Clacton Hobby Store

Today's post is one of an occasional series on Friendly Local Game Stores (FLGS). Clacton Art Craft & Model Centre definitely deserves its place in this series and is a store I try and visit whenever I have occasion to go to Clacton. This is a family run business run by Carol Paterson since its establishment in 1982. It is situated in the heart of the town's shopping district, right opposite a very convenient car park.

The store serves both the art and hobby communities in this very well stocked shop. The inside is what I call delightfully crowded and characterful. After I left the store I scribbled a few words in my notebook including the phrase "Aladdin's Cave". When I got home and looked up the shops website I was pleasantly amused to see those same words. Stepping inside this shop really does feel like your entering a magical world. There are so many products on display that I could easily loose myself in places like this for hours.

Aside from a wide range of 'craft' products for Card-making, stencilling, calligraphy etc. there is also a wide range of Game/Hobby products for the wargamer or miniatures painter. There is a well stock selection of fine watercolour and acrylics brushes by makes like Winsor & Newton and Daler Rowney. They also stock an impressive range of acrylic and oil base paints suitable for the artist or miniatures painter alike, including a full range of Humbrol and Citadel Paints.

Hornby products are well represented in this shop as are a wide selection of building materials that will be familiar to the model railway or wargames enthusiast alike. Also available are a selection of Airfix and Revell plastic kits.

The store also stocks a selection of Games Workshop miniatures for the Lord of the Rings games and for 40K. In addition they also stock the pre painted D&D and Star Wars Miniatures. Last but not least they have a selection of CCG's including Magic the Gathering, World of Warcraft and Dark Millennium.

This is really is a fun and interesting shop to visit and they have taken obvious care to stock as wide a selection of products as possible without loosing quality or sacrificing product knowledge. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable and I have never felt uncomfortable taking my time to browse their wares before making a purchase. If you have an excuse to visit Clacton then I recommend a slight detour (some might call it a side-quest) to visit this store.