Pocatello’s only RC hobby-shop aims to become regional hub for enthusiasts

POCATELLO – The new owner of the only hobby shop for remote-controlled cars in Pocatello sees potential for his store as a one-stop destination in the region.

Bryce Shurtliff became the owner of OCDRC, a hobby shop for RC cars at 2751 Pole Line Road, in June. Over the summer, he’s been working to refresh the store’s image, and plans to bring more newcomers, teenagers and adults alike, into the hobby and serve as the area’s regional hub.

“Part of my plan is to help people see this is a great family opportunity, get kids off screens and at the same time become kind of the hub for southeast Idaho,” Shurtliff said.

The hobby shop, which Shurtliff said has been open for about 10 years, has a wide inventory, selling hundreds of RC cars, thousands of pieces to repair them, and kits for building and painting. Shurtliff can also make orders on hundreds of brands through 15-plus dealers.

“We have some really high-end products and well-machined stuff for the passionate enthusiasts,” Shurtliff said.

But Shurtliff said the inventory isn’t just wider than a big box store or higher quality. The cars and pieces he carries are hobby-grade.

“And then there’s like the Walmart (RC cars), when you break a wheel and you’re done. You have to go buy a new one,” Shurtliff said

And when pieces do fail, Shurtliff said his store offers in-store repair services. And his staff can provide expertise on what piece a hobbyist actually needs.

“Things will look very similar online. … It might say it’s compatible, but when you get in, you realize … there’s another part that you need,” Shurtliff said.

For anyone who’s not already an RC hobbyist, seeing that many brands and types of models or pieces online can be overwhelming. Before Shurtliff bought the business, he saw it as intimidating for newcomers as well.

“That’s one reason that I bought the business. I didn’t see that push to expand. It was more, if you’re in the community, great, and if you come in, great, but we’re not like actively trying to bring people into the community,” Shurtliff said.

And Shurtliff sees the desire for more people to join in the RC community.

“I hear all the time from active enthusiasts. They’re like, ‘I wish we had crawling events, and there were more people to go racing with and stuff like that.’ I’m like, ‘Well, we need to get the word out there so that you have more people to go play with,'” Shurtliff said.

Shurtliff has focused on refreshing the store in the months since he bought it. He’s rearranged its layout to be more customer-friendly, introduced a new logo and is rebuilding the website. He also plans to increase the store’s social media presence to publicize beginner-friendly events that he will organize.

“I’m now starting to look more towards how we get out in front of people,” Shurtliff said.

And the way Shurtliff sees it, RC is a welcoming hobby for newcomers.

“People really seem to embrace the newcomers, because it’s not something you’re competing in. It’s more like sharing your ideas and your experiences of what you’ve had, and then you bust out a video and show your cool crawl you did last week. So it’s really inclusive in that regard,” Shurtliff said.