Tower Hobbies
Tower Hobbies is an online specialty retailer founded in 1971 that sells radio control vehicles, model trains, plastic models, and hobby kits to RC hobbyists, model railroaders, and beginner hobbyists, operating as a wholly-owned e-commerce subsidiary of Horizon Hobby, LLC.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1971
- HeadquartersChampaign, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Tower Hobbies does
Tower Hobbies is an online specialty hobby retailer founded in 1971 and headquartered in Champaign, Illinois. It operates exclusively as a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront at towerhobbies.com, selling radio control (RC) cars, trucks, airplanes, helicopters, and boats, model trains in HO, N, O, S, and G scales, plastic model kits, batteries, chargers, radios, and a broader Hobbies & Activities assortment that includes model rockets, slot cars, pine car derby, airbrush equipment, and STEM/science kits. The catalog is multi-brand, featuring products from manufacturers such as Kyosho, Tamiya, Gens ace, Hitec, Phoenix Model, DU-BRO, Bachmann, Athearn, Woodland Scenics, Spektrum, Losi, ARRMA, Axial, Pro Boat, Castle Creations, Pro-Line Racing, and TEKNO RC, alongside an exclusive Tower Hobbies-branded aircraft line.
The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Horizon Hobby, LLC, a diversified RC hobby manufacturer and distributor, which provides back-office infrastructure, access to parent-owned brands, and competitive pricing leverage. Pricing spans $4.99 accessory items to $919.99 premium aircraft and trains, sold primarily as one-time purchases with periodic sales and promotions. Distribution is exclusively online; the company does not operate physical retail stores. Marketing is conducted through email and SMS sign-ups (with a 10%-off-first-order incentive), an affiliate program, a Super Saver Loyalty Club, and promotional sales events. Tower Hobbies maintains a Part Finder compatibility tool and a Scratch & Dent discount channel aimed at hobbyists seeking parts across brands and price-sensitive buyers. The platform serves a horizontal mix of personas including RC hobbyists, model train enthusiasts, plastic model builders, and beginner hobbyists, with North America (primarily the United States) as the operating geography.
The business model is straightforward transactional e-commerce: revenue is generated from direct product sales, margin depends on supplier relationships and exclusive-brand selection, and growth depends on category expansion, exclusive product launches, and customer retention through the loyalty ecosystem. There is no disclosed subscription revenue, no enterprise/B2B channel, and no proprietary technology platform beyond standard e-commerce tooling.
Tower Hobbies firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tower Hobbies
- Legal name
- Horizon Hobby, LLC
- Website
- https://towerhobbies.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1971
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Tower Hobbies is an online specialty retailer founded in 1971 that sells radio control vehicles, model trains, plastic models, and hobby kits to RC hobbyists, model railroaders, and beginner hobbyists, operating as a wholly-owned e-commerce subsidiary of Horizon Hobby, LLC.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tower Hobbies industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hobby Retail
- NAICS
- Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912), Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (459120), Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers (459)
- SIC
- Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hobby Games & Miniatures Retail (Tabletop RPGs, Wargaming) (CRALAFAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Games, Hobbies & Collectibles (Board Games, Chess, Model Building) (EDAAAGAN), Miniature Gaming Accessories (Dice, Mats, Tokens, Measuring Tools) (CRALAKAL)
Keywords
Where Tower Hobbies is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Champaign
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Tower Hobbies business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Product Sales: Tower Hobbies generates revenue through direct product sales of RC vehicles, parts, accessories, model trains, plastic models, and hobby equipment. Products are sold at various price points from budget items to premium equipment, with periodic sales and promotions driving transactions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Standard retail pricing with promotional sales |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Tower Hobbies product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tower Hobbies is an online hobby retailer selling radio control (RC) cars, trucks, airplanes, helicopters, boats, model trains, plastic model kits, batteries, chargers, and radios. The company carries third-party brands such as Kyosho, Tamiya, Gens ace, Hitec, Phoenix Model, and DU-BRO, along with exclusive Tower Hobbies branded products. Founded in 1971, it operates as a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront serving hobbyists in the United States.
