By far the finest hobby shop, possibly in the nation, if you're looking for a mix of old, forgotten stuff and new. Models, minis, trains, board games, RPGs, terrain, dice, you name it. Bob and his wife are warm, genuine, and lovely to talk to, and I discover something interesting every time I visit. A unique experience, to be sure, and the cats are adorable. I wish I had discovered it sooner. read more

The selection is nice here. 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 read more

As a more current description, with their move to the Pleasant Prairie location there is a lot of clutter and the place smells from the various cats on site. They have a lot of stock but it is not easily accessible. Bob will be able to find it for your or can order for you if you can wait. Some items have been on hand for a while so be sure they are still usable i.e. paints. read more

Amazing pizza! Tell Bob to fire up the oven and get lost in this one of a kind pizza and gaming shop. Order the double dragon pizza! read more

Friends' Olde Fashioned Hobby Shoppe - Top notch pizza; call ahead so bob can heat up the oven. Order the special...this was the double dragon za...amazing! - Hobby Shops Near Me - Kenosha, Wisconsin

This place, tucked away behind an unassuming hand-lettered sign on a corner in mostly deserted downtown 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. read more

Friends' Olde Fashioned Hobby Shoppe - Hobby Shops Near Me - Kenosha, Wisconsin

Proprieter is a bit eccentric but extremely friendly and knowledgeable. He is seemingly willing to go the extra mile to help a customer. The shop is well stocked selection of both N and HO kits, building supplies and most important, hobby paint. The store is a bit disorganized and could use a solid cleaning session. Some of the stock is VERY old in appearance, but I think that happens when selling at full retail prices. Over half of the store is reserved for gaming rooms and railroad layouts, just watch your step. It is certainly worth a visit, but bring your cash. He does not accept credit cards. read more

Worth the trip from the Chicago suburbs to check out this hobby shop. Grew up with Stanton and Squadron hobby shops around Chicago so felt a little nostalgic to find one like this "the way they used to be". It happened to be outside business hours when my brother and I arrived, but the owner, Bob, was gracious enough to let us in and even give us a full tour before letting us loose to browse the walls, rooms, and shelves, loaded with models, trains, books, supplies, etc, etc!!! A fantastic selection so plan to spend some time and/or return visits! (special orders also available) Bob holds true to the store's name making it a very friendly place to visit and he's exceptionally knowledgeable, with lots of interesting insight and stories to offer. A real treat! - Not many hobby shops left like this, so hope Bob and Friends are around for many years to come! Highly recommended!! read more