I recently purchased a very expensive detector from this outfit. They provided me with a tracking…read morenumber that required me to be home to sign for the package. I had to rearrange my vacation and rearrange a hunt so that I could be here to accept the package. I find out they gave me somebody else's tracking number and when I contacted them about it their response was it was an honest mistake. This is about as unprofessional as you can get. Providing someone with the correct tracking number after a large purchase is not rocket science. Time for me to move onto another distributor that can handle shipping without huge mistakes and take responsibly for the mistakes they do make.

LOVE this hobby store. You will not be disappointed and the fact that you are supporting a local…read morebusiness is the icing on the cake. Irvin has the best store in the state!

We love Big Four! We get all our model train supplies here! They will order anything you need and…read morewill help in anyway they can! Great resource!

Was in Indy and randomly decided to stop here to see what they had. A good change from the usual…read morespots and what's online. Interesting place, for sure. There's a carpet track front and center. There's an okay selection of parts, trucks, and various other related things. They are very clearly a Traxxas dealer, and they had all the models Traxxas makes. A good chunk of Traxxas parts and accessories, too. So, if you run Traxxas you'd be all set. Kid working was nice enough, but when I asked about non-Traxxas stuff he seemed out of his element. Is what it is. They had everything I wanted (a black Bronco Trx4m and some paint) so I left a happy customer.

My boyfriend and I stopped in Saturday night and were so disappointed that we were the only ones…read morewith masks on. No one was social distancing and no one even had a mask around their neck or mouth as if to pretend to follow the mandate. No one approached us to see if they could help or even offered a hello. We had to squeeze through a group of people to exit. We really like to support small, local businesses. We won't support this one after this experience, but obviously they aren't looking to serve all of their community.

I'm not quite sure why I've never been in HobbyTown, but I was in the neighborhood and had some…read moretime between obligations. So, I stopped in to check it out. HobbyTown is located in the long strip center adjacent to the former Weekends Only (and soon to be Vasa Fitness). It's definitely not the most active strip center, however, it seems like a good location for this type of business. HobbyTown is a franchised retail toy/hobby store with over 100 locations nationwide including three in Indiana (Granger and Evansville also have one). It's based in Nebraska. HobbyTown has a bit of a retro vibe, craft store meets hardware store meets toys like RC vehicles, RC aircraft, models, toys, games, learning toys, arts and crafts, and trains. I would probably describe myself as a wannabe hobbyist. I found myself completely captivated by the trains, RC options, and some of the models. I loved models as a kid - I was lousy at putting them together, but I really enjoyed it. They also had more board games than I expected. Parking here is pretty easy. It's not the most accessible building, however, it's not far from Concentra with a great curb cut. The store itself was pretty easy to get around, though aisles are occasionally a bit crowded. I had no difficulty and found the place friendly and helpful. The prices are pretty consistent with other hobby/toy shops. Yes, you can spend a lot here. For sure. You can also find affordable hobby options and gift options. A five-star might be a tad generous, however, I really liked the place and loved the variety of toys and hobbies. I enjoyed hanging out for a bit and got some great ideas. I'd say it's pretty certain I'll be back.

I used to go here for model train items but for about the last 8 months the shelves are nearly…read morebare. I asked an employee what was going on with the lack of restocking and he said they just can't get things since Christmas. They didn't restock before that (not just train items out of stock) so that doesn't make sense to me. The older men that work there are not very friendly at all. If you ask them something about anything they act like you're stupid if you didn't already know. They are just rude old grouchy men. So because of those issues I'm done going there. It is too bad because at one time it was a great place to go. I guess I will buy more online and look my questions up there as well. I wonder if they are getting ready to close?

I called to see if they buy train sets and the man was friendly and said he would look at what I…read morehad. I had my Dad's set from when he was a kid and all the accessories. The shop is in a small plaza with plenty of parking. The owner was surprised at how much I had, but showed genuine interest. He took the engine and put it in the track. It ran backwards, but not forward. He said it likely needed oiled. I felt like he was fair in what he offered me for everything. It's such a niche collectible and I hope it goes to someone who really loves trains. This shop had everything you could have imagined so I would check it out if you need anything train related!