Product overview
Tower Hobbies is an online hobby retailer offering a comprehensive portfolio of radio control vehicles, model aircraft, boats, helicopters, model trains, plastic models, and hobby activities. The core offering spans RC Cars and Trucks (available as Ready-to-Run, Kits in Electric and Nitro power types with various vehicle types including buggies, monster trucks, rock crawlers, drift cars, and semi trucks), RC Airplanes (Ready-To-Fly, Bind-N-Fly, Plug-N-Play, ARF, and Kit formats across trainer, sport, jets, and scale categories), RC Boats (Electric, Sailboats, Scale), RC Helicopters, Model Trains (HO, N, G, O, S scales with locomotives, rolling stock, track and scenery), Plastic Models (by scale and type including military and vehicles), and Batteries, Chargers & Radios. The company operates a multi-brand model carrying both exclusive Tower Hobbies branded products (such as Cessna 400, ASW 28, Seawind PNP aircraft) and third-party brand partnerships including Kyosho (RC cars/trucks/boats with legendary performance), Phoenix Model (ARF aircraft), Gens ace (batteries and chargers), Hitec (servos and radios), DU-BRO (tools and accessories), and Tamiya (RC kits and plastic models). The product ecosystem also includes parts and accessories, Part Finder tool for compatibility, and services like Scratch & Dent deals and a Loyalty Club.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Tower Hobbies: Primary retail brand for RC vehicles, model trains, and hobby products operated under Horizon Hobby.
Products and services
- RC Cars and Trucks Radio control cars and trucks available in multiple completion levels (Ready-to-Run and Kits) and power types (Electric and Nitro). Vehicle types include Micro/Mini, Rock Crawlers, Monster Trucks, Truggies, Buggies, Stadium Trucks, Short Course, Drag Cars, Drift Cars, On-Road, Semi Trucks, Trailers, and Motorcycles for hobbyists and enthusiasts.
- RC Airplanes Radio control airplanes offered in Ready-To-Fly, Bind-N-Fly, Plug-N-Play, Almost Ready-To-Fly, and Kit formats across size categories including Ultra-Micro, Park Flyer, Club/Large Field, and Giant Scale. Types include Trainer, Sport, STOL, Jets, Gliders, Biplanes, Float Planes, Multi-Engine, and Scale Civilian and Military aircraft.
- RC Boats Radio control boats offered in electric, sailboat, scale, and kit formats from brands including Pro Boat, Kyosho, and Dumas Boats for RC surface hobbyists.
- RC Helicopters Radio control helicopters available in Ready-To-Fly, Bind-N-Fly, and Kit completion levels, including Skill Level 1 helicopters designed for first-time pilots with beginner-friendly controls.
- Model Trains Model trains in HO, N, G, O, and S scales including sets, locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, cabooses, vehicles, track, scenery, buildings, and accessories from brands including Bachmann, Athearn, Atlas, Lionel, and Woodland Scenics.
- Plastic Models Plastic model kits offered by scale (1/24-1/25, 1/32, 1/35, 1/48, 1/72) and type including Vehicles, Motorcycles, Airplanes, Helicopters, Boats, Military, Space, Figures, Snap Kits, and Miscellaneous, with paints and accessories included.
- Hobbies and Activities Wide range of hobby activities including Airbrush Equipment, Model Rockets, Pine Car Derby, Science/STEM activities, Slot Car Racing, and Wooden Kits, with starter sets, kits, bulk supplies, motors, launch equipment, derby cars, tools, and building materials.
- Batteries and Chargers RC batteries and chargers including RC Aircraft Batteries (1S-6S LiPo), RC Battery Chargers (1/2/4 Port, LiPo, NiMH), RC Battery Storage, Checkers, and Adapters from brands including Spektrum and Gens ace.
- Radios RC radio systems for Aircraft and Surface applications, including Transmitters, Receivers, Servos, and accessories such as Batteries, Chargers, Leads & Extensions, Cases, Telemetry, Gyros, and Servo Parts from leading brands including Spektrum, Hitec, Gens Ace, and Futaba.
- Tower Hobbies Exclusive Products Tower Hobbies branded RC aircraft including the Cessna 400 1.1m PNP, ASW 28 2.0m PNP, Seawind 1.4m PNP, and Ryan STA Airplane EP ARF 53 inch, designed with quality and performance for RC enthusiasts.
