Dee & Mee Hobbies
Photos By: Emma Highfill
Richard Zeller says he remembers shopping at Topeka’s Dee and Mee Hobbies when he was 12 years old. Fast forward to today, Zeller is in his 11th year of owning and running the store at 5331 S.W. 22nd Place in Fairlawn Plaza.
“People drive here, and their mouths hit the floor,” said Zeller, who is the third owner of the longtime capital city business. “We are an absolute treasure, and Topeka is very lucky to have a hobby store as nice and as big.”
Zeller said the store has more than $300,000 in inventory of remote control (RC) cars, airplanes, drones, and then traditional hobbies like trains, slot cars, and plastic models.
“I have truck drivers from out of state that stop by Topeka just so they can see the store,” Zeller said. “I get people that come by all the time and say, ‘This place blows away my local hobby shop,’ wherever they’re from.”
Photos By: Emma Highfill
While the pandemic was difficult for many, Zeller said that wasn’t the case for him.
“My business has been outstanding the last two years. I’m one of few businesses that COVID has been a bump to business versus a negative to business,” Zeller said. “It’s done the opposite to the hobby shop industry. People want to do stuff, and that’s what they’re spending their money on.”
Zeller emphasizes the “old-school brick and mortar experience” that you get when you can walk in, touch the things, feel them, see them, get superior customer service and buy the items you want instead of possibly making the wrong purchase online still plays a role in this industry.
“If customers come to visit an expert on the subject, they’ll get a free education on why they should buy a certain product, get the pros and cons, and they can make whatever decision is best,” said Zeller.
