HOBBY CITY - Forgotten Roadside Attraction

In 1955 in Anaheim California, acres of Farmland became a themed attraction that was filled with guests from miles around! But I'm not talking about Disneyland, or even Knott's Berry Farm. I'm talking about the nearly forgotten HOBBY CITY! Growing up in Orange County, this was key attraction for families to visit, and of course for any hobbyist! Begun in the fifties by Jay and Bea DeArmond, it later expanded into a family hobby wonderland, with dozens of shops catering to every kind of craft and hobby imaginable at that time. Dolls, Teddy Bears, Coins, Gems, Baseball Cards, Models, Miniature Trains, Cake Decorating, Cabbage Patch Kids, Native American Crafts, Western Reenacting, Bud Hurlbut Trains, HOBBY CITY had it all! Having just survived a near fatal development sale in the beginning of the century, Hobby City never quite recovered. When I mention it, many people seem to have forgotten it existed or assume that it was bulldozed long ago. Thankfully, not so! This is the story of an amazing family business that if resurrected, would be one of the most popular family destinations in Southern California!
Another Randomland Adventure!
Wear: livefastdiepoor...
Contribute: / justinscarred
Discuss: sometimesmob.com

[@Moonbunny11235]

I remember the Cabbage Patch Store and Teddy Bear Shop! OMG! 😆 And one store had a bunch old fashioned candy. I LOVED Hobby City as a kid!😁

[@Ericland_Entertainment_Inc]

I remember that place from when I was 5 years old! I got to sit in the front of the train since my dad's friend worked there

[@jimbokay5696]

Another interesting spot with a past brought to light by Justin. Oh boy, I remember that Cabbage Patch craze....

[@derra349]

Thank you for this! I’ve been thinking about this place for 33 years since I moved away and so grateful you made this video!

[@queenjenene2128]

Ah Justin, tears to my eyes... discovered this place in 1999 with my 18 month son. As a matter of fact we drove by there yesterday (Friday) and I reminisced with my now 19 year old! I still love that place. I had my second son's 1st Birthday there. Thank-you Justin!

[@sandinoyes3882]

Many happy memories there. Grew up just down the road. In the early 60s my brothers used to race their slot cars on the big six lane curved track. Digging through old pics to find those pictures. Thank you for the smile I have right now😁

[@TrailsofCalifornia]

I drive by this theme park every day on my way to work and had no clue about the history of hobby city. Thanks for putting together this video! What an interesting past it's had! So glad to see these buildings are still standing. Would love to see an Adventure City video next!

[@victoriaguardino7243]

I love that you mentioned cabbage patch kids,my mom got me hooked on them. I still have my collection,they still make them.

[@aqureshi73]

I lived in Anaheim from 1985-92, worked at Knott's from '89-92 so I passed by Hobby City often. Been there many times, loved it! The shop with the electric trains was my favorite. At another shop there I bought an old Three Stooges comic book that is framed and on my wall as we speak! Thanks for this video, you're the best!

[@TheOCMarc]

I grew up in Orange County and never knew this place existed. Thanks for sharing.

[@wildweasel8564]

I grew up in Cypress in the 60's and my family visited Hobby City often. Back then the model shop had a huge slot car track that my brother was into while I enjoyed the rock shop. In more recent years the log cabin was an old west gun store.

[@MKCarol-ms7lg]

Thanks for the memories. Loved that place! So sad when I found it had closed. My son, now age 38, loved the model shop. My daughter, now age 25, enjoyed Adventure City.

[@daleparkes1570]

Back in the 1970's around 1975-1978 I visited Hobby City as I was into stamp collecting big time. Back then a dollar was worth a whole lot more than it is now.

[@fasteddieskustoms]

Good little history lesson. I remember the last time I took my kids to Adventure City and saying to myself some of these rides look like their from the Camp Snoopy from my childhood in the 80's

[@karendixon401]

Gosh...I have been by there many times and never knew any of this!😵🌸💕

[@RavenHawkes]

Oh man I've completely forgotten about Hobby City. I remember when they had a big blue and yellow sign back in the 80s. I use to ride my bike from my house on Beach and Orangewood not to far from there. Thanks for bringing back a forgotten memory.

