I can’t find a website for Viking Hobby, only a few listings in online phone “books” and such. I give out their business cards all the time, but I need an online listing that’s easy to find and uncluttered by a bunch of advertisements. So here it is!
Viking Hobby
916-483-6885
4713 El Camino Ave.
Carmichael, Ca 95608
![[ Yahoo! Map ]](https://sonicchicken.net/blog/wordpress/wp-content/plugins/jetpack/modules/lazy-images/images/1x1.trans.gif){kind=small}
They’re open Monday-Friday 10:30-6:00 PM and Saturday-Sunday 11:00-5:00 PM.
If you’ve coming east on El Camino, be advised that you cannot make a left into their parking lot–the road is divided right there, so you’ll have to continue down to Greenfield Way and make a U-turn. Alternately, you can go north on Mission past El Camino, and go around the block: right on Hazelwood, right on Greenfield, right on El Camino, then into the parking lot. It sounds like a pain in the ass, but if traffic on El Camino is heavy, it’s much easier than a U-turn!
They stock boardgames,
miniatures,
models,
historical reference material, paints and painting supplies,
all kinds of good stuff!
I’ve been patronizing this store for about 25 years (!), introduced my kids to boardgaming, miniature painting, and model building here. If they don’t have what you’re looking for, they can usually order it for you reasonably quickly. Tell Jess or Mark that Jim from the Boardgames Meetup says “Hi!”
Huh. I knew that name sounded familiar when everyone was talking about the place at a boardgame meetup a while back. I work about half a mile from there. Guess I have no excuse not to check it out, then.
Go for it, Nicholas! I forgot to mention that they give a 10% discount on games. (I don’t know if it applies to anything else, since I mostly just buy games there.)
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This store has totally swung my opinion on buying games locally versus buying them online. It is nice to be able to go into a store and talk board games. They are great about special ordering games for you, as well. I look forward to heading over there today to pick a copy of Caylus.
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Yay for Viking Hobby!
Reminds me, I need to call and stock up on new games again. 🙂
Viking Hobby is a awesome resource for model building of all kinds.
My experience has been with WWII vintage armor models, mainly. Mark
really knows his stuff and discussing the intricacies of winter
whitewashing techniques or the kinds of painting schemes applied at
the platoon level of the Wehrmacht during different periods of the
war is really something you cannot get online.
Can’t recommend them enough. THE place to go in Sacramento if you
are into models, wargaming, scifi boardgaming, or even military
historical reference material. I can’t tell you guys how many people
I’ve seen in there just BS’ing because Jessica and Mark are such
cool people to talk to about these hobbies.
GO VIKING HOBBY!
Bottom line, Viking Hobby just plain rocks! I’m been known scratch build or convert a model or two, plus they are more than willing to help you find what you’re looking for, be it a model, game, rules or info. I’ve been going since they first opened (I can’t believe it’s about 30 years or so now) and never been disappointed. Keep up the great work Jessica and Co.!!
Hello, my dad loves this place and has proabaly been going there as long as you have Jim.
He is a huge fan of wargaming, minitures and all that stuff. He has been trying to get me
into it but its slow going. mostly because I am in school and don’t have too much free time but
it all seems so interesting that I might have to make time. But anyways I was wondering if they
sell Gift Cards or Gift certificates? I don’t want to ask my dad because then he will know my
plans for his Christmas gift. If they don’t I may just give him money so he can spend it there.
Thank you for your response.
I not 100% sure about this, but I’d be very surprised if Viking didn’t have gift certificates. Best thing to do is to call the store (phone number listed above.) Jessica or Mark will be able to give you the definitive answer.
Sounds like your dad is a regular customer there, so Jess and Mark may even have some ideas about things he might want. I always make a point of letting them know what I’m hoping to get for birthdays/Christmas. When my family members drop in to buy gifts, Jess and Mark already know the answer. Plus they make sure nobody buys a second copy. It’s a personalized gift registry!
Thank you, I will call them and ask. I know one thing he likes to get is these magazines that I think are from Sweden or Switzerland. They are about minitures I think but I proabaly will do what you suggested and go there and see if they have any ideas for him. Thanks again.
Wow that is quite the collection of models and boardgames all in one place. Very impressive. It sure would be fun to have a store like that around here. Nice job guys!
Viking does have gift certs. Nothing fance but always fun to get. Viking is the best hobbie store I have ever been to. Whenever I travel I hunt out local hobbie shops, this is clearly the best.
Hi Jim,
LOVE this post!
I’m planning to borrow your photos and also push Viking Hobby on my site if you don’t mind! Please let me know if you do…
When Jessica told me about Viking being mentioned on the web, I didn’t make the connection that, THAT Sonic Chicken was YOURS! I knew it sounded familiar!
Very cool!
Mazel Tov!
Good gaming to you!
Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.
No problem, Maks! The pictures are under this Creative Commons license.
Hi Jim,
Thanks!
I realized that you were probably operating under Creative Commons, but I always ask anyways… it’s a good practice and good manners.
Thanks again!
Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.
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Just trying out Google Map code…
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Wow! Thanks for this, I shall post it around, and maybe generate some new business for the Vikings. I have some pictures of my own taken a few years back, if you’re interested.
— Brian Collins
Formerly of Berkeley Game Distributors
Now managing Gator Games in San Mateo.
Hi Jim.
I’m setting up a web site for Viking hobby (just a free hosted site so that they have something for online directories to link to and such) and I wanted to know if a.) I had your permission to use your photos, and b.) to link to this blog post (which has such great customer testimonials.)
Viking Hobby fan page on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=245382097985
Viking is truly an icon of western culture. They have been there for over thirty years, and, though they have had ups and downs, they still seem to be going strong. I was a regular customer there during my modeling phase, my historical figurine phase and my role-playing game phase! It is amazing that such a hole-in-the-wall can have such a vast collection of product.
I have been going to Viking Hobbies on and off now for close to 15 years and it is a place that still is like what a great model and game shop used to be like. It still has the feeling about it and the owner and the gent whose name I forget, I’m sorry are always more than happy to answer any questions you have or look up things for you. I can’t say enough good things about Viking, am just hoping that they continue in business for as long as possible. The reason I go off and on is that every few years I get that itch to build models and go in Viking to load up on what I need. And if it’s not there and it’s possible to get, they will get it for you, no problem. Has anyone ever asked the good people at Viking why they don’t have a web page? Since great shops like theirs are now few and far between I think that they could get a decent sized following or whatever it’s called on their own web site. Even go so far as ordering by email and paying the same way. It’s that “litle” hole in the wall place (even if the building stands alone), that we who came of model building age in the 1960’s remember and cherish.
I am very grateful that the 11 year old boy in me has never completely been trampled to death by adulthood. People seem to like to slide into old age as soon as they can, you see it all the time. However for those of use who are not yet embalmed while living, Viking is the place in East Sac county. Or from Sac city itself.