I hope the Amazon thing works out because I would pay a few dollars more to buy an Amazon shipped and fulfilled product locally and instantaneously.
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RadioShack May Close Half of its Retail Locations, Sell Other Half to Sprint [Updated]
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In the late 80s, I helped keep Radio Shack's budget afloat with all the audio patch cables and adapters I bought. There were entire walls, top to bottom, with those things, and most of the employees knew where a specific adapter was in that section.
IMHO, Radio Shack "jumped the shark" by betting heavily on cell phone sales. The employees were obviously cajoled into hard-selling those above pretty much all other product lines, to the point of neglect. As the 90s went on, I found the place seriously falling behind the times. Apple's snubbing Radio Shack for iPhone sales on launch day helped seal the coffin, if it wasn't the final nail.
The last time I was in a RS (at least two years ago), I picked up a multi-voltage AC adapter. The place was a ghost of its former glory; all the DIY electronics and audio connectors took up maybe two shelves' worth of rack space. Otherwise, it was like the electronics section of WalMart, but noticeably more expensive.
Like a lot of people here, I'm surprised RS managed to last this long-- it even outlived Circuit City.
Sad to see them go, my very first computer was a TRS color computer with 4k of ram, way back in the day
Same here. I've been a periodic RS customer for the last 50+ years and I too had a TRS CC (serial number ...00500 purchased the first day that they were available) as my first computer. I learned a lot with that computer.
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Tandy, the "T" in TRS-80...
I remember the old Tandy Leather Company supplies and leather working tools. The brand was sold off years ago and still seems to be alive in craft stores.
I'm not sure I understand why anyone would want their retail locations. Especially in metro areas their locations are not prime like Blockbusters were, but in "B" or strip malls with weak or no anchors.
I remember seeing a 'Now Hiring' sign in the window of a local RS not too long ago and thought 'who would want to apply to a store that is about to go under'?
Then I thought that they might lure a younger person who is unfamiliar with RS history. My friend then told me it was just their way of increasing their window signage (and presence) legally and it was just for show.
If RS closed 10 years ago I would have been disappointed but not surprised. Now I would be neither surprised nor disappointed because RS is no longer relevant.
Next up: GUITAR CENTER will close their doors in 6-12 months.
With a little bit of education, he/she will know it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Receiver_(radio)#History_of_radio_receivers
;-)
This hobby is for people who like to "talk." Who like to have actual conversations with people all over the world. As opposed to the current millennial generation who prefer to text, FB, and tweet.
Perfect then for Sprint or Amazon, where they would be service centers rather than typical retail locations.
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Possibly this is part of a Sprint strategy to improve their customer service?
Service centers? I don't follow. Why would either want dedicated low income producing service centers? Esp. Amazon which doesn't even have B&M stores other than the occasional "pop up" store.
Local Amazon Store?
Sad to see them go, great when you need a electronics component it's easy to stop in.
I have not seen any physical amazon stores here in NorCal.....what do they have on the shelves....same things radioshack has?
Will they do same day local deliveries too?
Would be really awesome for the 'standard' stock items.
Sad to see them go, great when you need a electronics component it's easy to stop in.
I have not seen any physical amazon stores here in NorCal.....what do they have on the shelves....same things radioshack has?
Will they do same day local deliveries too?
Would be really awesome for the 'standard' stock items.
Radio Shack was one of my favorites in the late 70's when I needed CB radio stuff and crystals for my Bearcat scanner. Was part of a Ham Radio club way back then and we bought all our parts from them to build our own crystal receiver. Plus they were one of the few places to find vacuum tubes for our tv's and shortwave receivers.
I grew up in The Northeast and stores like Caldor and Bradlees (similar to Walmart/Target today) had limited electronics and parts. Radio Shack was the go to place. Plus they had the best portable shortwave/FM radio that lasted more then 10 years of heavy use.
Yes we have Amazon and the Internet to buy everything, but nothing can replace my memories going to Radio Shack as a teenager and meeting up with other enthusiasts and looking through electronic catalogs at all the " high tech" items available or coming soon. The good ole days! ######
I grew up in The Northeast and stores like Caldor and Bradlees (similar to Walmart/Target today) had limited electronics and parts. Radio Shack was the go to place. Plus they had the best portable shortwave/FM radio that lasted more then 10 years of heavy use.
Yes we have Amazon and the Internet to buy everything, but nothing can replace my memories going to Radio Shack as a teenager and meeting up with other enthusiasts and looking through electronic catalogs at all the " high tech" items available or coming soon. The good ole days! ######
I was in a few weeks ago and saw "Storewide Clearance - up to 70% off" and thought.. uh oh!!
I spoke with the manager and she was quick to say... no no.. it's just a sale.
I look around and literally everything had a clearance tag on it... and the part I was looking for, well they only had one in stock and I needed 4. It was a 1/4" to XLR.
She was very nice to look up inventories around town, but Guitar Center ended up being my destination all the way downtown.
I spoke with the manager and she was quick to say... no no.. it's just a sale.
I look around and literally everything had a clearance tag on it... and the part I was looking for, well they only had one in stock and I needed 4. It was a 1/4" to XLR.
She was very nice to look up inventories around town, but Guitar Center ended up being my destination all the way downtown.
Chapter 11
It's official.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/sp...ks-lender-to-expand-branded-stores-2015-02-05
Although billed as a Sprint-store-inside-a-Radioshack-store concept, the primary branding will be Sprint's. I guess they will keep the RadioShack brand around for certain accessories, etc. not in a typical Sprint store.
It's official.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/sp...ks-lender-to-expand-branded-stores-2015-02-05
Although billed as a Sprint-store-inside-a-Radioshack-store concept, the primary branding will be Sprint's. I guess they will keep the RadioShack brand around for certain accessories, etc. not in a typical Sprint store.
They also wanted your zip code when you paid cash. So they could jam snailmail boxes all along your rural route with flyers...
There's a Radio Shack not far from me (I walk it, this is NYC after all), and I've gone there for things I needed that were very specific. Splitters, female/female coax connecters, male/female coax connecters, some RCA cables back in the day, and at regular intervals to get a replacement battery for my AppleTV remote. I just got one of those batteries a few days ago. I asked if the store was one of the ones that was closing, they said no. I said "Good!"