One Of Arizona’s Most Unexpected Hobby Shops Is Hiding Inside An Ace Hardware

Spouses usually dread hardware store runs, but my significant other actually has to drag me out of ours now. Most people go looking for lawnmowers and lightbulbs, yet I somehow always find myself wandering past the lumber and straight into a secret sanctuary for hobbyists.

There is something delightfully bizarre about buying heavy-duty duct tape in aisle four and then debating which high-tech drone to pilot by aisle seven. This weirdly wonderful slice of Arizona retail magic proves that you can fix your leaky kitchen sink and build a scale-model pirate ship on the exact same lunch break.

This beloved destination has been quietly growing inside a hardware store since 1962, and today it draws enthusiasts from across Arizona who come searching for model kits, RC vehicles, model trains, and so much more.

If you have ever doubted that a hardware store could double as a hobby paradise, this place will absolutely change your mind.

A Hardware Store With A Surprising Secret

Most people walk into a hardware store thinking about fixing a leaky pipe or finding the right size bolt. Nobody expects to find themselves suddenly surrounded by Gundam kits, model trains, and remote-controlled planes before they even reach the paint aisle.

Yet that is exactly what greets you at The Hobby Place at Ace in Tucson, Arizona. The store sits at 7071 E 22nd St and carries the proud distinction of being the first Ace Hardware to open west of the Mississippi River, back in 1962.

Over the decades, the Findysz family built something far beyond a typical hardware shop. They spotted a gap in the local market as specialty hobby retailers closed their doors, and they stepped up to fill it.

Today the building spans between 50,000 and 60,000 square feet, with the hobby section claiming a growing and impressive share of that space. Walking in feels less like running a quick errand and more like discovering a well-kept neighborhood treasure that has been hiding in plain sight all along.

The Family Behind The Magic

Behind every great destination is a story worth telling, and the one behind The Hobby Place at Ace is genuinely heartwarming. Joe and Toni Findysz founded the original Ace Hardware location back in 1962, and their family has been nurturing it ever since.

The store is now run by Joe and Kelly Findysz, who have carried that founding spirit forward with real passion. The hobby expansion did not happen overnight. As specialty hobby shops around Tucson began closing or shrinking their offerings, the family recognized what the community was losing.

Rather than watching hobbyists lose their local resource, they made the bold decision to grow that section of the store themselves.

A key player in that expansion was DJ Bell, the family’s son-in-law, whose deep enthusiasm for remote-controlled planes, cars, and boats helped shape what the RC section looks like today. His hands-on knowledge brought authenticity and depth to that part of the store.

When a business is driven by genuine passion rather than pure profit, customers can feel the difference the moment they walk through the door.

The World Of Model Railroads

There is something almost meditative about model railroading. The tiny locomotives, the miniature towns, the careful placement of every tree and signal light, it all adds up to a hobby that rewards patience and imagination in equal measure.

The Hobby Place at Ace takes this world seriously, stocking an extensive range of model railroad items across multiple scales. Shoppers can find trains in Z, N, HO, O, and G scales, meaning everything from the tiniest tabletop layouts to large garden-ready setups is represented.

The store’s layout even incorporates display elements that let you see how different scales compare in person, which is genuinely helpful when you are trying to decide where to start. Model railroading has a devoted community in Tucson, and this shop serves as one of its most reliable gathering points.

Spotting a fellow train enthusiast browsing the same aisle is practically a guarantee on any given afternoon.

RC Vehicles That Thrill Every Age

Remote-controlled vehicles have a magnetic pull that is almost impossible to resist, no matter how old you are. The RC section at The Hobby Place at Ace is one of its most energetic corners, stocked with planes, cars, and boats that range from beginner-friendly to seriously advanced.

Credit for much of this section’s depth goes to DJ Bell, whose personal enthusiasm for the hobby shaped its growth over the years.

The store does not just sell the vehicles and send you on your way. A full setup and repair service is available, which matters enormously for anyone who has ever watched a brand-new RC plane take its first and only flight into a cactus.

