Chain with hobby-related merchandise, including model airplanes, remote-controlled cars & games.
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What clients say about HobbyTown in Ankeny (IA)
I visited HobbyTown on 2/28/26 to purchase a Hobbywing ESC and a few other items for my RC build. Unfortunately, my experience was disappointing.
When I asked about purchasing a Hobbywing ESC by itself, Thomas told me they only had combo units available. However, I was clearly looking at the exact ESC I wanted on the shelf. After I pointed it out, the employee still insisted they only had combos. Eventually, he picked it up and confirmed it was in fact the standalone ESC I had asked for.
While I was still in the process of gathering the rest of the parts I needed, another customer walked in regarding work that had been done on his crawler. The employee walked away mid-transaction to assist them. From what I overheard, the customer (a teenager) had previously paid for work on his crawler, and now it was not functioning properly. The employee told him he would have to pay again to have it fixed, even though the issue appeared to stem from the previous work performed by the store.
I ended up leaving and going to a different hobby shop.
I understand that retail and service environments can be busy, but better communication, product knowledge, and customer service would have greatly improved this experience. As someone actively involved in the RC community, I value knowledgeable support and accountability when paying for service work.
I hope this feedback is taken constructively, as I would prefer to support local hobby shops when possible.
Edit****
The owners were very helpful with this encounter. They were very sorry about what happened and is looking into it.
Costumer service was horrible, asked one of the workers if there is any room on the price and he said he can’t the decision (only a manager can). I asked if theres a manager in today, he replied no. After an awakened silence I asked if he could call a manager or someone to make the decision, yet again his reply was no. Also he was mumbling snide uanessacry comments under his breath when I was talking to my friends. The experience was unhelpful and not how to treat your costumers. I was going to buy a RC plane for $620 and this experience is making steer clear of this business.
Friendly staff. Lots of very different hobby things. Not a lot of Lego items or things like that. Big selection of RC cars and planes. Very clean store.
Hadn't been to the store in years.
Went to the 10th anniversary and spoke with Dave
He showed me the advances/improvements Traxxas and Arrma have made since I bought my Slash 4×4
Ended up buying an Armma Typhon, which I am enjoying
Stopped in to ask questions and they were very helpful. Came back a week later to make a purchase and different staff was working but had a similar experience, very helpful. Great to have a store like this around. I will definitely be returning in the future.
After a failed attempt to fix my car under warranty i was told there’s nothing we can do with it. The tech told me if he has to order parts that would put me out of warranty so they won’t even look at it. So now I’m sitting with a car that the steering shuts down intermittently! The car will get fixed just not there and I won’t buy anything whatsoever from that establishment! Update: Would like to add that owner Mary did call and apologize for the way this was handled. And the car just needed a beefed up servo which now it’s rippin!
This is the best place to go for RC car parts. Knowledgeable staff helps him find every part he needs, while I walk around and check out all of the really cool things they have that don't have motors and gears, like puzzles, wooden models, metal creatures and more. I love coming here!
They are problem solvers! I was trying to find a way to switch from a deep cycle lead acid battery (HEAVY) on an e-bike to a Lithium ion option. The existing cable connection resembled what is typically used for a RC car…to remedy the situation they sold a T-plug and soldered it to the bike and this was a game changer! So helpful, affordable and prompt. THANKS!
Best deals in town. Very satisfied with the professional assistance and customer service that Mike always provides. Staff is always very helpful and knowledgeable with all of my concerns. Great job Guys 👏
I’m on a cross country road trip and blew out my xmaxx tires. Called the is location and talked to Mike. He was super helpful and nice. He held some for me so I could pick them up on my drive through town. Super helpful staff huge inventory, definitely worth a stop!
Awesome first experience at this location. Mike really did a great job. A1 customer service. Will be back because of him, and the other employee who took the time to assist me me as well.
Brought my Ascender in for some maintenance issues. Walter took care of all my needs & went above & beyond , dipping into his private stash of parts to fulfill my needs & was VERY reasonable on cost.
