Hektik Hobbies

Business Profile

Jun 18

The pit stop for hobbyists and the local RC racing community.

Hektik Hobbies owner Ryan Prudhomme has turned his RC rock-crawling hobby into a dream business in Downtown Norway, devoted to hobbyists of all ages.

RC — short for radio-controlled — vehicles have a devoted following across the Upper Peninsula, where enthusiasts race, build elaborate courses, and swap parts with the kind of passion usually reserved for full-scale motorsports. RC crawling, the discipline that got Ryan hooked, is a particularly popular corner of the hobby — drivers navigate their scaled-down trucks and rigs over rocks, roots, and rugged terrain, testing both the vehicle's capability and the operator's precision.

Hektik Hobbies taps directly into that culture, offering a broad selection of RC trucks and boats for all ages and skill levels, along with the tools, accessories, and tailored 3D-printed parts required to keep them running. Brands on the shelves include Redcat, Tamiya, Traxxas Slash, Team Associated, and UDI boats, as well as the occasional discontinued model that serious collectors will recognize immediately.

Hektik Hobbies is a space where different generations can share and bond over their favorite hobbies. The store is kid-friendly by design. If you have a young one who's curious about RC or hobby building, this is the perfect first stop — Ryan and his team know how to get beginners started without overwhelming them with all the options.

The store carries ready-to-run (RTR) vehicles for beginners who want to get rolling right away, as well as components and kit boxes for builders who prefer to work up from scratch. Hektik Hobbies also accepts used items on consignment, making it a good stop if you're looking for creative ways to supercharge your existing kit.

RC vehicles are the anchor for now, but Prudhomme's vision for the store extends further. Models, hobby supplies, squishy toys, and apparel are all part of the mix — a hobby shop in the fullest sense, building its inventory to meet the needs of its customer community. The store even sponsors cars at Norway Speedway, which tells you something about how embedded it already is in the local scene.

Norway has become a destination for niche hobbyists traveling along the US-2. Whether you're a quilter stopping at Jerry's Quilt Patch, a rock collector heading to Kelly's across the street, or an RC racer looking for a local shop, Main Street is worth the trip, and Hektik Hobbies fits right into that tradition — and it's hard to miss on Main Street. Just look for the signature #semisweetjeep out front!