The Estes rockets page Coming Soon says "COMING AUGUST 2010!"

Maybe August 9 after NARAM?

Got my Super Alpha and an Alien Invader yesterday. Y'all didn't mention the slick little catalog AC Supply sent.

It's very nice.

Since the first 50 were delivered at NARAM we should see posts soon from iPhone owners, shouldn't we?

It is nice to see the new Estes staying focused on the hobby as well as on whatever merchants they still can get. Here in CA they have tried different outlets over the years such as Broadway department store with the Citation series, Michaels, Toys R Us, Wal-Mart, Big lots (presumably for overruns), and others. Maybe the solution for the loss of traditional hobby outlets and the lack of interest by toy retailers is to try a new direction.

How about Home Depot and a co-op like Ace Hardware, that way the cross sales of tools and finishing supplies justifies any seasonality of the line which is always a problem for mass-merchandisers.

Jerry

I was just in my local Michaels last night that is about 1/4 mile from my home and it seems they are pretty much discontinuing "all things Estes" which I saw as disappointing.
They were devoid of all motors excepting the few Alpha III starter sets they had and all rockets were on clearance anywhere from $3.99 to 9.99.
The Bullpup kit seemed to be a bargain at $5.99 but I already have two.

__________________
When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, and HAVOC !

As was mentioned earlier (perhaps in another thread), that is what we have seen in Utica, NY.

Can someone answer the question if this was Michael's decision or a decision by the new Estes management to stop supplying national chains such as Michael's in order to support the more general local hobby shops and/or specialized internet rocketry outlets?

I think Michaels gets it's supply from Horizon Hobby who is a direct competitor to Hobbico/Great Planes/Tower who now owns Estes. Not sure if Horizon even handles Estes any longer.

__________________
When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, and HAVOC !

Earth City must be where the warehouse is. It's right across the Missouri River from St. Charles.

__________________
John Thro, NAR #84553 SR
I was too old when I started! Now I'll *never* become a BAR!

I have no direct insight here but I hear from multiple 2nd hand sources that the Hobbico buy of Estes gave rise to a shunning of them by Wal-Mart and also Michaels. Now Michaels could overcome that by second-sourcing hobby items from Hobbico as well as Horizon. Or they could sell Estes at Michaels through Horizon, since they have purchased Estes goods for decades. That would probably raise fur all the way around, but it would be good business.

Heck we sell stuff to Iran for goodness sake.

Wal-Mart has an agenda of always trying to bypass popular national brands after a couple of years with house brands by insisting the national brands do manufacturing in China where the vendors have no respect whatsoever for intellectual property rights and are anxious to sell clones to Wallyworld. Why that known series of events is not a crime here despite the actions partially happening here I will never understand.

Thank goodness model rocket motors are NOT readily cloned.

Jerry

Horizon no longer carries Estes. They cleared out their Estes stuff a month or so ago. The retailers got some great prices during that sale!

- Rich

from what I understand, walMaart isn't carrying anything in the "put it together yourself" category.

They got rid of Revell/Monogram plastic model kits (Hobbico) and now they dropped estes.

Also, from what I understand, WM made Estes "jump through a hoop" inorder to stay in WM. Example, the Sustainables, they only ordered a small amount and didn't order again.

It's WM's loss.