Making Customers HappySince 1946
Nassau Hobby Center was founded in January of 1946 by Ralph Hirschberg in Freeport, New York. Fresh from the Navy he founded the Keystone Chemical company to sell bottled chemicals to budding chemists. During this time, he also started selling coins via mail order. Inspired by his success, he rented the first Nassau Hobby storefront in 1946, on Grove Street. Business began to grow, and we quickly outgrew that storefront, and moved to the corner of Church and Pine Streets. It was there that the company flourished for many years, until we decided to move to our current location on Merrick Road in order to get better exposure and more parking for our customers.
Keeping the Family RootsFor Over 70 Years
In 1973, Ralph was operating the new storefront as his son moved into the area. Shortly after this, however, he was stricken with a heart attack and passed away. Determined to keep the business in the family, his son Charlie Hirschberg took over full time operations. After 25 years of running the store, business continued to grow and Charlie soon saw that the company, yet again, needed a bigger storefront. In a leap of faith, he bought the three building complex located at 13 Merrick Road. This space fit us perfectly, offering two floors of merchandise, as well as a two store drive in warehouse; which is where you can find us today.
The Next ChapterEntering the Digital World
Today, Charlie's son Chris Hirschberg heads up the crew that has taken the company to the next level. Chris and his crew's goal is to offer quick turnarounds on orders and inquiries; and to provide the best service we can give. They also worked on bringing the company into the digital world. Due to their efforts, we have completely computerized our operations to serve our customers the best we can. We thank you for your years of loyalty to us; and if you are a new customer, we welcome you to our family!