) trip it is usually older men who are working. They act like they do not enjoy their job. They are arrogant, argumentative, and provide no help, advice or friendly interaction. This has been my experience for years with this place. They do not act like they want to sale anything. I have walked around on day where I was the only person in the RC section, picked up boxes, taken a strong look around and the employees stare at me. They never strike up a conversation or try to encourage me to purchase anything. I purchased thousands of dollars of RC cars and parts for HobbyTown Mooresville but I'm never encouraged to purchase anything here because the staff in the RC section are so unkind and unhelpful. I am a big Arrma guy, but last time I tried to ask a few questions about a new release from Arrma they immediately started to trash the car and Arrma as a brand. I was a salesman for the cars, and putting down someone's chosen brand of RC out the gate and acting annoyed at them for even bringing it up isn't how you make a sale. They really do not even have a good selection of upgrade parts either, and they are so scared of theft that you can't touch the cars, get close to the parts, or even get a good sense of what the new cars are all about because no one acts willing to show the cars or parts to you.

At the HobbyTown I worked at we left one of each car on display for customers to hold, compare, touch, and make a decision on their own. At this place you are asked to trust the already off-putting and rude staff that clearly do not want to talk to you.

My other big issue is the way this place stocks cars, it genuinely makes no sense to me. It's clear this place has something worked out with Traxxas the way their employees push it so hard. But their selection of Arrma is pretty good. they will never even attempt to recommend them. Arrma is a GREAT brand. The way the cars are put on the shelves is so disorganized. They have a lot of the Traxxas cars bunched together, but the Arrma cars will just be in big piles on the floor, a few on shelves, a few on the end caps, and its just messy and confusing. How am I going to compare two cars when I have to grab them from different Isles, or have to look all over the place for one because it’s just in a pile on the floor. Then they just have the random HPI, Tamiya, and Kyosho cars thrown on shelves new each other. And I get it, right? They're all street cars, mostly, but the Tamiya cars and MST drift cars are buildable kits. Why would you put them next to the RTR Kyosho cars and put the HPI cars on an entirely different shelf?? The CEN rally car is another street car that is put on the front shelf of the RC cars and not with the other street cars?? It's extremely inconsistent and frustrating because you never know where anything is going to be. Not to mention that one time a few years ago they randomly bought a bunch of Team Corally cars? Arrma has a similar build but from a more reputable brand, better parts support, and better quality and instead they attempted to sell Corally. Now they don't sell those cars or the parts and that leaves everyone with one out of luck if they want to get their cars fixed.

This is one of the biggest HobbyTowns in the U.S and is the closest place for a lot of people to get into R.C. cars. I do not think my standards are too high or unreasonable but this place is not living up to its potential in the R.C. section at all. They either need to retrain the staff or rehire enthusiastic kids who love R.C. and to a full overhaul on the section to be more organized...

In this era of amazon prime and eBay, I go out of my way to try to patronize "brick and mortar" stores. However, every time I go to the Kennesaw HobbyTown, they never have what I'm looking for and there is no attempt to help me get what I want. I stopped by this week looking for three things: a Cobi tank for my nephew's birthday and, for me, some Games Workshop Nuln Oil and the new copy of White Dwarf magazine. An employee helped me find the Cobi section, but...no more tanks. "We've been sold out for a while, now," the guy told me. "When are more coming in?" I asked. "I don't know. They are hard to get in, I think," the guy said. Strike one. Went to the Games Workshop paint section: they had Nuln Oil, but only in gloss. Six bottles of gloss, no regular Nuln Oil. The tag in front of the rack only stated regular Nuln Oil, not gloss. Why no regular form of this popular shading paint? Strike two. Walked over to the RPG section and looked everywhere for the new White Dwarf magazine. Finally asked this guy standing there if he knew where the new White Dwarf was. Turns out he was an employee! "We sold out of those in about four days," he said. "OK, when are you getting more in?" I asked. "We aren't. Those usually just come in once." Usually? How about volunteering to call another HobbyTown and ask if they had any? I didn't even know there was another HobbyTown until I logged on to write this review. Strike three. So, there you go: three potential items, around $56 total, that I could have bought at HobbyTown will now be purchased online. I hate to say it, but if you are interested in something hobby-related and want to actually buy it, not just walk around here and look at the trains, you should make a list and call ahead. Otherwise, you're probably...

I had I really bad experience with the staff. They were unhelpful and they seem to be anointed by assistant me at the time I get the product and then the second time when I have to return the product to the store because it wasn’t working. Their actitud towards me was really rude and at that point I just requested my money back but they refused to do it because it was an open box. (How can I know the product was bad if I don’t open the box)I don’t want to return this store any more. And I will make sure that any one that I know that enjoy this kind of hobbies do not shop at your establishment.

Thank you for your quick reply. I feel the point of my review was not completely understood. I understand the policy of reference to returns and would have been willing to accept it and move on, however the immediate attitude towards me prompted a request for a refund. I was told via phone that they would look up my purchase when I arrive at the store. Upon doing so the cashier acted as if I was wasting his time. He then sent me to the RC manager who immediately had a real bad attitude towards me. Just like the cashier he made it clear by his rudeness I was and interruption to his day. That is when I just asked for a refund because I did not want to do business with him or the other staff members. This situation would have turned out much differently had there been just a few kind words of empathy and professionalism. I would have gladly accepted the policy and thanked them for the replacement of the battery. Unfortunately there still may be an issue with the battery as it has been charging for hours and yet to reach a full charge. Will give it more time otherwise I will to return...