11 Hobby Stores In Illinois Where You Could Easily Lose An Entire Afternoon
Model train whistles, rattling dice, and the smell of fresh paint have a funny way of making the clock disappear in Illinois. All across the state, hobby shops still serve as cozy gathering places where kids, parents, and grandparents can browse side by side without spending a fortune.
Many offer free tables for play, shelves packed with tiny treasures, and staff who love sharing what they know. Here are 11 spots worth the drive when you want a cheap, easy outing that feels like a step back in time.
1. Leisure Hours Hobbies
Revving motors and shiny body shells set the mood the moment you walk into this Plainfield favorite along Lincoln Highway. Radio-controlled vehicles are the main event here, and the store keeps its shelves stocked with everything a driver needs to get rolling.
Beyond the RC aisle, you will find a broad mix of hobby supplies that keeps the browsing going well past what you planned. Glue, tools, kits, and small parts fill the space in a way that rewards slow wandering.
It is the kind of shop where time slips away without anyone noticing, and nobody seems to mind.
Families on a budget will appreciate that looking costs nothing. Kids can spend ages comparing trucks and picking out the one they want to save up for, which often turns into a fun lesson in patience.
Grandparents who remember building their first kit tend to feel right at home too.
Timing helps. Weekend afternoons draw the biggest crowds, while Monday and Tuesday daytime hours are much calmer for unhurried shopping.
The store opens at 11 AM most days, with an earlier 10 AM start on Saturdays. Note that Tuesdays close early at 4 PM, so plan around that before you make the trip to Will County.
2. Games Plus
Floor to ceiling, every inch of wall space seems to hold something to play with. Games Plus in Mount Prospect has been a fixture of the northwest suburbs for a long time, and its shelves show it.
Board games, miniatures, terrain pieces, dice in every color, and game systems of all kinds crowd the aisles. Whatever your table needs, the odds are good it is sitting here somewhere.
Newcomers can feel a little dazzled at first, but that is half the fun.
Head toward the back and you will find a large gaming area where groups settle in for hours. Watching a session in progress is free entertainment, and it often sparks ideas about which game to bring home for family night.
Free Wi-Fi adds another reason to linger.
The shop keeps generous hours, open 10 AM to 9 PM Monday through Saturday and until 7 PM on Sundays. Saturday afternoons and evenings get lively, so Tuesday or Thursday mornings are better for quiet browsing.
Free street parking nearby makes the stop easy on the wallet, and the downtown setting near Prospect Avenue means you can pair it with a walk around one of the friendliest little town centers in Cook County.
3. Just For Fun
Airbrush supplies in a game store? In Peoria, absolutely.
Just For Fun on North Sterling Avenue carries one of the deepest selections of hobby supplies in central Illinois, and painters notice right away.
Paints, basing materials, and airbrush gear share space with a huge range of tabletop games, miniatures, and card games. Painting a squad of tiny figures can become a whole weekend project, and this shop has the tools to make it happen without a second stop.
Players are well looked after too. Tables set aside for game play mean you can buy something and start learning it on the spot.
That stay-and-play setup turns a quick errand into a full afternoon, especially for kids eager to try what they just picked out.
Hours run 10 AM to 8 PM Monday through Thursday, stretching to 9 PM on Fridays and Saturdays, with a shorter noon to 5 PM window on Sundays. Saturday mornings and afternoons are the busiest stretch.
If you prefer room to roam, aim for a Tuesday or Thursday morning. For families in the Peoria area, it is an easy, low-cost outing that feels like discovering a treasure chest hiding in plain sight.
4. Chicagoland Games Dice Dojo
Edgewater has a secret weapon for rainy Saturdays, and it sits right on North Broadway. Chicagoland Games Dice Dojo pairs a massive selection of board games and trading card games with something even better: a large dedicated space for free play.
Free is the magic word for families watching their budget. Grab a seat, open a game, and the afternoon practically plans itself.
