The Early Years - 1985-1999
After Great Planes Model Distributors and Tower Hobbies merged in 1984, Hobbico, Inc. was created.[5] In July 1985, Stephens, along with Janet Ottmers, Debra Love, and Eric Meyers, formed Horizon Hobby.[5] October 1, 2005, was the first day of official business as the team started shipping inventory on orders they’d been taking the months prior. The company began distributing product lines such as Goldberg, Royal, K&B, Sullivan, and Du-Bro.[5]
In 1986, a second distribution center was opened in Paso Robles, California, allowing Horizon Hobby to service retailers west of the Rockies.[1] A year later, a third distribution center was opened in Ashland, Virginia, creating the ability to service retailers on the East Coast.[6]
The first proprietary brand, Dynamite, was created in 1988.[6]
Horizon Hobby purchased Hobby Dynamics in 1992 and secured exclusive distribution rights to brands such as JR radios and Saito engines, among others.[1]
Horizon Hobby acquired Indy R/C in 1998 and remade it into the first iteration of horizonhobby.com.[1] The early site featured the latest products, links to tech articles, a dealer locator, and more.
The Revolutionary Years - 2000-2017
On December 9, 2013, Horizon announced that the company was being bought by a group of investors led by Horizon's CEO, Joe Ambrose. The group includes Minneapolis-based Mill City Capital L.P. and Champaign-based Armory Capital LLC founded by Jacob Ambrose.[7]
Horizon Hobby entered an agreement to purchase some assets of failed competitor, Hobbico, in April 2018.[8]
Before being purchased by Horizon Hobby, the Losi radio-controlled car division had been a separate company founded by Gil Losi with the release of the JRX2 in 1988.[9]