[@richardsmith6682]

Loved the toy museum, and our son loved the train ride. Also a great hobby shop there. Bought a ton of stuff right before we moved to Louisiana. Then back. Missed the desert trips.

[@cigarman8671]

My Son and me really enjoy rt 66 over and over, we would really LOVE to see you do a series on small town carnivals and celebration tour on rt 66, I think everybody would enjoy seeing how different towns in different states celebrate. Thumbs Up 👍

[@SumDumGoi]

Hory Clap!!! Thank you x1,000,000 Justin!! Finally someone did a vlog about Hobby City. I must have mentioned this place to Adam a couple times. I was here practically everyday as a kid. I lived in the house down at the end of Starr St. you can see it from Beach blvd and Starr. My mom used to take a bunch of classes at the arts and craft store so I’d just hang out there. My cousin would buy her Cabbage Patch dolls there. I remember there was a frontier type store where I bought a rubber band gun and some Confederate money. I always wanted the gatling gun they had that shot rubber bands. I bought all my models and rockets there. I also remember the huge wooden sail ship they had at the model shop. I also found a broken arcade game in front of the piano store that a friend and I hauled back to his house on a piano dolly the store let us borrow. Major fail. I don’t remember anyone treating me kindly there but I loved going anyway. I hope Hobby City never goes away or I am going to be devastated. Thanks again for this vlog Justin. Made me relive my childhood.

[@ktroberts1687]

Oh my goodness! Now I’m wondering if I ever met you as a kid. I loved those puppet shows! So great!

[@insidedianeslife2456]

What a great idea. Make a hobby city. I would loved to have seen it in its hey day. I hope it stays. Thanks for sharing this.

[@aqureshi73]

This is great! We used to live a few miles away from there, so we went there many times. I loved the model trains. My aunt got into Cabbage Patch Kids from the get go and had a big collection, but I forgot they had a shop there. I bought an old Three Stooges comic book at one of the stores that is gone now. Still have it in a frame on my wall! Good memories...

[@Allisonmarie567]

The story about Aunt Tina was sweet and made me say “awww”. It reminded me of my sweet nephews who always tell me how much they love me. Cute. ☺️

[@talktothehandreviews]

I used to work there as a teenager! I worked mainly in the Doll & Toy museum with Bea and her sister LInda! I worked there for three years and they treated me like family! The upstairs part of the white house is a big long room and there are two different bedroom areas there. Bea used to host conventions there (Like the Shirley Temple and the Kewpie conventions). I want to tell you that Bea liked to create buildings for her family according to their hobbies! The Piano Store was for her son and daughter, the Flint Lock was the gun store which was for another daughter and her husband, The bear tree was created as a wedding gift for Bea's grand daughter and her husband! I worked there when they needed me as well. This was all long before Adventure City. I worked there when they had the Cabbage Patch, which was Alan Ansdell Jr.s enterprise! He was only in his late teens and he engineered the whole idea himself! There was also a small doll house there where we specialized in newer collector's dolls as Bea wanted the antique dolls in the White House and the newer ones in a separate area. Bea had really great stories and was a master business woman! She used to take her family and also myself a few times to dinner at Bob's Big Boy down on beach boulevard almost every night! The log cabin was built for another family member's wedding and yes it was a yarn store because that was what the couple liked! When I worked at the small doll shop, I worked with Bea's sister Linda and a wonderful lady named Mrs. Barnes. She was lovely to me and eventually when I left Hobby city to work as a waitress when I turned 18, she bought me a 'waitress Cabbage Patch doll'. Bea and her whole family, her daughter Yvonne, and her sister Linda and really everyone there treated me very well. When I left the doll shop Bea told me that I would always have a job there if I wanted one in the future. I don't even live in the US anymore but I am so glad that I can still find these great memories here! Thank you!

