About us
Bad Fast Hobbies was started by Kirk Wiggs in 1988. Kirk grew up in Sloan, Iowa and has been involved in radio controlled cars since he was 16. Kirk purchased his first hobby-grade RC car from Kay Bee Toys, a Tamiya Grasshopper. It came pre-built, which was pretty rare in those days. Later he purchased and built his first kit car a Team Associated RC10 from a local hobby store in Sioux City, Iowa. It was controlled by a mechanical speed controller and a stick radio. Kirk enjoyed racing his Grasshopper and RC10 in Omaha and Lincoln NE.
After graduation from High School in 1988 Kirk moved to Amarillo, Texas. Kirk noticed Amarillo was lacking a place to race RC cars. Kirk started looking for an empty building to put a hobby store and track. While looking at a building the original name of his shop Outback Hobbies was created. While talking to his friend about the building, they thought the track could be placed outback. That is where the name Outback Hobbies came from. Since Kirk was a college student and did not have the funding to open a store and track he contacted local banks to get a loan. The banks basically laughed at him and told him they were unable to give him a loan. Kirk puts his dream of opening a hobby store on hold but throughout the next many years it is something that crosses his mind often. Kirk continued to be involved in racing and even gets sponsored by Traxxas, racing their TRX1 and TRX3 completion off-road buggy and Blue Eagle off-road truck.
In 1994 Kirk moves back to Sloan, Iowa and there is not much RC racing going on. Kirk races a few times in Le Mars, Iowa at the fair grounds and at the old Aksarben horse track in Omaha, Nebraska. Kirk’s racing adventures do not last very long and he ends up selling most of his racing collection.
Skip ahead about 10 years, Kirk is working for a computer Company and an opportunity to open a small hobby store inside another retail store in Sioux City, Iowa presents itself. Kirk has the resources and makes a deal with the store owner to open a store. Kirk opens a store inside the retail store and calls it Outback Hobbies. It has a small carpet track in the back of the store, Kirk becomes the Track Direct and holds weekly Tuesday Night and Saturday afternoon races. Outback Hobbies is open every night after Kirk gets off work from his computer job and on Saturdays. The business is growing and things are looking good. Unfortunately the owner of the property doesn’t see a return in his investment of having Outback Hobbies share a space inside his retail store. Kirk is asked to vacate the property. Kirk begins looking for a new location and finds one at the KD Station.
Sioux City Store - Morningside Sioux City, IA
Sioux City Store - KD Station Sioux City, IA
Kirk looks for a new location for his store. A new location inside the KD Station in Sioux City, Iowa is found. There is lots of work to be done. Walls need to be built, a sub floor needs to be built for the carpet track. Kirk spends countless days, and hours working to get the place ready to open. During the renovation the building has a transformer fire and part of the building looses electricity, including the part that Outback Hobbies is to be located in. Kirk works with the owner and partial electricity is turned back on. Kirk continues to renovate the location. Kirk begins to get concerned that the property may never recover from the transformer fire. About this time most of the area Kirk is renovating receives a lot of water damage. The property owners works with Kirk and assures him they have it rectified and all problems will be resolved. Kirk discusses his concerns of the building being red tagged by the city. The property owners assures him that this is not going to happen and Kirk continues to renovate his area. Grand opening day has come; Outback Hobbies is opening its door at the new location. It is July 1st, 2004. Kirk is so excited, he is finally going to own the hobby store he has wanted since he was 18 back in 1988. Not so fast....The property owners call a meeting that morning and inform Kirk and the rest of the tenants that the city has red tagged the building and everyone needs to vacate the premises within 30 days. Kirk is devastated.
During the summer of 2006 Kirk begins to renovate a building in Sloan, Iowa at 410 Evans St. This turns out to be a very long process. He guts the inside, puts a new roof on the building and removes some concrete form the rear of building. A new concrete floor is added during 2008. Interior walls are framed, a new front picture window is installed and a new front and back door are installed during 2009 and 2010. 2 012 the electrical panel and electrical are installed. 2015 dry wall is hung, taped and textured. Heating and cooling installed, light fixtures and the finishing touches are done. 02/15/2015 Bad Fast Hobbies opens its doors. Kirk decided time was time for a name change. Kirk’s favorite saying is “Bad Fast,” so Kirk takes that saying and adds hobbies to the end. BAD FAST HOBBIES is born.
