When I lived in various parts of the Metro from the late 80's to the late 90's, I'd always make my…read moreway to the Makati location. Even now in 2024 I find myself there buying some kits while on vacation. Found a few kits that were cheaper than in the US, since I'm here might as well take advantage. Staff was always helpful and knowledgeable, they knew what was on the shelves.

Nice convenient shop for scale modellers, there are selection of Academy Tamiya, Hobbyboss,…read moreTrumpeter, Airfix, Dragon models I've remember. Some RC car parts are also available (I'm not a RC guy) Recommended.

I was in grade school when Tamiya became popular like a bat out of hell. Some anime, I totally…read moreforget the name, was responsible for popularizing it. If there was ever a country that was good at making shows that popularized merchandise it was Japan. Anyway, at its height, a Tamiya was to kids as cars are to grownups. Not that you could actually ride on a Tamiya mind you. Anyway, if you wanted really good parts, then the only place you could ever go to was Lil's. I used to ask a lot of my classmates where the would get their parts and most of them would point me towards Lil's. I'm surprised that this still place still stands. Walking right by it filled me with a certain sense of nostalgia and a desire to get back into an old hobby. I wonder what else they're selling in their store today?

With board games making comeback, are you wondering where you can buy your own? First stop for most…read moretabletop gamers would be Neutral Grounds. Boardgames, Magic the Gathering and other LCGs (Living Card Games) are readily available, and they sell gaming accessories like dice, protective card sleeves, containers for small game pieces, and figurines (for games like Dungeons and Dragons). Some of the bigger branches (like the one in Centris Walk) have a gaming area too! Their staff are pretty familiar with most of the games they carry, so you can ask them about expansions and other editions of the game. If the game you want isn't available, you can leave your contact number with them, make a reservation, and they'll inform you when they get a copy. No down payment needed but if they message you be sure to confirm your reservation right away, or they might have to sell the game to a ready buyer!

Neutral Grounds has existed way before the tabletop gaming boom in recent times, so they could…read moreprobably have a big fat "Uh yeah, we were here first" sign hanging over their shops. Though I've always known them more as a place for Magic The Gathering cards and Warhammer models and their corresponding supplies: card boxes and sleeves, or paint sets and dice, I've seen them gain a little more steam with all the gaming places that have popped up all over the metro. I've noticed that the stuff they sell are a tad more expensive than you would in the gaming places, but not by much. And since Neutral Grounds is almost everywhere, getting a great game from them would probably be easier as well. This branch is particularly chock full of games that would probably be harder to come by in other branches, since it is in Virra Mall, Greenhills, and come now, how many people actually end up here, at the third floor of Virra Mall, Greenhills?

If you try to follow the directions to this place you'll definitely get lost. Following the online…read moremaps will get you in the middle of a busy intersection that gets you nowhere! I only found the place (which is on the 3rd floor) of a building I couldn't find the name of. It was my son that spotted the sign to the staircase we would ascend (no elevator) to the 3rd floor unit. The sealed product selection was limited (thought there would be more) and the singles were a bit overpriced (perhaps they didn't update there prices?) Unfortunately this store did not live up to my expectations...

Ongkeco's Hobby Shop is a hobby shop run by a man named Mike Ongkeco. Anyone who is familiar with…read morethe local Magic The Gathering community here in the Philippines knows just how famous Mike is. Mike is one of the most popular non Neutral Grounds stores in Metro Manila. In fact, Mike's shop has been around for as long as most people can remember. I recall hanging out in his shop with some of my friends during my spare time. There were moments when some of his old friends would pass by to look at his personal collection. Some of these people were students of DLSU and Benilde back in the 1990's. A lot of the students along Taft avenue end up playing here. Mike's collection of singles is quite impressive. Some of them are for sale and others are for show. Drop by and look at his collection cause you might just find what you're looking for no matter how rare it might be.

Build City is basically a toy store that specializes in everything that requires a sort of hands on…read moreapproach to building something. There are models. Then you have Lego and who in this world or in their right mind doesn't love Lego right? Heck you even have those insane thousand piece like puzzles which you think is too difficult or just plain borderline insane to solve. It's fun walking into this kind of store. When I grow up and have a kid I fully intend to get him something from this store. Toys like these are often underrated and are actually good for kids. It helps stimulate their brain and promote and instill in them some sense of creativity and foresight. If you're a parent who wants to raise your kid right, then I strongly suggest that you get them something from this store. I don't think you can go wrong with doing so.

