Remote control hobbyists in Idaho invite newcomers to join them

POCATELLO — The owner of Pocatello's only remote-control vehicle hobby shop is working to bring more newcomers into the hobby.

Bryce Shurtliff, owner of OCDRC at 2751 Pole Line Road, bought the store in June. Over the summer, he worked to rebrand the shop, but now he's looking ahead and developing strategies to get radio controllers into the hands of people who've never held one before.

"We're in the works (on) a lot of events that we're trying to get, (like) crawling groups and school clubs. Because it's fun to drive on your own, but it's more fun to drive with a buddy," Shurtliff said.

For people looking for a remote-controlled car, the shop carries many different models of crawlers, bashers, drift cars and racers, as well as a variety of remote-controlled planes and boats. But if people can't find what they're looking for in-store, Shurtliff can remedy that.

"I have access to well over 100 brands and 15 different dealers," Shurtliff said. "Because it's a small space, I try and carry the most popular, most used parts in RC vehicles, but there's tons more niche stuff that I can get in," Shurtliff said.

And, as Jesse Rhodes, an RC hobbyist who's been competing in races for years, puts it, building and repairing your cars is part of the fun.

"It's fun to build your truck," Rhodes said. "Basically, you put your hard work into it, and then when you get to race it or drive it, you actually feel proud of what you've built."

But why should people buy vehicles and parts through OCDRC when they can order them online? The way Shurtliff sees it, sorting through all the different brands and figuring out exactly which part you need is complicated, and his store can take care of that.

"We can be OCD for you," Shurtliff said.

As Jason Layton, who's been an RC hobbyist for less than a year, sees it, the hobby is one that's welcoming to newcomers.

"Everybody's trying to help everybody get better or trying to help build their cars better, and that's kind of what I like about the sport: everybody treats you kind of like family," Layton said.

And for anyone who's feeling overwhelmed about where to start, Layton shared his opinion on the best place to start.

"It just kind of depends on what you want and what's your perspective of what you want to do in the RC world, but OCDRC is the best place to start," Layton said.

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