CLAREMONT, N.H. – Remote control (RC) vehicles are no longer considered “just toys.” Technology has transformed them into vehicles used for competitive racing, exploring, and off-road adventures.
Melissa Partridge, owner of Granite State Hobbies, said, “A lot of my customers mostly do it in their back yards – they get together with friends, they set up some ramps, they go crawling to different locations.” Partridge added, “Some of the crawlers have locking and unlocking differentials – high and low range, so they’re pretty sophisticated machines and meant for different terrains.”
The concept of RC vehicles began in the 1940s and 1950s, and the first hobby-grade remote control car was introduced in 1966. Since then, the technology has advanced to cars, off-road trucks, motorcycles, boats, airplanes, helicopters, and more.
For those immersed in this hobby, there is an immediate satisfaction in controlling a fast vehicle, boat, or aircraft. For others, the real hobby is assembling, modifying, and repairing their vehicles, or customizing everything from paint and body to the wheels, suspension, and performance.
Learning to control a vehicle and getting better at it provides a sense of accomplishment. Racing at organized events adds another dimension for all ages who share in the fun, and allows racers to meet others who understand their interest and help to solve problems. It’s a technology-based hobby, but it’s also hands-on and physical.
Granite State Hobbies opened in downtown Claremont nine years ago, owned by Partridge and her husband, Will. Partridge manages the daily operations, and her husband helps with maintenance of the store. Partridge explained that she began her career at Hobbies and Stuff in West Lebanon, and she said, “I ran the store for 20 years and was very familiar with the product, the people, and who doesn’t love to go shopping in a hobby shop?”
A lifelong resident of Claremont and a 1997 graduate of Stevens High School, Partridge transferred her knowledge and brought the same quality products to her hometown in 2017.
Granite State Hobbies offers a wide range of products available in store. Its biggest sellers are remote control (RC) items, and the store is an authorized dealer for brands like Traxxas and Horizon Hobby (Axial and Losi), and provides a range of hobby products and services.
Granite State Hobbies will custom order any product or part, and offer repairs. Partridge explained, “We sell [wholesale] to two indoor race tracks, where they race these vehicles – Slate Valley Raceway in Fair Haven, Vt., and Dole Mill RC Speedway in Campton, N.H.”
RC track racing is popular, while others prefer taking their vehicles outdoors for high-speed driving, with some high-performance vehicles reaching speeds upwards of 40 mph, Partridge explained. Most RC vehicles come assembled, but build kits are available for those who want to construct their own. Replacement parts and customizing options are also available. “The RC crawlers are huge – they take them up Arrowhead [Mountain Trail in Claremont],” Partridge said.
Granite State Hobbies also sells trains and other items in store, and Partridge said, “We have a lot of science kits, crafts kits – those are…really good sellers.”
In the month of September, Granite State Hobbies will host a raffle event to include in-store giveaways and will raffle a bigger ticket item. For every $25 spent, customers receive a raffle ticket to be entered for a chance to win the RJ Speed Spec 10 Sprinter. A drawing is planned for Sept. 30, and the winner will be announced in a live video on Facebook.
Granite State Hobbies is located at 20 Pleasant Street in Claremont, N.H. Call 603-504-6505 with any inquiries.