Keeping the child within

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/11/2018 (2695 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Igor Lukianovsky knows a thing or two about hobbies.

Lukianovsky is the owner of Hobby Sense, which is located at 34-845 Dakota St. He opened the store around three months ago.  

Whether it’s plastic model kits, wood kits, puzzles, embroidery items, or specialized tools and supplies — there should be something for every hobbyist at the St. Vital-based business.

The Bridgwater Forest resident, who is originally from Ukraine and moved to Winnipeg in 2015, said he had harboured hopes of opening such a store when he was a young man, and now he is fulfilling his dream.

“When I was 18 or 20, I wanted to open something like this, but life took me in a different direction,” Lukianovsky said, noting he liked to do puzzles as a child.

“I’ve always liked to do something with my hands, and after a hard day, it’s very relaxing to do a puzzle or make a model.”

For anyone with an interest in Hobby Sense’s specialty items, visitors to the store may well feel like a kid in candy store, as the shelves are neatly stocked with the countless items.

According to Lukianovsky, he has around 4,200 models in stock; 1,200 puzzles; and 600 cross-stitch kits.

“I want to cater to different types of hobbies, and I want to be a one-stop shop. I can’t bring everything in here, but I think I have a good cross-section of items,” he said.

Lukianovsky’s said he already has a lot of returning customers, and his online store has helped him establish a solid consumer base in several provinces across Canada.  

The entrepreneur said that many model kit-makers are men aged 40 or above, many of whom are returning to their passion for kits that they first enjoyed as children.

“And one customer, his wife came to the store and wanted to buy him a spitfire. He used to be in the military, and afterwards she told me he was very happy with the model,” Lukianovsky said, adding he imports his stock from various countries, as well as from local suppliers.

He said it’s important to him to stock high-quality items, not least because he wants his customers to come back, and he’s happy when people take their time to look around the shelves.

“Some customers are here for an hour or two, and the average is at least 25 minutes. I sell high-quality items, as I want people to come back, and I don’t sell anything cheap,” Lukianovsky said.

“It’s important to keep the child within you, and you must also keep yourself busy with something creative, especially during the winter months.”    

Go online at hobbysense.ca for more information, or call 204-254-1165.