Feb 5, 2015

Who Needs Video Games? Not Hobby Shop in AberdeenBy Susan BloomApp.com

Aberdeen, NJ – Growing up in the Bronx, Arlene Schutzer was always a people person and believed that sales was in her blood. But she could never have imagined the kind of retail longevity she experienced since opening The Hobby Shop in Aberdeen 37 years ago.

Ten years after moving to Aberdeen with her family in the 1960s, “my son was into collecting baseball cards, so I rented space in the retail store that would ultimately become The Hobby Shop and started selling baseball cards,” recalled Schutzer, 71, who ultimately took over as owner of the shop and expanded into other product lines to fill the space. “I learned the business from our customers and I loved it,” she said. “I’d always wanted to own a specialty toy store ever since I was a little girl and my dream came true.”

Priding herself on offering something for every hobbyist, young and old alike, Schutzer’s 7,000-square-foot shop features a broad range of items, including train sets, sports cards, model car kits, crafts and art supplies, materials for school science projects, books and comic books, stamp and coin supplies, an extensive collection of toys and games, and a radio-control department managed by her son Michael, 45, which offers remote-controlled airplanes, cars, helicopters, and more.

Read complete article »