Andy’s Hobby HQ Opens Superstore

Andy Klein, owner of Andy’s Hobby Headquarters in Glendale, Arizona, recently opened a new Superstore in nearby Tolleson.

Klein plans to keep the original retail location while the Superstore serves as a second retail location, supporting his robust ecommerce operation.

The Superstore also houses a large room to host builds and

club events, as well as a YouTube studio to support Klein’s prolific video output. A 40-foot-long display case houses the Model Museum, featuring kits and memorabilia dating back to the 1930s, including kits that Klein remembers building as a child. Tamiya donated a

boxful of professionally built kits for the display as well.

The new store features 35-foot ceilings to accommodate stock model kits for ecommerce inventory and boasts approximately three times the retail space of the original store.

RAM Models Closes Its Doors

Ralph Warner of RAM Models Inc. sent this announcement of his retirement after half a century in the hobby industry:

“After 50 years we have decided to end production. We have 200 accessory products currently in our line: 100 RC products and 100 Ram Track model railroad items. Over 300,000 of these have been produced in the U.S.A. and sold through the years. You may have seen over 2000 ads that we issued in 12 model magazines or seen us at one of the over 300 shows across the country where we displayed our products. But the industry has changed. There are very few ‘builders’ who need to add accessories to models they have built. Demand has slowed down and so have our staff.

“I want to thank all of the industry people and customers who have made us so successful over the years. In the famous words of Forrest Gump when he stopped running across the country: ‘I’m pretty tired, think I’ll go home now. And just like that his running days were over.’”

Warner has turned over remaining inventory to IMD Hobbies in Woodstock, Illinois, 815-276-9982. IMD also has production equipment and parts and may consider limited production if there is demand.

Xuron Named Exporter Of The Year

Xuron Corporation, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of ergonomic, hobby-grade hand tools, was named Exporter of the Year by the Maine International Trade Center.

The Exporter of the Year award is presented to a manufacturer that has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to international trade through increased exports. This small manufacturer has been exporting for over 40 years, shipping hand tools worldwide through both good times and bad, and has found ways to survive and thrive.

Xuron tools can be purchased on every continent except Antarctica and in more than 30 different countries. Exports make up 20% of Xuron’s business. The company currently employs 22 people, many of whom have been with Xuron for more than 20 years.

ToyFest Pauses While NETS Moves Ahead​

In response to the current climate in the hobby and toy industry, the Western Toy and Hobby Representatives Association (WTHRA) Board of Directors has decided to pause ToyFest for 2026 and regroup in 2027.

Meanwhile, the North East Toy and Gift Show (NETS) is still scheduled for September 7-9 at the MassMutual Convention Center in Springfield, Massachusetts. The 2025 event is the second annual trade show for retailers and manufacturers in the Northeast.

High-Price Toys Leading US Toy Sales Recovery

U.S. toy sales between January and April increased 6% year-over-year, and the number of units sold rose 3% in the same period last year, according to a Circana report.

Higher-priced toys ($20 to $69.99) and toys priced under $15 experienced growth in sales compared to last year, while mid-tier priced toys showed weakening sales.

Sales growth among higher-tier toys and lower-tier toys signals that consumers are either “trading up or pulling back,” Jill Lennett, vice president and toy industry adviser at Circana, wrote in the report.