[@brucemundt8419]

As a teenager, my Explorer Post would stop by Hobby City on our way to Knott's Berry Farm all the time...There was not a trip we took that would be disappointing there...Between Model Railroading, Stamps and Guns, there was always something to see...And NOT to forget the Miniatures there too... :)

[@debbie90805]

When my nephew was young and not big enough for the bigger rides in Disney so some friends and I took him to Adventure City and he loved it, I loved the fact that it was small enough for me to get a cup of coffee and watch him on any ride and if it was slow the workers would let him ride the ride forever, there was even a giant turtle that was always escaping the petting zoo.

[@minutemark]

Justin, you're in my backyard now. It's strange to think of Hobby City as a road side attraction. It was just Hobby City. I used to ride my bicycle to Hobby City a couple of times a month. I usually bought a coin from the coin shop pr a stamp from the stamp shop every trip. There was a miniature train ride! I had forgotten it. Thanks! I see now that the track is still visible on Google Maps. Edit: You explained that the tracks were moved. It sucks getting older.

[@Riceball01]

Thanks for the video, Justin. I remember Hobby City growing up in Los Al and I'd visit all the time with my family. I have many fond memories of visiting that model shop when i was a kid and it's sad to see that almost all of the shops are now closed. I hope that it's able to make a come back eventually.

[@glessenger]

Have been there many times, good job! Thanks for the memories!

[@xicanageekgrrrl982]

OMG!!! My mom used to drag me there!!! I was telling my kids I wanted to see if it still existed!! The sea shell place!!!!!🥰 Hobby City!!!

[@lauriepelayo296]

We used to go there from the 1990s to 2000. Loved all the old hobby shops and the cabbage patch adoption center (my oldest favorite place). The museum was my favorite place ever. Thank you for sharing this very cool place's history.

[@Lewdle]

There is cabbage patch kid adoption center near where I live. Its a pretty neat place. Its called "Babyland General Hospital"

[@radar7792]

I drove in the pouring rain to Hobby City from Rialto to buy a Cabbage Patch Doll back during the Cabbage Patch craze

[@deboraholsen2504]

This is so great! I grew up only a mile from here in the 70s, and my Mom used to take us here and my earliest memory of this place is when I was about 4 years old. I loved all these buildings he’s talking about!!! (Or all the things found inside them!) My very favorite was the doll house store, with all you could want for a miniature wooden doll house with all the trimmings! But, since we couldn’t afford to buy a doll house, nor hardly anything else, most of the time I spent there was observing, dreaming, and wishing of what could be! So when they put in Adventure City in about 2003, my friend and I took our kids there, but I personally still loved the hobby buildings most. …There were so many different types of hobbies represented in all these buildings, so I found it really sad to learn from this video that the very interesting and beloved Hobby City is no longer!!! 😥 I only live 45 minutes from here now, but I didn’t know this about present day Hobby City because I usually avoid this area of OC now because of the congestion and more negative atmosphere than it had in the 1970s (or maybe that’s all I knew back then!) Anyway, I wish that Hobby City still existed! Many fun memories!!!

[@daleberg3453]

My friends and I used to ride our bikes there. That includes my wife who was my girlfriend back then I 1972. Her family moved away to Michigan. I found her in 2008. We married in June 2009. I flew back to Michigan, and we got married the next day. We hadn't seen each other since 1978. We all lived off of Ball and Magnolia. The model shop had a slot car racetrack. Then there was The Little Depot at the end. In the red brick building there was an unfinished HO train layout. At the front of the store they had an N Scale finished layout. I built a layout, and bought some buildings from the store. Thanks for bringing back a great memory.

[@kathleencallicott3472]

My daughter just mentioned a place she remembers that fixed teddy bears. Right away I knew she was talking about Hobby City. Had to look it up. She definitely adopted her first Cabbage Patch Doll there. Thanks for the memories!

[@karencurtiss4584]

Great video! I love the personal stories, and it was especially cool to hear that you were a puppeteer and a mascot there! Thanks for sharing about the Kermit puppet, too. All of these little details about you are fascinating, and they help us understand how you became such an interesting and talented person. Hopefully one day you'll get back inside that glorious half scale white house.

