I have used Hiawatha Hobbies for years. Their selection is always excellent, their prices very…read moregood, and a customer service that responds to both emails and phone calls promptly. Generally their shipping is quite fast. In saying that in the past when an item was slow to ship and they could not complete the entire order they did not charge me shipping which was unexpected, but a nice touch I thought. However, their products always arrive well packaged. Never have I had a product damaged when shipped by Hiawatha Hobbies. I absolutely recommend Hiawatha Hobbies and will continue to use them going forward. They are a great stop for model railroaders.

Submitted and on line order, when I received it two items had been damaged by UPS. I called that…read morethey shipped replacements the same day. Great customer service!

Model Empire is scheduled to close March 28th, 2026. In the mean time they are having a clearance…read moresale to move out their stock.

they say it's a small world. absolute wonder of a spot on one of the greatest strips of retail in…read morethe region! worth it even if you think you've outgrown miniatures.

This place, tucked away behind an unassuming hand-lettered sign on a corner in mostly deserted…read moredowntown Kenosha, is probably one of the best of the remaining RPG stores in the United States today. I do not say that lightly: Inside you will find a half dozen rooms catering to every possible role playing game taste, from Dungeons & Dragons and GURPS to obscure, esoteric and forgotten titles from the golden age of paper & dice gaming: Car Wars (actually, an entire gigantic shelf devoted to Steve Jackson games), Traveler, countless board and card games, die cast miniatures, old issues of Dragon and White Dwarf and seemingly every cyberpunk manual and sourcebook ever printed. Especially strong when it comes to indie/self-published works, this place is an important archive of an influential subculture, one that is directly responsible for what is now considered mainstream geek/videogaming culture (there would be no Game of Thrones, no Grand Theft Auto, no Call of Duty, were it not for the tropes and character attribute systems honed in this scene). It's like a museum where everything is for sale. That alone would be enough to merit this place 5 stars, but on top of that, it also caters to model builders and model railroaders, with every conceivable kind of kit and diorama accessory stacked to the ceiling, plus all the Xacto knives, glues, paints and reference books needed to perfect any scale modeling creation. In addition to having space for regularly-meeting RPG groups, Friends' also serves as the headquarters for a regional scale railroading group. If you visit, note that the store is cash-only (they have an ATM). There'll be a cat roaming around, and probably a few hobbyists just hanging out and shooting the shit. If you're coming from Chicago, note that there's a Metra stop just a few blocks away (call ahead to verify hours). Places like this are disappearing, as more and more people get their gaming fix online, but Friends' seems to be going strong -the proprietor told me it's been around 29 years, and that they're eyeing a larger, 4,700 sq. ft. space down the street so they can display even more product. Only fitting for a gaming store located in the shadow of Lake Geneva, from where Dungeons & Dragons itself was unleashed on the world. EDIT, SEPT. 2018 - Stopped by for the first time since my initial visit. Business has moved to a new location - 8501 75th St. (see flyer in photos). They're still awaiting a some municipal permits, so call first before stopping by.

The selection is nice here…read more Unfortunately the place smells gross and becomes more overwhelming the longer you are in there. I had to go wait in the car because it was too much. The owner was very nice What was supposed to be a quick browse to look at the model car choices and paint selection turned into being inside for an hour minimum The paint we picked out has to get returned since there was chunks of something in it. As if it was sitting on the shelf for years

Very kind and patient "Mom & Pop" staff. They dealt very fairly with me, and I cannot recommend…read morethem highly enough.

Great coin store. Large collection and not overpriced. Family owned and operated. Very honest and…read morevery knowledgeable. Don't be afraid to stop in and browse.

Hobby Lobby has everything a crafter would want. They also have decorations for your home.read more

Omg, this place is like entering 'Hotel California'!! So in love with everything here especially…read moremy cashier, Olivia. What an amazing breathe of fresh air and her contagious laugh and personality is a true asset to Hobby Lobby Kiddos Olivia!!

The coolest thing about this nursery is that it's actually not a nursery at all. You drive in the…read moredirt road of the nursery and can walk around, check out the plants and buy fertilizer and seeds or whatever, but smack in the middle is a huge train shop! They sell everything from Thomas the tank engine all the way up to huge garden scale trains. There are big, working O scale model trains set up inside the store and row after row of trains on the shelves and in glass display cases. They have all different styles and scales, from cheap plastic toys to brass models worth thousands. Totally cool! Bring the kids... They have a web site at staubintrains dot com

Great Family-owned business. Christan is a wealth of knowledge and a very trusted guy to work with.read more

Exceptional service at a family owned Coin Dealer. Got great service and pricing on my silver…read moretrade. They also carry copper, costume jewelry, etc. Worth the trip. Highly recommended.

I have to say this store is worth the drive! I usually end up near me or Vernon Hills. This store…read moretrumps both of the others!! Neat,clean,orderly & outstanding customer service! Today I had to have that 1 elusive item. I did phone ahead but its hard to describe the exact item I needed. Sam went on the floor to pull what she thought i may be talking about. I begged her to text me so i could send a picture. She obliged!! I drove from southern Lake county all the way up there as they DID have my items!! Had it not been for her helping me, beyond what is expected of an employee, I may have drove through 3 counties to find out they didnt have it. She definitely made my day. From now on i WILL drive the extra few miles as the store itself was tip top. Thank you again Sam! Merry Christmas!

Having a canvas done? Totally unhappy with my first one, not stretched tight, rumpled in canvas,…read morethreads from canvas shown when hung, staples show on sides of canvas, a very unfinished look! I had to come hone a use clear glue to glue all threads that were showing, now I will have to go and paint sides of frame so wood and staples don't show. This was going to be a gift, but have to keep it due to the quality! The regular price of this was $150.00 yikes!!! For a bad job! They still have my second canvas to frame as pick up has been delayed due to having to order another frame size! These prints were bought on my trip to Haiti, so something that means a lot to me! I will definitely look elsewhere next time for framing a canvas! This would certainly not be worth $300.00 at full price!