Rudy’s Hobby & Art

As a kid, I loved to make models of planes and ships. I’m not sure how long Rudy’s has been in Astoria, but I could imagine visiting this place almost daily as a kid. I wouldn’t be surprised if my parents conspired to keep its existence a secret from me.
I was wide-​eyed as I looked at model kits for plane, trains, automobiles, and ships. There were sci-​fi models (Star Wars, Star Trek), and I think even monster models, as well as toys.
Rudy also sells used books. In my last visit, I purchased 4 books for $ 1 each. No, they weren’t in the best condition, but they were a great buy for the price. He also sells vinyl records. For a small place, it has a lot of stuff.
Rudy is also a very nice guy. He is very knowledgeable and willing to answer your questions. He treats his customers right.
In an era of chain stores, this place is truly a gem.

As a recent transplant to Queens I’ve been making an effort to explore my surroundings and see what the area has to offer. Since I’ve got a little more free time than I have had in the past, I decided it would be a good opportunity to get back to building models like I did when I was young. I discovered Rudy’s here on Unilocal and my visit there was like walking back into my childhood. Online shopping has all but killed the local hobby stores in my native Toledo (I used to frequent three until they fell to big box competition like Michael’s and Hobby Lobby), but in this oasis I remembered the joys of being able to see and feel the product before I bought it.
Rudy’s is a little storefront wedged into a charming street in Astoria. Most people blissfully walk by, giving not so much as a glance to the wares displayed in the window or the elderly storekeeper who sits just outside and takes in the summer breeze. But if you’re anything like me and love the quiet satisfaction of piecing together miniatures of military hardware, this unassuming little shop will likely offer something of interest.
Navigate the narrow aisles slowly, as various items are piled up in haphazard (though oddly coherent) manner and going to quickly might cause you to miss something interesting. There’s a lot to take in: large collection of military and civilian aircraft, nearly as many model cars, tanks and miniature soldiers, and a smattering of ships and science fiction subjects. Model airplanes hang from the ceiling, model trains and paint line the outer walls, there’s puzzles, toys, and strangely enough, religious décor available as well. The register is so old it might literally be older than the man who works it. If you’re looking for «quaint» Rudy’s has it in spades. This place is truly like walking into the past, before the various .coms put the mom-​and-​pops to the knife.
Unfortunately, I haven’t spent a lot of time at Rudy’s and I certainly hope that it will remain in business long enough for me to get to know the store more intimately. I decided on a US Coast Guard patrol boat to keep me entertained and a few odds and ends I would need. The old man (Marvin, I believe) was kind enough to allow me to open the package and take a look at the paint list in the instructions. He also assisted a pair of ladies in their shopping as well. The hours are limited (only open four days out of the week, I’m assuming because the business is slow and I doubt he has any employees, save himself) and I wouldn’t go in expecting to be able to purchase anything on a debit card, but I think that adds a certain archaic charm to the store.
Building miniatures is something of a dying hobby, unfortunately. There’s still people, like myself, that sometimes gets frustrated with our current world of instant gratification. Sometimes, I would rather put down the video games and put my efforts into something more tactile. If given the chance, some people might discover that it can be more satisfying to create something like an airplane or a tank rather than push around a digital avatar of one on a computer screen. If you’re one of those people, you will see that Rudy’s is a hidden gem, a rarity that will only prove rarer in the years to come.

This place twice has had exactly what I wanted. The shop takes me back to another time, an easier time, a time where cell phones didn’t exist where you just had fun and didn’t worry abut shit. The store is incredidble organized and they have something for everyine.

Really cool store still hanging on
, despite or because of the friendly, nonchalant proprietor owner kicking back reading. Check ahead before planning to visit, and know they’re closed Sun-​Tues.

Rudy is the man and thats all you need to know.

Charming little corner of Astoria that is a throwback to my childhood. Rudy, the friendly, easygoing boss-​man, is a native of New York City, and has witnessed first-​hand the changes that have come to Astoria in particular, and New York as a whole. Great guy to talk to, and has plenty of tips to offer, be it about scale modeling or living life.
Rudy stocks all the manner of plastic model kits, ranging from Tamiya Armor to Revell’s World War II fighters. Everything is very reasonably priced, and the selection is mind-​boggling; it’s been years since I saw a hobby store with as much variety as Rudy’s.
Note: Rudy offers Tamiya acrylics and plastic cements, putty, etc, at a very competitive price. Even Amazon and eBay don’t have such good prices on these products. Plan to come here frequently, especially if you are into scale modeling!

This shop gains a few stars for its old timey charm, a few for having probably one of the city’s last collections of model kits and a few more for just existing in a world of Duane Reades and Subway sandwich places.
It’s absolutely worth stopping in. Times have changed and few kids are building model airplanes or having train sets, but you’d be surprised how easy it is to come out of here with some impulse buy that’ll lead to an afternoon of fun adventure. I’ve gotten a kite, rubber band powered airplanes or dowels to stage lightsaber fights with.
Plus they also sell used books and art supplies.
A true unique gem in a world that’s increasingly homogenized.

This store is the last of its kind. You’ll be helped by the owner, Rudy, who is perhaps the embodiment of Christmas spirit. It’s cash only — as he says, «I haven’t caught up with this century.» Trains, planes, automobiles — all sorts of models. I went there for modge podge and wood materials for making tabletop easels. You’ll get what you need, he won’t try to oversell you, and you’ll fall in love with the place. It’s the kind of shop you want to support with your business. I’ll absolutely be back. Just call ahead to check his hours for the day.