I found this place just by wandering around Trinoma looking for a suitable gift for myself (yeah,…read more'cause I deserved it). I took a look at the store and decided to see what they had. I really couldn't contain my glee at seeing The Big Bang Theory and Chuck shirts! I'm a huge fan of both shows, even if Chuck is already finished (*tear*). However, the prices were rather expensive for a student like me. I mean, who would buy a simple T-shirt for more than P1,000? Okay, fine, I succumbed to the temptation. In my defense, they had a Buy 1 Take 1 promo! Up until now, I'm still waiting for them to have a promo such as that again. By the way, they don't limit themselves to TV Series shirts. They also have other collector's items or gift items such as playing cards and poker sets, telescopes, Swiss Army knives, etc. So if you like those kinds of stuff then maybe you'd like to drop by!

I'm so thankful that someone's concept of a hobby shop included most of my favorite things to play…read morewith, including pets! Unfortunately, this branch of Hobbes and Landes doesn't sell pets per se (there is another store along High Street that does), but they do have a lot of pet accessories that will suit your pet's happiness. They are pretty much one of the few stores that are sure to have a good collection of LEGOs, which brings me back to my childhood. Although they lack a few of the newer Technic models, the rest of the LEGOs have enough variety to satisfy any kid. I also browse through their collection of board games, since they also carry board games that are a bit different from the more famous Monopoly and Game of Life. I enjoy looking through expansions of Dominion and the Settlers of Catan, as a possible birthday gift for a board game newbie. Aside from all the hobby items, they also have a mini frozen yogurt stand inside the actual store, so you can watch your kids play with the LEGOs while the adults enjoy a few scoops. This is a definite stop-over for me during any walk along High Street.

One of the shops in Bonifacio High Street that I always visit even if I'm not going to buy anything…read moreis Hobbes & Landes. There's just so much to see inside! Almost half of the store is dedicated to Lego sets, which is seeing a bit of resurgence nowadays. They've got the coveted Simpsons model house as well as plenty of Star Wars themed ones. The other side of the store is where I usually hang around. This is where you'll see rows upon rows of board games for sale. They're more expensive than other board game places, but there always comes a point where they're the only store which has a particular game in stock so you're forced to buy it. If the weather is particularly hot or you're just waiting for your kid to finish looking around, you can go to the back of the store and have some frozen yogurt. Hobbes & Landes is definitely the best place for kids and the kids at heart.

For an aircraft modeler, this shop contains an aftermarket decals but no vehicle or figure decals…read more There is the regular scale model kits including the limited edition tamiya 1/35 figure kits where it is derived from their 1/16 kits. I purchased those kits and the only thing that is left of those kit is the machine gunner and the luftwaffe pilot. Though small than lils hobby center, thi is also a great place to get yoir models especially those aircraft decal sets

Retro-looking (ok that's euphemism for "old") mall Makati Cinema Square still manages to amaze with…read moreits plethora of unique stores, and absence of any "Cinema" whatsoever. Hobbies & Comics, a small store that caters to the needs of, well, hobbyists, is one of the number of unique stores that still attracts a sizable following. Over the years, this little hobby store's offerings have changed with the "fad" hobbies. There was a time when it was a significant source of collectible card games like Magic: The Gathering, Lord of the Nine Rings, and Highlander. You could even find Playstation consoles and games, and of course, comics. When the Tamiya Racing car craze hit, this was also a major seller. But that's all changed now. Last I checked, the "comics" part of this store isn't there anymore; instead, you'll see a lot of collectible Matchbox cars (mostly limited-run Batmobiles by Matchbox), and ahem imitation "Lego" sets. Thankfully, their main offering hasn't changed much, and that's the scale model kits, and the paints and tools needed to put them together. I didn't notice if they had a Tamiya Airbrush or compressor, but I did see a Dremel tool set; for those uninitiated, this is a US-made drilling tool that can cut and sand small and fragile projects like mounting bases and model kits. Hobbies & Comics is still a haven for scale model builders. You'll even see a completed model of an M48 Patton tank in their store window. They still have a collection of "how-to" and reference books for scale model building (tanks and planes, mostly), along with their range of Tamiya, Dragon, Hasegawa, Airfix, and Revell kits. Even if Hobbies & Comics is a specialty store that caters to a really small niche market, it's one of the many interesting fixtures in Makati Cinema Square.