I REALLY miss Radio Shack!

[merlynski]

My experiences with RadioShack goes back to around 1958 when I got the electronics bug and started to build all the Heathkit kits, became a ham radio operator and went on to get a BSEE and an MBA. I had a 35 year career in electronics engineering management. Before RS came to town I was a regular at Olson Electronics, Allied Electronics and Henry Radio. . . . The business was in a downward spiral for many years because of many factors. Probably the main reason for it was poor vision on the part of corporate management. It will probably become another case study in marketing text books just like the railroad industry's decline. My garage is lined with RS slot wall and signs from the local store where I worked. It was a sad day when it closed. Now it's a Sherwin-Williams Paint Store.

If I had come across someone like you at the RS stores I visited I might have a better opinion of them, but usually they only knew the difference between a diode and a resistor because of the label on the package.

 

[NAD80]

Yes I do miss RS. Ever try to get a replacement fuse for a microwave. Or those button cell batteries for calculators that doesn't cross reference to the 2 or 3 types everybody only carries. Remember the battery club and the free batteries. When looking for parts I would find it first, then go to the counter. The parts were overpriced but when you need it now.

 

[Sharpstik]

These Optimus 5’s sound great . Every pair of RS speakers I’ve owned ( nearly a dozen ) all performed well .

 

[Bradrock]

I miss Lafayette

 

[onepixel]

I saw a ghost. A Radio Shack on Maui, but it was empty.

 

[Sharpstik]

I miss Lafayette

You should try and find some floor model Lafayette speakers . I have 3 pair and they are terrific

 

[Bradrock]

I'll take a look. I still have a few catalogs!! Heh..Heh..
As I too am stuck for the duration.....
My 77 Coupe Deville
They just don't make them like this anymore...

 

[merlynski]

View attachment 1354193 I'll take a look. I still have a few catalogs!! Heh..Heh..
As I too am stuck for the duration.....
My 77 Coupe Deville

I'll skip the Radio Shack, but take the Caddy!!

 

[techguy0192]

I don't. Parts were overpriced. Generic rebranded ECG/NTE at best.

This ^^^^^

It's their own fault they went out of business.

 

[zebulon1]

View attachment 1354193 I'll take a look. I still have a few catalogs!! Heh..Heh..
As I too am stuck for the duration.....
My 77 Coupe Deville
They just don't make them like this anymore...

There's a reason they don't make them like that any more.

 

[audiodummy]

It was kind of unfortunate they had to charge quite a bit because the beancounters want price per square foot of floor space... and 5 cent resistors just don't cut it, and there needs to be profit margin with the low stock turnover rate.

I'd imagine Fry's has fairly crappy stock turnover rate as well, but as a private company, they don't have investors to listen to...

Alas I think Mouser and Digikey pretty much blew them all away, and I even have an order for one of them queued up but haven't pushed the button because minimum shipping cost sucks.

I don't know what it's like in other countries however; it seems like in the UK there's RS Components, oddly enough; Maplin; maybe more? Are there a lot of B&M stores? Or have they gone to mail order only as well?

 

[rmunson]

we have a small parts depot at our local electrical engineering school - they stock the basics, but it's better than paying shipping!

 

[Binkman]

I'm glad this has 'morphed' off to modern times.. RS is gone. For small parts marketing? in volume of sellers? they could collectively use the same box/ envelope.. many use those. but we are getting ripped because we don't meet some min order or some 'get free shipping' rip offs. It's lousy marketing for end user. damned bottom line accountants.

 

[ZR9B]

as a kid i loved that place....as I got older it was kinda like a dollar store

 

[Binkman]

I can think of 100's of other thinks to remember. RS? not.

 

[Klappco]

I do miss it too.

One near me was robbed a few years back. When I saw this in the news I thought it must have been easy to solve the crime 'cause there was no way they let the guy get out of there without giving up his name and address.

 

[redk9258]

... I thought it must have been easy to solve the crime 'cause there was no way they let the guy get out of there without giving up his name and address.

LOL

 

[Poultrygeist]

Many of the full range drivers sold by RS back in the day were made by Fostex of Japan. Today they are classics and sought after.

 

[JonDeaux]

In my office I have the STA-2300 I bought new when I was 13, with 1 Mach 1, because I couldn't afford 2 on my lawn mowing money, I got a second Mach one a year later. I still listen to that old 2300, now hooked to a set of DEF BP-20's, it still rocks. By comparison, in my living room I have Klipschorns, Rogue monoblocks, McIntosh sources and a Node 2i, but the old Realistic 2300 still has a lot of life left in her.

 

[ET16]

I'd want to go back in the time machine a bit, late '70s, into the '80s. They had cool multi-band radios then.