This is a great place to go if you're into trains and head to find train items. It is a specialty…read morestore with all of the parts, electrical, and scenery items you could want. The owner changed in 1999 and after talking to him, I thought he was pretty friendly. This is one of those stores which has a designated and very unique clientele. So, if you're looking for fellow train lovers and toy train experts, this is definitely the shop to go to in Indianapolis. It is a small business, but a wealth of train info can be found here that you wouldn't be able to get online on Amazon or at big toy stores.

They got a lotta toys here! Especially educational and child-development toys. You know, them fancy…read morekind of toys that aren't just fun but also make your kids think. I did not visit with my kids, but I know my kids would have loved this toy store. They love any kind of store where they can touch and play with the merchandise, and Toys Forever is such a place. It's very hands-on. There are toys all around that people can pick up and experience, which is very cool. Even though my children were not with me, I visited Toys Forever because I wanted to get my kids something from Muncie as a souvenir. You see, I was just passing through this fine city. My kids love things that are superlative: "The world's tallest X" or "The worl'd fastest Y." So when I saw The World's Biggest Candy Necklace near the checkout counter, I grabbed two. Done and done! The candy necklaces were a hit, as I thought they would be, and they only cost a few dollars each. There are fun things for all ages and at all price points here. The people who helped me were super friendly, and I saw that they were helping several other people find what they needed and answered questions. I love charming locally owned stores like this one.

This past weekend, I spent some time in downtown Muncie. While I'm nearly always in Muncie for…read morebusiness or a project, on this visit I actually had some time to do some exploring including checking out downtown's Toys Forever Models & Hobbies shop. Located in the historic Goddard building (originally built in 1884), Toys Forever is a locally owned hobby shop started in 2007 and launched an online presence in 2015. Examples of items carried include radio control, model railroad, plastic & scale model building, games, toys, Melissa & Doug, scientific and educational games, puzzles, and more. I found the employees to be delightful and well-informed and you could tell by kids in the shop that this is a hands-on establishment. This is in downtown Muncie with solidly available street parking and occasional parking lots. Some of the street parking does have a 2-hour limit, however, unless you park down at the Courtyard by Marriott (about 3-4 blocks away) you should be able to snag free parking. Downtown Muncie is a little hit-and-miss with accessibility - curb cuts are fine, however, some stores do have a step to get in them. This shop, however, is perfectly fine in terms of accessibility and the interior is surprisingly solid. Employees seemed very willing to assist as needed. Toys Forever definitely leans more toward classic toys/games/hobbies, with some exceptions. I've long thought about getting into trains and this story really fueled that desire. I don't live in Muncie, however, I would definitely return upon future visits and really enjoyed discovering this Muncie hidden gem.

This where I go for all of my tabletop gaming needs. It's always a treat when I get to go to this…read morewonderful business, which may seem hushed and quiet during the day, but it only adds to its mystique and charm that would be typical of a magic shop. This place works great for me because it's really close to my house and it's locally owned. That way I don't have to drive a long way to find what I need for my Dungeons and Dragons campaign. The Hero's Emporium has always had a great selection of brushes, paints, and miniatures that I have come to rely heavily upon as a Dungeon Master. I am always able to find the miniatures that I am looking for whether that be a female gnome paladin or several packages of gnolls that I can paint and throw at my party. All the miniatures are very reasonably priced too, so I can get even larger miniatures like a storm giant for only around $15. For as long as miniatures take me to paint, this is well worth the money. I also want to mention that they offer a decent selction of dice sets to choose from, which is important for any D&D campaign, especially when your dice are fickle. I also love that they offer both old and new sourcebooks for D&D as well as official Nolzurs paint sets, and Icons of the Realms. This gives me a large pool to choose what will be most exciting for my party. Finally I wanted to mention that this business has also done tabletop nights. Although I personally have not attended one of those events, I support the space this business is building for the tabletop community. The staff has also always been very welcoming and helpful, making sure that I am finding everything that I am searching for. I am also occasionally able to find expansion packs for a bit more obscure card game called Smash Up here, which is delightful considering that it's so hard to find in just a regular store like Target. I will continue to come back and support this business in their mission to help the tabletop community thrive.

Great selection of D&D and MTG stuff!…read more Also lots of other games, miniatures and accessories. They also have lots of weekly events and leagues to join. Fun atmosphere, great staff and customers!

Really nice people, took their time to show me cards, price them out and was patient with my time…read moreand decisions.