Groups of friends, parents with curious kids, and card players all share the room in a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.
The shelves themselves are a sight. Classic family titles sit near brand new releases, and trading card fans will find plenty to hunt through.
Browsing alone can eat up an hour before anyone even sits down.
Practical perks help, too. The store offers free Wi-Fi, a gender-neutral restroom, and a crowd that prides itself on being welcoming to everyone.
Hours run 10 AM to 10 PM Monday through Saturday and 10 AM to 7 PM on Sundays. Evenings and weekend afternoons fill up quickly, so mornings are best for calm.
Street parking, some of it free, is available nearby, and the Red Line makes it simple to arrive without a car.
5. Red Raccoon Games
Board games, trading cards, role-playing books, miniature painting supplies, and now LEGO sets. Red Raccoon Games in downtown Bloomington keeps adding reasons to stay a little longer.
Set on North Main Street, the shop offers a wide mix that suits nearly every kind of player in the family. A grandparent might gravitate toward a classic strategy game while a younger visitor makes a beeline for the bricks.
Everyone ends up with something to point at and say, I want that one.
The welcoming vibe matters here. The store is known as a safe, friendly space for all, with free Wi-Fi and a gender-neutral restroom.
That comfort makes it easy for newcomers to ask questions and try something unfamiliar.
Hours lean toward afternoons and evenings, opening at noon on weekdays and running until 10 PM. Saturdays start early at 9 AM and wrap up at 7 PM, which is also the busiest day by far.
Sundays run noon to 7 PM. Parking is a breeze, with a free garage and free street spots close by.
Pair a visit with a stroll through historic downtown Bloomington for an inexpensive McLean County day out.
6. Fantasy Books & Games
Room to breathe is rare in a hobby shop, yet Fantasy Books & Games in Fairview Heights has plenty of it. The sprawling layout along Highway 50 leaves generous space for both shopping and playing.
Comics fill one part of the store, while tabletop gaming supplies take over much of the rest. Miniature fans will find a solid inventory of figures and painting supplies, and the huge gaming area hosts trading card battles and tabletop miniature games alike.
Equally memorable is the atmosphere. The staff bring a fun, cheerfully nerdy energy that makes the place feel like a clubhouse instead of a store.
Questions get friendly answers, and first-timers are made to feel welcome.
For Metro East families, the long hours are a real plus. Doors open at 10 AM on weekdays and stay open until 10 PM, while weekends run 9 AM to 9 PM.
Wednesday and Friday evenings plus Saturday daytime tend to be busiest, so a weekday afternoon offers the calmest browsing. Free Wi-Fi rounds out the comforts.
Since watching a game or flipping through comics costs nothing, this St. Clair County stop makes a wonderful budget-friendly break on a chilly or rainy day.
7. Walt’s Hobby & Model Shop
Old-school hobby shops like this one are getting harder to find, which makes Walt’s in Crest Hill feel like a small gift. Located on Plainfield Road near Joliet, it is a large shop built around model trains and a wide variety of model kits.
Train fans can spend ages studying cars, tracks, and accessories. Builders will find shelves of kits, while remote control vehicles add another layer of temptation.
Paints and accessories for all of it are on hand, so projects can start the minute you get home.
The staff deserve their own mention. Their knowledge has a way of helping lapsed hobbyists rediscover a love they set aside years ago, and they are just as patient with youngsters starting their first build.
That kind of guidance is priceless for families.
Hours are friendly to working parents, with weekdays running 10 AM to 8 PM and weekends 10 AM to 5 PM. Sunday mornings into afternoons and Saturday afternoons draw the biggest crowds, while weekday mornings and evenings are much quieter.
For a Will County outing that mixes nostalgia with hands-on fun, a slow loop through these aisles is hard to beat.
8. Lombard Hobbies
HO and N scale railroaders, consider this your official warning: your wallet may not leave Lombard Hobbies quite as full as it arrived. The shop on St. Charles Place is famously well stocked, and that is meant as the highest compliment.