- Kyosho RC Products Kyosho RC cars, trucks, and boats known for craftsmanship and performance, including the Inferno Buggy, Optima Buggy, Sandmaster Buggy, Scorpion Buggy, Fazer Mk2 Series, Mini-Z RTRs, and On-Road vehicles.
- Phoenix Model Aircraft Phoenix Model ARF aircraft known for quality construction, detail, and flight characteristics, including the SILENT ST5, Wild 7, Yak 54, SBACH 342, Hunter Electric, Tucano, P51 Mustang, Extra NG, F4U Corsair, and SLICK 580 in sizes from 60 to 120cc.
- Gens ace Batteries and Chargers Gens ace LiPo batteries and smart chargers for RC cars, trucks, and airplanes, including LiPO, LiHV, and NiMH configurations with smart safety charging features.
- Hitec RC Servos and Accessories Hitec servos, chargers, and radio control accessories in Standard, Giant, Micro, Mini, and Sub-Micro sizes for surface, airplane, and helicopter applications, backed by a 2-year warranty and servo specification chart.
- DU-BRO RC Tools and Accessories DU-BRO RC tools, hardware, field equipment, pit equipment, engine parts, fuel accessories, radio accessories, airplane wheels, and spinners designed for precision, durability, and ease of use.
- Tamiya RC and Plastic Models Tamiya radio-controlled kits and plastic model kits including On-Road, Off-Road, Truck, and Semi Truck RC models, plus Military Aircraft, Ships, Figures, paints, and tools in plastic models, with limited edition re-releases and anniversary models.
Companies that use Tower Hobbies
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Tower Hobbies technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Tower Hobbies partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Horizon HobbycoreTower Hobbies is owned and operated by Horizon Hobby, LLC. Horizon Hobby is a major manufacturer and distributor in the RC hobby industry, owning multiple brands including Spektrum, E-flite, ARRMA, Losi, and others.
- KyoshomajorKyosho is a featured brand on Tower Hobbies, offering RC cars, trucks, and boats including the Mini-Z, Fazer Mk2, and Inferno Buggy product lines.
- Phoenix ModelmajorPhoenix Model provides ARF aircraft sold through Tower Hobbies, known for quality construction and dependable flight characteristics across various skill levels.
- Gens acemajorGens ace supplies LiPo batteries and chargers for RC cars, trucks, and airplanes, featured as a brand on Tower Hobbies.
- HitecmajorHitec provides RC servos, chargers, and accessories sold through Tower Hobbies, known for surface servos, air servos, and helicopter servos.
- TamiyamajorTamiya offers RC kits and plastic models sold through Tower Hobbies, including limited edition releases and classic re-releases popular among hobbyists.
- DU-BROminorDU-BRO supplies RC tools, hardware, field equipment, pit equipment, and fuel accessories sold through Tower Hobbies.
- Castle CreationsminorCastle Creations provides electronic speed controls and motors for RC vehicles, featured in product offerings.
- Pro BoatminorPro Boat brand (owned by Horizon Hobby) provides RC boats for high-speed surface action, featured on Tower Hobbies.
- ARRMAmajorARRMA provides RC cars and trucks including the INFRACTION line, sold as a major brand on Tower Hobbies.
- LosimajorLosi provides RC vehicles and parts, featured as a major brand on Tower Hobbies.
- AxialmajorAxial provides rock crawlers and RC vehicles, sold as a brand on Tower Hobbies.
- SpektrummajorSpektrum provides RC radios, batteries, and electronics, sold through Tower Hobbies with promotional sales.
- TEKNO RCminorTEKNO RC provides premium RC kits with innovative design and championship-caliber performance, featured on Tower Hobbies.
- BachmannmajorBachmann offers model trains in HO scale, N scale, and other sizes, with limited edition products like the 250th Anniversary American Freedom Train.
- AthearnmajorAthearn provides model trains with pre-order availability for upcoming releases, featured brand on Tower Hobbies trains section.
- Woodland ScenicsminorWoodland Scenics offers Just Plug sound systems and scenery products for model train layouts and dioramas.