A gem of a store. It’s very small but has some good and basic art supplies — a rarity in Astoria. I purchased acrylic paints and brushes.
Most of the supplies are acrylics and watercolors, there are sketch pads and pre stretched canvases of various sizes and model paints. There are lots of model planes, trains and cars. Miniatures for mini towns. Super fun.
I loved the religious sculptures which are really beautiful.
Looking forward to my next visit already.

Rudy is a sweetheart. There aren’t many mom ‘n’ pop style little stores like this left. It reminds me a little of going to Woolworth’s as a kid. Store is full of art supplies, model train making supplies, balsa wood, dowels, puzzles and collectable car and plane model kits. So far I’ve gotten antique school books, a glass jar with a Gibson Girls pattern, an adorable kite and tiny ¹⁄₃₂ scale model people. Fun for people who craft things with their hands or have kids who like highly focused activities.

Popped into Rudys hoping to find a frame for a project without knowing what was beyond the front doors. I was greeted by Rudy himself and an array of model trains, planes, jigsaws, remote control cars… you name it, if you put it together in the 90’s, it’s in this store! Such a lovely blast from the past, I’ll be back!

Best hobby shop in Queens: model trains, plane kits, toy cars, paints, miniatures, puzzles, some used books and bric-​à-​brac for sale and tons of other cool stuff packed in this old time shop. Incredibly nice owner, an Astoria treasure!!!

Husband retired and we went to astoria visiting my mom 94 yrs old found Rudy’s and what a delight a dying breed– we will lament the day the store closes it’s doors. He kept apologizing for barking at me as we first entered as he was leaving to replace broken Xmas lite he had just purchased and was irritated and frustrated. I’m a grouch too at times. I wasn’t offended after all, I had to put up with eight children we raised. try that for frustration!, he was kind enough to go back and let us in. getting old isn’t for sissies everything bothers you everyone is annoying because energy if you have it, is spent On yourself to just navigate the world. So just ignore and empathize. I bought art supplies to tinker with while I am in Queens. after some encouragement, my hubby bought models he could have easily bought on the internet but then we would have missed all the fun chatting with the owner and dusting off the various models — - piled high with wonder women jets trains and stuff what a delight I was tempted to build something myself!
A real blast from the past! Who needs a time machine when we have Rudy’s!
30^th Ave, Long Island City, NY
(718) 545‑8280

All sorts of stuff in here but I left with a bunch of records for a steal. Don’t be fooled by the condition of the sleeves, the vinyl for each one I got was actually in great condition and they sound beautiful. The owner is a really good guy. He’s exactly as you would imagine the owner of a place like this to be in the best way possible.

A decent selection of art supplies, fun/​weird tchotchkies, and the man who owns the store is very friendly and kind. The atmosphere is very old-​timey, which is why I love this store. The hours aren’t amazing, but the owner isn’t too young, so it’s totally pardonable.

An incredible time-​machine of a store. The right side is dedicated to the typical hobbyist bric-​à-​brac — model trains, kits, etc– the left side features various religious paraphernalia. The owner keeps hours that make a bank look industrious, something along the lines of 12 – 4 5 days a week. From the dusty faux-​wood paneling to the low hanging 50s lights, It’s clear this place is a labor of love and one of the last vestiges of the old Astoria. You better check this place out before it gets swallowed up by the oncoming flood of hipster pubs and disco-​balled hookah lounges.

From building model cars for fun, to DNA models and biospheres in high school, to getting through long summers as a child with puzzles, paints, and modeling sticks this place was definitely helped to make all that that happen.
This is a place to keeps tabs on if you’re into art and creativity.

A one-​of-​a-​kind shop. A former ice cream shop circa ’50/‘60s, then it became a hobby shop without removing the wooden food counter. Then came the second hand items like the old ’70/80’s paperbacks. Then came the religious items. The religious items are more like beaded crucifixes, crosses, and Catholic statues. As of this time, Rudy’s sells all three: hobby items, secondhand items and Catholic décor.

Even though I am not a model builder, I love Rudy’s and hope it remains untouched by «progress». The shop used to be an old school ice cream parlor back in the day, but I don’t remember it being anything other than a hobby shop my entire life. I haven’t been in there in a good while, but if I recall, they still had the old wooden ice cream parlor counter. The owner sells all sorts of hobby stuff and art supplies, baseball cards and weird random stuff and some secondhand books. It is quite eclectic. I once snagged a worn paperback copy of a book I loved as teenager for 50 cents, it was out of print and would have cost me a lot more on Ebay.
Rudy’s is a cool little place that gives Astoria some flavor amongst the blandness of 99 Cent Stores and banks. I hope the owner is able to pass the place on to someone who will maintain it when he retires.

I love this hobby store, I can get everything I need to make my models. If they don’t have something, Rudy can order for you (though sometimes you have to keep asking whereabouts… haha) Don’t let the show window scare you, they are not some crazy store selling random things. If you actually go inside, you may notice that it’s actually a hobby store, not a religious store or second hand goods store (thou he sells those things on the side) Used to be an ice cream shop, now a hobby store, regardless of your age you will find something to take home.