[@HarvilloDotCom]

Thank you! Countless memories from the 60s and early 70s. The slot car track was amazing!

[@LetYrLiteShine]

My mom's friend used to work in the there when it had a doll display. She had a huge collection of dolls, in fact she stole one of my barbie gowns. She used to use cheese wrappers for doll house windows and bendy straws for the rain gutters. She also claimed to be the first Minnie Mouse. I remember the piano store too. I took my kids to Adventure City a few months ago and it was alot of fun.

[@elizabethharkness9197]

I love that you are going to more local places in Southern California. I recall Hobby City/Adventure City as a kid as well. I loved the Native American Store and the Sea shell store the best.

[@vvarietyshow]

Growing up when we'd vacation to Disneyland, we'd sometimes go back and forth to Knott's and we'd take the long way and drive past this. I remember a Doll/Barbie Museum, but it's been so long!

[@littlemissbugs3442]

good memories

[@w.e.n8030]

I was born in 1954 and growing up hobby stores were everywhere. No there few and far between. I still stop in when I see one

[@aprilvannewkirk8761]

My sons grandma took my him to ride the train often in the early 90’s. He called it Happy City. My husband has a lot of memories there too.Thanks for the vlog.

[@robinwilmer3714]

I found this video when Googling Hobby City while going through my old doll receipts. I have a brochure, which when you open it has a map and the phone number for all 21 stores, plus restaurant. Justin mentioned the Ansdell family. They had a piano store and restaurant. The deep inside has a short description of each shop. There's some history too. Justin, where I can send you the brochure?

[@wlwal1]

Thanks Justin, a lot of old family history!

[@OnTheHighWatch]

The Slot Car track at Hobby City was my favorite. I still think about that place.

[@trevorrandom]

10 secs in and I"m already clicking that like button...

[@oliviaggallup]

So cool.

[@markraymond3886]

Wow, I’ve just had a few brain cells spark back to life. Hobby City in the 70s was great. My dad and I used to hit the coin shop, train store and model shops while my sister hit the doll stores. Great times.

[@bettytunnell3982]

I was just thinking of this place the other day. We took our kids in there in the late 80s during our vacations to Disney and Knotts Berry Farm. Having 2 girls they LOVED the cabbage patch hospital! They had a few of the original, larger cabbage patch dolls at that time. It was a lot of fun and a great way to spend and off day from the parks. Thanks for doing this video. Great memories! If I find any pictures I'll be sure to share :)

[@pappy4075]

Wow. Really cool To bad not operating now. Blows my mind used to be a chicken farm

[@UrSammich]

I do remember that area vaguely. My family took me and my sister I believe once, maybe a few other times. As far as my current memory serves, I think we have a few photos from that area in the 90s, but I think most of the photos I know of are in the mini theme park.

[@carlyakaj5119]

I loved going here as a young kid, my family would go here or Knotts on a family day. Once it closed every time I drove by my heart was full of memories to this wonderful place!

[@vikingshelm]

Man..I remember all of this....this is awesome.

[@Nadia-wu1ly]

I remember having a birthday party at Adventure City when I was little ! (:

[@nicke.5036]

Thank you for taking the time to overlay the old pictures with the new footage. Really cool.

[@SuperLQQK]

I wish I could give 100 thumbs up. That was super interesting and the fact you have a personal history with the place makes for an even better story.

[@nostalgicfool3082]

Dan owned both the model shop and the train shop "The Little Depot". I was a regular between 1977 and 1985. I sure miss the Little Depot with its creaky floors and old school feel. Happy Days to all.

[@alexandraclark1026]

this video broke my heart. I grew up in hobby city! I also remember my 8th birthday at adventure city.

[@vikingshelm]

Used to go to Hobby City all the time. We went to the chocolate shop to make chocolates and learn about baking cakes. We went to the leather shop, and we made cool stuff for scouts. We also used to go to the doll museum.

