David Greene

If you were to look at the store from the outside it would just be another tinted window at the end of an ordinary strip mall in Columbus, Ohio. The ordinary sign that says “HOBBY LAND” in big red letters would hardly distinguish it from every other sign in the row. But once you walked through the front door you would know that this shop was unique. The entire ceiling is obscured by planes, from the size of your hand to the length of your whole body. In every corner of every shelf there is a car, or a rocket, or a helicopter. And on the left side of the dimly lit room, right behind the cashier, you would find David Greene tinkering away at his next creation.
Greene has been running a small group of Hobby Land stores for 20 years, ever since he quit his job as an airline pilot. “Well I had always enjoyed making models but had never thought I could make a career out of it so I guess you could say I'm kind of a late bloomer.” recalls Greene. Greene had been building models his entire life, in fact it was a family tradition that goes all the way back to his grandfathers grandfather.“I was real little, nine or ten I guess, when I got started into model building and it was a gift from my grandad. I don't even remember what kind of car it was but it got me so excited that I just had to do it again”. This is the kind of passion that David Greene hopes to bring to every person that walks into his store.
Models are more then just a hobby for Mr. Greene. He believes that building a model can ingrain important values. “Models are a great way to pass the time sure, but it can really teach you patience and focus. I also happen to think that it teaches pride in your work.”
In fact Greene believes in the values that model building brings so much that he will often not sell the ones all around his shop.“Yeah, I get a lot of people coming in here that see one of the planes on the ceiling and don't want to bother putting it together, they just want to buy it as a gift or furniture. To me though it means more to do it yourself.” While he is willing to sell it to them eventually, he fights to convince them to attempt it on their own. “ I like to show people what they can do. Most people look at a box with a tiny picture on it and can't picture what it's going to look like. I think my models give them that picture and make them want to do one of their own.”
However building models means something to Mr. Greene that he can't bring to the customers in his shop. To “Looking back I'd say that making my house payment with my first store was very important to me” says Greene.”Until then id been skeptical that I could make my hobby my career and it was kind of a realization for me.” He had the opportunity to take what he loves and make a living out of it.
Although many people may think anyone who can fill a warehouse with handmade models as an eccentric, after talking to Mr.Greene I see him as a dreamer who has had his dream realized. “Well I'm not a rags to riches story but the saying about never working a day in your life really comes to mind. I'd say I'm living the dream every day that I come in” Greene says smiling. “I have always loved this job and the people I meet doing it so that's enough motivation for the rest of my life. I think I will probably be making models until the day I die even if I can't manage the shops anymore.”