The Hobby Shop marks 30-year run
Aberdeen business known for supporting community
BY ERIN O. STATTEL Staff Writer

Staff joined Hobby Shop owners Marvin and Arlene Schutzer for a group photo.

ABERDEEN — To mark three decades of putting smiles on the faces of collectors, aficionados and enthusiasts, the Hobby Shop recently hosted several days of celebration.

"The most important part of this … was the fact that this celebration was created for the purpose of thanking the many customers who have continued to support the store and make it the success that it has become over these years," said Hobby Shop employee Cathy Zavorskas.

The shop, located at 1077 C Route 34 in the Aberdeen Town Square Shopping Center, marked the milestone with appearances by different hobby industry leaders and had activities for adults and children of all ages.

According to Zavorskas, to highlight the toy trains that draw collectors from the Bayshore area and beyond, the shop hosted "All Aboard Day" with Mike Wolf, president and founder of MTH Electric Trains, on Sept. 12 to give demonstrations and autograph a limited-edition run of a 30th anniversary Hobby Shop box car.

The Hobby Shop of Aberdeen celebrated 30 years of service to the community with a weekend celebration that included face painting, prizes and speakers from the hobby industry.

Zavorskas said that Aberdeen Mayor David Sobel and council members Owen Drapkin and Janice Gallo presented Hobby Shop owners Marvin and Arlene Schutzer with a proclamation for their commitment and involvement in the community. Zavorskas said that the business has contributed to a wide variety of organizations and causes over the years.

"A PTO representative and children from the Aberdeen School District came to give a gift to the Schutzer family for their involvement in helping sell their Neighbors for Education cards that generated tens of thousands of dollars over the course of several years," Zavorskas said. "The gift included a tri-board displaying all the items purchased for the schools due largely in part from the proceeds of the card."

Zavorskas said that Matawan Regional High School art students also presented the Schutzers with a gift, to express their gratitude for the Schutzers' support of the art program at the high school.

"Sunday morning a big red ribbon adorned the closed doors and then was ceremoniously cut to symbolize the beginning of the next 30 years of the Hobby Shop, and the high school students presented their gift," she said.

The shop began to take shape when Arlene Schutzer decided she wanted to earn her own "extra money" and get out of the house on the weekends back in 1975.

"Her husband, Marvin, became 'Mister Mom' on weekends while working in the computer field weekdays and commuting to Manhattan. Arlene would go to Englishtown in the early morning, purchase bargains in specialty glassware, come home and clean them up," Zavorskas said. "Then she would go to a flea market in Keansburg to sell her stuff."

Arlene Schutzer said that she feels a strong connection to the shop.

"It's like entering my house," Arlene said of the family's business. "I want it clean, I want to help customers — they are my guests — and I want to help them find what they need. I want to find the best manufacturers and feel proud about what we sell."

Zavorskas said that Marvin and the couple's two sons found hobbies that interested the children and kept themselves occupied while Arlene earned the family extra money.

"Their oldest son got into collecting old and new baseball cards and their youngest was into remote-controlled cars and trucks," Zavorskas explained. "Each week the three men worked at their hobbies while Arlene provided them with some extra cash. This process continued for a couple of years until the Keansburg flea market was sold, so Arlene found a flea market closer to home."

That spot, Zavorskas said, was in Aberdeen in the Strathmore Shopping Center. The rest is Hobby Shop history. Today, Zavorskas said, the Hobby Shop sells a variety of goods aimed at enthusiasts of all ages.

"We sell model trains, sports memorabilia, trading and gaming cards and comics. We have a whole science department, a radio control department, departments for Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts," Zavorskas said. "We also sell toys and games for special-needs children. For example, we look for games that help aid development such as in speech or hearing and motor skills."

Marvin Schutzer sums up the store's sentiment best.

"We've been very fortunate and feel the need to give back to those that really can use a boost," he said. "We've worked hard and long to build up what we have, but we've enjoyed every memory."

For more information on the Hobby Shop, visit www.hobbyshopnj.com.