[@angiebear9869]

Omg! Thank you so much for going here this is my childhood!

[@maddycorrasa]

Now I remember this place.

[@steved3387]

Justin, HUGE MEMORIES!I grew up in La Palma, When my mother was at work, my dad would take me and my brother (we were about 10 and 13 at the time...)to Hobby City. They had a music store that sold pianos... I remember a BIG room full of grand pianos! We lived and grew up there from 1974 to 1990. Beach Blvd was my summer stomping ground. I used to "cruise" Beach Blvd every Friday and Sat night in my 65 lowered VW bug when I was 17. When I was in Jr High, I would take the bus to the beach (with my boogie board) - at least 3-4 times a week... I distinctly remember a CB shop right next door to Hobby City.- It was a magical place... though I NEVER remember a lot of people ever being there... Seems it hasn't changed much. I hope it stays and survives. THANK YOU for a trip down home town area memory lane!

[@chrism5281]

I love your enthusiasm when you remember your childhood, you're awesome, thanks for sharing

[@tlm6158]

I remember back in the late 80's, maybe early 90's buying my first Cabbage Patch doll there and a Make Your Own Moccasins Kit at the Native American shop. My godsons were in the scouts and got a lot of supplies in there, as well. Neat trip down memory lane. Thanks Justin for another great video!

[@greggirons67]

My family would go to Hobby City quite often back in the 70s & 80s! When we were younger my brother and I would ride the train! The model shop had a huge slot car track in it until about 1980 or so, they took it out to make way for the new RC Car kits and parts lines ... I bought allot of model kits in Century Models, my older sister would shop at the Native American shop often and my mom would get supplies at the cake decorating shop! Thanks for doing this video, Justin!

[@PhotoGearFun]

Good stuff! Keep up thegreat work.

[@janerucker3115]

I remember Hobby City from the late 80s, early 90s. My business partner's mother used to live in Leisure World in Seal Beach. Many Saturday mornings we would drive from our home in Corona to pick up her mom, then spend the day traveling all over the local area. Much time was spent going through the stores at Hobby City and relaxing to watch the little train take its happy little travelers around the park. Great video. Brings back good memories. Thanks for sharing. I really enjoy your channel.

[@MarkVerstappen93]

Seems like a pretty interesting place. Must've been cool to go to back in the day. Solid plan with the tiny theme park, but I guess it didn't work out fully.

[@jessicameyer6642]

Grew up in La Mirada and remember going to Hobby City as a kid. My dad bought me a rock tumbler from the gem shop. Great place!

[@CosplayCore]

Muppets!!!!! I LOVED Kermit when I was a little girl.

[@wickedlyJess]

I’ve lived in the OC my entolde and I’ve always wondered what this place was I’m so happy you made this video

[@djacgators1]

You should go to Cleveland Ga someday to see The Babyland General Hospital.

[@stevemellin5806]

Very cool I ck it out last year . have a great weekend thank you

[@titanicboy4911]

ANOTHER AWSOME ADVENTURE WITH JUSTIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@mdotter03]

OMG I remember Hobby City! My Mom and Dad used to take me the late 80s, early 90s. My Mom and Sister time spent the time at the Cabbage Patch Store and western store. While My Dad and I went through the Sports, Model Train and Collectibles store. at Hobby City. We used to have a small picnic to watch the train take people around. I know in the late 90s going to GI Joe trade shows there, They built a kid friendly theme park there. Justin, you brought back some good memories.

[@MyWestiesTV]

I had no idea ,very interesting . Thanks for the information .

[@CrazyforTrouble]

Good place for a meet up. Get the fans to come see you and for them to bring their money to support the little gem of a place.

[@ScooterMcNoodle]

Holy cow! I was just wondering if that place was still around! Been 40 years since I've been there! My old man and I went there often for model railroad supplies. That's where my sisters daddy issues were born when he ignored her begging for a new doll and bought a new locomotive for us instead. Sorry sis! Thanks for the vid Justin!