Now, I had taken it to Hobby Haven last month for the same thing, they charged 1/2 hour labor & didn't fix my issues.
Should have gone to Hobby Town the first time! Kudos to Dave & Walter for exemplary service!!!
I must say that this is one of the coolest stores in Iowa. I love Michaels, Hobby Lobby, etc. But most of the items in Hobby Town are unique and definitely for the remote control hobbyist or for that "hard to buy for" friend/family member.
The guys running it were Uber cool and patient. The employees/owner and customers definitely love the sport and know their stuff. They have plenty of regulars it appeared when I was there, which I like to see and means a lot these days.
I was always told that the difference between boys and men was the price of their toys...and they have some pricey items but they have items of all price ranges. In addition, if you have questions, issues or just wanna brag...you can't get that at Amazon, thus; priceless.
Expect to spend at the very least 30 minutes here if it's the first visit. I was there for an hour looking at everything.
i highly recommend stopping in to see the Hobby Town crew. It's worth the trip.
Best supply of model kits and R/C vehicles I have seen. Lots of fun and educational games and toys as well. Found some fun retro toys like Spirograph, Rubik's Cube, and rocket sets. Also saw Pinewood Derby supplies for Cub Scouts. The store manager was very friendly and helpful. We will definitely be going back!
Came here recently. The selection is minimal at best. The staff doesn't seem to know or care about parts. Felt like they only wanted to sell me new stuff sitting on the shelf and couldn't even be bothered to look up a part for an older nitro truck. Went to hobby haven and not only did they know exactly what i was looking for but they ordered it for me and I picked it up 2 days later. Don't waste your time here.
There's reason why they have 5 stars, they earned them. This local Ankeny shop is well laid out with a massive wall of parts for everything you can think of. The owner is awesome them staff are all helpful and another helpful aspect here is they answer the phone and will spend quality time with you on the phone. Can't say enough good things about this store, money and time very well spent.
The staff is friendly and helpful most of the time. I've purchased several RC cars and accessories and have always been happy with the experience.
Last time I went in, around September 2020 nobody was wearing a mask. Neither staff nor customers, with about 10-12 people in the store. I won't be back until the pandemic is over.
This has to be the best shop hands down for gunpla, god hand tools, paints, everything you need under one roof! The staff are super friendly and go above and beyond to make sure you get what you need, plus they have a rewards program no other hobby shop in des Moines has. This is my goto destination for hobby needs, they carry alot rc cars, planes, model cars tanks, games everything you need.
I've recently gotten back into the rc world after 10+ years. Had visited other shops and made my purchases. To me customer service is a huge deal. Other shops in the area seem to have missed the mark on customer service and experience. I recently just made a purchase for what I call the last rc truck I'll ever own. I've come to this shop before for issues that other shops couldn't help me with. (Making me feel stupid and just talking down to me) and this shop and the group of guys working there were so helpful and kind to me (unlike other shops) Now I have to say I have built a great relationship with this shop in a very short period of time. They just treat you like you matter. They have an amazing selection, extensive experience, and very competitive prices! This will be the only shop I give my time or my money to. Stop in and see for yourself why I say this is the best shop in the Midwest. You guys seriously exceed my expectations and really made my experience so fun! Thank you!
Great prices , no need to go online, competitive even with Tower Hobbies. Great selection of replacement parts to keep you up and running. If anyone has an issue with low stock or no stock of a product, Dave will get it for you . It's not possible to be dialed in to a regional market when you just open a business, it takes some time to work that out, give them a chance and they will get what you need.
Never have a bad experience here. The staff helps as much as they can, and if they don't know the answer they will find it or ask one of the other staff. The parts selection is great for stock parts and they make sure to carry the basics for upgrades. If they don't have what you want, they will find it and order it for you and let you know when your product shows up. Over all I love having them in town, can't have enough hobby stores.
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