More Champaign, Anyone?
 

Just wondering if anyone knows how Champaign Illinois became the de facto center of the RC world?? A handful of companies either owns or distributes every name that matters in the hobby & they control probably 75% of all RC sales or more in the USA!!!

Horizon Hobby (Losi, Associated, Mugen, Trinity, COUNTLESS others, http://horizon.hobbyshopnow.com/products/bybrand.asp ), Tower Hobbies, Hobbico (Duratrax, Futaba, OS engines, Kyosho) (I think Tower is kinda part of Hobbico, though),

Just curious, but does anyone know how this happened in such a small, outta the way college town??

Dean

RE: More Champaign, Anyone?
 

Damn good question. I had no idea so many were in IL. Any one?

RE: More Champaign, Anyone?
 

Its about 2 hours south of Chicago. It is mainly a college town

RE: More Champaign, Anyone?
 

That's what it is! I went to Tech school at Chanute Air Force Base in Rantol IL. which is just north of Champaign. They closed the Base back in 92 or 93 so, it's just a collage town again!

RE: More Champaign, Anyone?
 

I know where it is, my brother went to U of IL.

I was hoping one of the moderators or someone could tell us how several/most of the largest RC hobby companies in the world came to be based there. Ida thunk Cali, Texas or Florida would be the center, as people are playing all year in warm climes.

Horizon owns Losi, Associated, JR, Dynamite and others, and serves as distributor for dozens of others. Hobbico is also huge, and Tower is surely the biggest retailer on the planet. Of course, Losi is still Losi, in CA, that's where the fun stuff happens. But their paychecks are cut at Horizon!!

It just can't be a coincidence. I'm thinking there's an interesting story as to how it happened.