Boring if you are into baseball cards. Probably a lot better if you are into that magic stuff as…read morethey had plenty of that. Also, the guy that helped me was very condescending and wanted me to promise that I didn't take any of the cards out order before I looked through them, seemed quite childish since I'm an adult and have handled cards before

My fraud senses are tingling…read more I only know of Collector's Den because they place a "Charity Auction" table inside the Hyatt Regency. Big letters that read "CHARITY AUCTION" with some (fairly common) posters and memorabilia, with a "sign-up" sheet to make a bid. Designed to get people thinking "Oh, I can support a charity AND buy something fun while I enjoy my business trip/vacation!" Apparently they do this every month, although the hotel staff don't know much about it. Just one problem: There is no information about which "charity" it supports, let alone a non-profit organization tax number. It gets worse. Their web site has an "Online Charity Auction" link at the top. That takes you to a page that simply says "Online Auction," with zero mention of charity. Elsewhere, they have a link to that same page where it also just says "Online Auction." So - not really a charity auction, just a regular auction. It gets worse. Their FAQ has no information on the "charity" portion of this. But there is a "FAQ" that reads "How do I make a donation?" that simply gives steps to "make a donation" without bidding or buying anything. But again, no mention at all of what the supposed charity might be. Following the outlined steps take you to a page that reads "Donate to Collectors Den SYFOA" and allows you to enter an amount and then enter your credit card details. Wait, what? You give money to Collectors Den and NOT an actual charity? Huh? I mean, even if this were legitimate, that is horribly inefficient -- how much of your donation would actually reach the charity vs being used to pay Collectors Den's bills? So what's going on? Another reviewer from 2019 indicates that they're affiliated with Make-a-Wish (and other?) charities. But their web site simply says they can offer a service where they provide items at a lower cost for other organizations to use in fundraising auctions, so it's unclear if they're actually directly affiliated or if these so-called pop-up "Charity Auctions" benefit Make-a-wish or any other known charitable organization. I've bid in auctions for real charitable organizations. I've never seen an organization hide their details or simply say "charity auction" instead of the specific needs that they meet in the community. That's counter-productive to an organization's goals. This looks a lot like Collector's Den is using misleading/fraudulent marketing practices. I can't say for sure that's what's happening, and I really hope I'm wrong, but all signs point to this conclusion. BUYER BEWARE

First they failed to deliver one of the two pieces that I acquired through a silent auction. Then…read morewhen I drove downtown, paid for parking, etc... They refused to give me anything to protect my investment other than a plastic bag that was too small. Horrible customer service or interest in protecting you from possible theft or damage.

Been coming to The Game Preserve since before they moved into their current location, back when…read morethey were operating out of the storefront next door. Watching a good local game shop level up to a better space and somehow get even better in the process is the kind of origin story worth being loyal to. The selection here is the real deal. Puzzles, board games, TCGs, and enough variety to make you forget you came in with a specific mission. For me that mission is almost always the Magic: The Gathering singles wall, which The Game Preserve stocks with the kind of depth and organization that makes the whole experience feel less like digging through a binder at a flea market and more like consulting the Jedi Archives. Everything is where it should be, which sounds basic until you've experienced the alternative. The staff is where this place genuinely separates itself from the competition. These are not people who just work at a game store. These are people who actually play, who know the cards, who understand why you need a specific version of a specific card for a specific deck and don't make you feel like you need to explain yourself from the beginning. Case in point: on one visit a staff member helped me track down the perfect Sol Ring for my Commander deck. Not just any Sol Ring. The right one. That level of product knowledge and genuine engagement is rarer than a foil mythic and worth just as much. The rewards program is a legitimate reason to make this your regular stop if you're a frequent buyer. Points add up, the benefits are real, and it actually feels like the store wants your repeat business rather than just tolerating it. Five stars, long time customer, no plans to stop. The Force has always been strong with The Game Preserve and the new location only confirmed it.

This is such a cool games spot. You can find an assortment of board/card games (most I had no idea…read morewhat they were). They had different type of dice (up to 8 sides) and chess boards which was cool to me. Some of the games seemed a bit expensive for me though. This is a great store for people of all ages. You are bound to find something that you like. Exploring this store was definitely fun and I saw a few cool gift ideas for friends who love trying new board games. The place is well organized, clean and has some fun decor. The staff is friendly and helpful.