[@Stingray4]

Love learning alot of these facts about different places. Keep up the great work.

[@vickiechandler3112]

that was cool to learn about

[@paulharms7102]

I live in Florida now, but I grew up in Socal. I spent many weekends at Hobby City. Especially the baseball card shop, and around trains.

[@BB.halo_heir]

Great video, thanks Justin! Thanks for sharing the tales of young justin with us 😊😊

[@missycat5783]

You tell a great story!!

[@mlucas7837]

I used to go there for the baseball cards and to stare at the model cars and stuff. The problem with most hobbies is they get ruined by "collectors". The .35 cent packs of baseball cards I could afford as a kid were worthless. The model cars and trains were too expensive as well. I think the place failed because most kids couldn't afford it and it didn't keep up with the times. It's sad.

[@angies8631]

Omg so cool to know the history about it! We somehow found it through a friend a while back ago since we have little ones. Surprising to me since I grew up in o.c and never heard anything about it till I was about 23 I'm 26 now!. My kids love that place! Thanks for the awesome video!😊

[@CannTankerous]

We loved Hobby City! We grew up in Fullerton and started going in the early-mid '70s-mostly for the models, HO trains and slot cars. I built car, ship and plane models and raced HO slot cars at home. When my friend and I were about 14 we got into racing the larger slot cars on the big track there that took up the whole back wall. It was awesome-those cars hauled. I still have the cars and controllers in my old Oak car-carrier. I would love to see some pictures of it if anybody could hunt some up. Does anybody remember Frank that worked there? He was really cool to us kids. We went less often when we started driving and got into cars. I moved away in '89 and then came back for a cpl years. I drove over a cpl times around '90-'91 before moving away again. Good times.

[@thegrimkeeper3]

Looove when you hit up stuff like this! Keep up the good work bud!

[@juniperlee2004]

I love the footnote about the piranha- LOL.

[@johnsonfamilyvidsvlogs3745]

My friend is a magician that works there. I remember the pet shop.

[@NikkisCupcake]

so funny you worked at Adventure City, I did too. Back in 2008 I was a ride operator there. I live in Texas now so it’s nice to see youtubers go around that area since I used to live like 5 mins away from there.

[@jimg7647]

I remember Hobby City. I remember going to the model shop but very pricey, the train shop and the gun shop. This was in the 80's and 90's. Sad to see it from even 5 years ago. My guess it doesn't exist any more. I remember Adventure Land going in but barely. moved to Texas nearly 20 years ago and was just thinking about the place

[@nillasoulchild]

I vaguely remember seeing a brochure for that Cabbage Patch Adoption Center in the lobby of a hotel we stayed at during a trip to Disneyland 20 something years ago. I have been trying to find out where and what exactly it was for a while, but now I know. Thanks, Justin!

[@TimNoel2]

I used to live right around the corner from there and growing up we'd go there all the time. I bought a train set from there. Back then there was no Adventure City, just a train ride. And we rode it all the time.

[@donnytucker]

Beary good video!

[@80sforever589]

Omg thank you for this video , I always wanted to go to the cabbage patch kid place here , so sad it’s gone 💔 very envious of your memories of it all here , wish I had a time machine , great vid btw 👍🏻

[@grannyvapes4154]

I used to take my kids to Hobby City. We all had teddy bears from there and used to work on miniatures from there. Sorry to see it disappearing.

[@xdialga361445x]

Oh yeah Adventure city i have been there when i was younger I remember there being a puppet show that you mentioned in the video.

[@mayspondmogul]

Hobby city I kept thinking UHF Spatula City!lol That place is cool I bet even more rad in the 80s! I have a similar place Country Village weve gone to since the 80s near my house in Seattle but developers might tear it down and build homes😣 Iam home and later on I will schleep well!ha Thanks Justin

[@DizGrl]

Wow! All the times we've gone to Anaheim and drove around everywhere, we never went there and I wish we would have. Great vid Justin! Grover was my favorite muppet. I had a muppet and a plushie of Super Grover.