Having knowledgeable staff on hand to help with repairs and tuning keeps the hobby accessible rather than frustrating.

Tucson’s wide open spaces and dry desert climate make it a surprisingly great location for flying and driving RC vehicles outdoors. Picking up your next RC project here, with expert guidance available right at the counter, turns what might feel like a complicated purchase into a genuinely confident one.

Paints, Tools, And Everything In Between

A great hobby shop is only as good as its supplies section, and this is where The Hobby Place at Ace quietly earns serious respect from builders and painters alike.

The store carries an extensive range of paints, from standard acrylic sets to specialty formulas suited for fine detail work on miniatures and scale models. Brushes, airbrush equipment, and finishing supplies round out the painting corner nicely.

For builders, the materials selection is equally thoughtful. Balsa wood, basswood, adhesives, cutting mats, and precision tools are all stocked in quantities that suggest the store actually understands what modelers need rather than just guessing.

Finding the right thickness of sheet balsa without having to order online is a small but genuinely satisfying experience. Miniature figures also have their own dedicated space, appealing to tabletop gaming fans and diorama builders who need detailed characters to populate their scenes.

The overall supplies section functions like a well-curated art store aimed specifically at the hands-on creative crowd. For hobbyists who hate waiting on shipping, having all of this available locally is a practical advantage that keeps them coming back.

Rockets, LEGO, And Unexpected Finds

One of the genuine pleasures of browsing The Hobby Place at Ace is turning a corner and finding something you did not expect.

Rocket kits occupy their own satisfying section, appealing to the scientifically curious and those who simply love the idea of launching something skyward under their own power. Model rocketry has a long and enthusiastic following, and seeing dedicated shelf space for it here feels like a nod to that tradition.

LEGO sets add another layer of accessibility, pulling in younger visitors and parents who might not consider themselves hobbyists but are happy to build something creative with their kids on a Sunday afternoon.

The sets available tend to span a range of themes and complexity levels, making the section useful for gift shopping as much as personal browsing.

These unexpected product categories are part of what makes this store feel curated rather than random. Every item on the shelf seems to belong to a broader philosophy: that building things with your hands is worthwhile, regardless of your age or experience level.

Stumbling across a rocket kit you had forgotten existed is exactly the kind of small joy this store delivers regularly.

The Atmosphere That Keeps People Coming Back

Retail spaces can feel clinical and impersonal, but The Hobby Place at Ace manages to avoid that trap entirely. The atmosphere here leans closer to a community gathering spot than a standard store, which is a harder thing to achieve than it sounds.

Enthusiasts linger, compare notes, and occasionally talk shop with staff members who clearly know what they are talking about from firsthand experience.

The store is open seven days a week, from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, which means weekend explorers and weekday regulars alike can work it into their schedule without much planning.

The consistent hours reflect a genuine commitment to being available for the community rather than operating on a reduced or unpredictable timetable.

The sheer scale of the space, somewhere between 50,000 and 60,000 square feet for the full building, means the browsing experience never feels cramped or rushed.

There is always another aisle to explore, another display to examine, and another product category you had not thought to look for. That sense of endless discovery is what transforms a shopping trip into something that feels closer to an outing.

Planning Your Visit To This One-Of-A-Kind Shop

Getting to The Hobby Place at Ace is straightforward. The store sits at 7071 E 22nd St, Tucson, AZ 85710, in a part of the city that is easy to reach by car with plenty of parking available.

Tucson’s sunny, dry climate means the drive over is almost always pleasant, and the wide streets in that part of town make navigation simple even if you are visiting for the first time.

Arriving with a rough idea of what you are looking for helps, but leaving that plan flexible is equally smart. The store has a way of redirecting your attention toward something you did not know you wanted until you saw it on the shelf. Budget a little extra time for browsing beyond your original errand.

Staff members are knowledgeable and approachable, so asking questions is always worth it, especially in the RC section where setup advice can save you a lot of trial and error later.

Whether you are a lifelong hobbyist or someone who just stumbled in while looking for a hardware item, The Hobby Place at Ace has a genuine talent for turning first-time visitors into enthusiastic regulars.