Model trains in the two most popular scales are the specialty here, with an impressive depth of locomotives, rolling stock, and supplies. Railroad books and general hobby items round things out, giving browsers plenty to flip through between train cases.
Lombard itself carries a railroad heritage, with the Union Pacific line running right through town. That connection makes a trip feel extra fitting, especially if you time it so the kids can catch a real train rolling past.
Plan your visit around the schedule. The shop opens 11 AM to 7 PM on weekdays and 10 AM to 5 PM on Saturdays, and it closes on Sundays.
Free Wi-Fi is available inside. For DuPage County families, it is an affordable way to introduce children to a classic hobby, since simply looking at the detailed little trains is free.
Many grandparents find it a lovely place to share stories about the train sets of their own childhoods.
9. HobbyTown
Rockford kids with big imaginations tend to drag their parents toward Alpine Road, and HobbyTown is usually the reason. Part of a well-known hobby chain, this location covers a lot of ground under one roof.
Model airplanes, remote-controlled cars and boats, games, puzzles, and action figures all share the aisles. Repair parts are on hand too, which is a lifesaver when a favorite RC car takes one tumble too many in the backyard.
Few stores in Winnebago County offer this kind of variety in one stop.
Helpfulness is a big part of the appeal. The owner and employees are known for pointing shoppers in the right direction, whether that means finding the perfect puzzle for a rainy day or the correct part for a stubborn repair.
Beginners feel supported rather than lost.
Hours run 10 AM to 6 PM on weekdays and 10 AM to 5 PM on Saturdays, with Sundays closed. Saturday afternoon is the busy rush, while weekday daytime hours are pleasantly quiet.
The shop is also known as a welcoming space for everyone. A puzzle or small kit makes an affordable souvenir that keeps the family entertained long after you head home.
10. America’s Best Train, Toy & Hobby Shop
Since 1992, this Itasca shop has been keeping the classic toy train store alive in the Chicago suburbs. Many longtime fans consider it the last of its kind in the area, and stepping inside explains why.
Trains of every type fill the shelves, from serious model railroad pieces to beloved wooden sets. Thomas Wooden Railway, Chuggington, and Brio items appear both new in box and preowned, which can make a younger engineer’s collection surprisingly affordable.
Rare finds turn up now and then, adding a little treasure hunt to every visit.
Beyond the tracks, quality toy lines, puzzles, and model kits keep non-train fans busy. Model paints are another strength, a welcome bonus for anyone finishing a layout or kit at home.
Hours run 10 AM to 5 PM on weekdays and 9 AM to 4 PM on Saturdays, with Sundays closed. That early Saturday start is perfect for a morning outing followed by lunch elsewhere in DuPage County.
Nostalgia runs deep here, and grandparents often love it as much as the little ones. Watching a child light up at a shelf of shiny engines is the kind of memory that sticks around for years.
11. Heroic Adventures
Artsy types, this last stop is for you. Heroic Adventures in Edwardsville boasts a large miniature collection along with the paints and tools needed to create your own characters and even whole tiny landscapes.
Those creations pair perfectly with the numerous tabletop games stocked on the shelves. Trading cards and graphic novels add even more variety, so comic readers, card collectors, and strategy fans can all find their corner.
Despite its cozy, little-shop feel, the selection runs impressively deep.
Friendly, helpful staff make a real difference. They are happy to steer beginners toward a starter set or explain how a game works, and the store is known as a welcoming, safe space for everyone.
Free Wi-Fi is available, too.
Generous hours make planning simple. Doors open at 10 AM every day, closing at 8 PM on Mondays and Sundays, 10 PM Tuesday through Friday, and 9 PM on Saturdays.
Thursday and Friday evenings and weekend afternoons bring the biggest crowds. Located on Century Drive in Madison County, it is an easy add-on to a day exploring Edwardsville, and painting a single miniature together makes a low-cost family project with plenty of laughs.