- Pro-Line RacingminorPro-Line Racing provides RC tires, wheels, bodies, and accessories, sold as a brand on Tower Hobbies.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Tower Hobbies competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- eHobbies.com: eHobbies is a long-standing online hobby retailer selling RC products, trains, and plastic models. Comparable in assortment to Tower Hobbies and competing for the same online hobbyist customer.
- AMain Hobbies: AMain Hobbies is a large online RC and hobby retailer carrying cars, planes, helicopters, boats, and trains from competing manufacturers. It competes head-to-head with Tower Hobbies on assortment, pricing, and hobbyist customer base.
- HobbyTown: HobbyTown is a U.S. franchise chain specializing in hobby products including RC vehicles, model trains, and plastic models. It is one of the most direct specialty hobby retail competitors in Tower's segment, though it operates physical stores.
- RC Planet: RC Planet is an online RC vehicle and accessory retailer focusing on cars, trucks, planes, and drones. Direct overlap with Tower's RC catalog and pricing-driven competition for entry-level and enthusiast customers.
Broad incumbents
- Traxxas: Traxxas is a major U.S. RC car/truck manufacturer that also operates a direct-to-consumer storefront. While it primarily competes as a vendor brand Tower carries, its direct channel competes for the same RC enthusiast dollars.
- Hobby Lobby: Hobby Lobby is a large arts, crafts, and hobby retail chain with some RC and plastic model assortment. Far broader assortment than Tower, but overlaps on entry-level hobby customers and impulse purchases.
- Michaels: Michaels is the largest North American arts-and-crafts specialty retailer with growing hobby and model categories. Indirect overlap but a major force shaping where hobby customers shop.
- Horizon Hobby (manufacturer side): Horizon Hobby is Tower's parent and one of the largest RC manufacturers/distributors worldwide. It sells directly and through Tower, so the same organization sits both upstream (as supplier) and downstream (as the Tower storefront).
Emerging players
- Tamiya (direct U.S. storefront): Tamiya operates a direct U.S. storefront selling RC kits and plastic models, including many of the same products Tower carries. Tower is a major reseller; Tamiya's direct site represents an emerging DTC threat for premium kits.
Regional players
- Walt's Hobbies: Walt's Hobbies is a long-running hobby retailer (with online and showroom) focused on RC cars and trains in the western U.S. Comparable assortment and customer base to Tower, but regionally weighted.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key highlights11 records
Customer concentration
Tower Hobbies social profiles
Digital presenceTower Hobbies financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tower Hobbies leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Tower Hobbies funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tower Hobbies M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Tower Hobbies
What does Tower Hobbies do?
Tower Hobbies is an online hobby retailer selling radio control (RC) cars, trucks, airplanes, helicopters, boats, model trains, plastic model kits, batteries, chargers, and radios. The company carries third-party brands such as Kyosho, Tamiya, Gens ace, Hitec, Phoenix Model, and DU-BRO, along with exclusive Tower Hobbies branded products. Founded in 1971, it operates as a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront serving hobbyists in the United States.
Is Tower Hobbies a public or private company?
Tower Hobbies is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Tower Hobbies founded?
Tower Hobbies was founded in 1971. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Tower Hobbies based?
Tower Hobbies is headquartered in Champaign, United States, in the North America region.
How does Tower Hobbies make money?
One revenue line is on record: product Sales.
Who are Tower Hobbies's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are eHobbies.com, AMain Hobbies, HobbyTown and RC Planet. Broad incumbents are Traxxas, Hobby Lobby, Michaels and Horizon Hobby (manufacturer side). Tamiya (direct U.S. storefront) is listed as an emerging player. Walt's Hobbies is listed as a regional player.
Does Tower Hobbies have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tower Hobbies.
What industry is Tower Hobbies in?
Tower Hobbies's product category is Hobby Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALAFAH, Hobby Games & Miniatures Retail (Tabletop RPGs, Wargaming), with a secondary code of EDAAAGAN, Games, Hobbies & Collectibles (Board Games, Chess, Model Building). Its NAICS code is 45912 and its SIC code is 5945.