Radio Shack's demise - Bitter sweet

[engicoder]

For those of us with a few gray hairs, remember the days before the internet when Radio Shack was filled with wondrous things. I loved going there to see what was new and pick up stuff the next project. Sadly, changing times passed Radio Shack by and it's now in the throws of bankruptcy. That's the bitters. Now for the sweets; As a result of the bankruptcy, they are liquidating many of their stores. One of the stores near me was closing last week and had discounts that started at 40% and escalated day by day until 90% the day it closed. I got a few things here and there, mostly basics, but the best prize was a few of the drawer units that every Radio Shack had to hold all the electronic components like resistors, capacitors and LEDs. I got two units for $150. Not only are they really useful storage units, but I will always have a piece of the radio shack I remember from the "old days".

Poor phone photo follows:

[rowdy]

They were called Tandy Electronics over here, although only about half the store was based around the sale of electronic components and tools, the rest being computers, stereos, remote control cars, that sort of stuff.

I was reasonably well known at one of the stores, and they used to let me play with a TRS80 when they were new.

After a while they really cut back on components, and mainly just sold stereo systems, TVs, audio cables and so on.

Then the older guy that worked at this one particular store left and opened his own electronic component store directly across the road, selling only electronic components.  I ended up going there after that.

Years later I realised that both stores had closed at some stage.

[Lain1911]

I don't have grey hairs and I remember buying things from Radio Shack....And picking up BlockBuster

[dante]

I never got into the electronic stuff when I was a kid (pity); but the Color Computer 2 (64k!) was my first computer.  I mostly played games and tinkered with 6809 Assembler.  Things really took off when one kind salesperson introduced me to the Rainbow Magazine - at the time a 200+ page monthly magazine.

After the very early 90's when Tandy pulled the plug on the CoCo I pretty much dropped out.  The Raspberry Pi became the "unofficial" CoCo 4.

[brimborion]

I went to Radio Shack all the time when I was a kid, and the people who worked there actually knew about radios. I was a nuisance, always hanging out around their TRS-80s, and when I had saved enough to buy one, I got to go in back and watch them solder a 64k upgrade onto it. They had those Forrest Mims engineer mini notebooks, and I used to go there to buy resistors and leds and things I rarely had a use for, but planned to use them someday.

But in recent years I walk in and they ask me if I like my cell phone provider, or look put out when I come in with a sack of batteries to recycle.

Those drawer units with the components bring back memories. Nice grab.

[fanpeople]

They were called Tandy Electronics over here, although only about half the store was based around the sale of electronic components and tools, the rest being computers, stereos, remote control cars, that sort of stuff.

I was reasonably well known at one of the stores, and they used to let me play with a TRS80 when they were new.

After a while they really cut back on components, and mainly just sold stereo systems, TVs, audio cables and so on.

Then the older guy that worked at this one particular store left and opened his own electronic component store directly across the road, selling only electronic components.  I ended up going there after that.

Years later I realised that both stores had closed at some stage.

Just like when ****smith was selling components and those hobby sets for teaching electronics to kids. I think he sold it years ago and now its no better than a retail shop for laptops and TVs.

Man I loved going to ****smith and rummaging through the componants as a kid (not that I knew what to do with them).

[rowdy]

They were called Tandy Electronics over here, although only about half the store was based around the sale of electronic components and tools, the rest being computers, stereos, remote control cars, that sort of stuff.

I was reasonably well known at one of the stores, and they used to let me play with a TRS80 when they were new.

After a while they really cut back on components, and mainly just sold stereo systems, TVs, audio cables and so on.

Then the older guy that worked at this one particular store left and opened his own electronic component store directly across the road, selling only electronic components.  I ended up going there after that.

Years later I realised that both stores had closed at some stage.

Just like when ****smith was selling components and those hobby sets for teaching electronics to kids. I think he sold it years ago and now its no better than a retail shop for laptops and TVs.

Man I loved going to ****smith and rummaging through the componants as a kid (not that I knew what to do with them).

I ended up working at **** Smith for a short while

[kurplop]

For those of us with a few gray hairs, remember the days before the internet when Radio Shack was filled with wondrous things.

For those of us with all gray hairs. Do you remember Heathkit?

[engicoder]

For those of us with a few gray hairs, remember the days before the internet when Radio Shack was filled with wondrous things.

For those of us with all gray hairs. Do you remember Heathkit?

Oh yeah!! I always dreamed of a radio, like the SB-101, but never had the cash. I did build an MM-1 VOM when I was youth. It disappear when I went to college, wish I had hung on to it.

[dante]

For those of us with a few gray hairs, remember the days before the internet when Radio Shack was filled with wondrous things.

For those of us with all gray hairs. Do you remember Heathkit?

I remember Heathkit but didn't realize how awesome they were until it was too late.  There was a Heathkit store right next to the Radio Shack I frequented.  Not only that, but just a few stores down was a Magnavox retailer - chock full of Console TV's and Odyssey 2 videogame console goodness.

BTW: Gray hairs?  I would be so lucky to have hair at all

[Lanx]

I remember in 1996 my computer class was on IBM XT's. We needed 5 1/4 floppies. I had already given all my 5 1/4 to my nephew so they could play around with an old ass commodore. So me and the whole class were wondering where the hell do we buy floppies?

I thought radio shack is an old outdated store with old ****, they should have em. YUP

I was the only one with new floppies, the kids who did have floppies, found old ones lying around their house. pretty sure i sold my extras (cuz you had to buy a 10pack) for either 2 or 3 bucks a disk. Mainly cuz that radio shack still had old ass, rip me off prices.

[brimborion]

I remember in 1996 my computer class was on IBM XT's. We needed 5 1/4 floppies. I had already given all my 5 1/4 to my nephew so they could play around with an old ass commodore. So me and the whole class were wondering where the hell do we buy floppies?

I thought radio shack is an old outdated store with old ****, they should have em. YUP

I was the only one with new floppies, the kids who did have floppies, found old ones lying around their house. pretty sure i sold my extras (cuz you had to buy a 10pack) for either 2 or 3 bucks a disk. Mainly cuz that radio shack still had old ass, rip me off prices.

Yikes, we had PS/2s in 1989.  I had probably ruined all of my 5 1/4 by then anyway, notching them so I could use both sides on my CoCo.

[Korth]

Radio Shack always had a nerd section, sometimes whole back walls, sometimes just a little alcove.  Filled with all the semiconductors, motors, parts and gizmos one could ever need to build, mod, or fix anything electronic.  And a fat catalogue filled with even more.  And, golly gee whiz, don't forget about their awesome Battery Club!

It all went to hell after being bought out by Circuit City and The Source.  Useful electronics tools and components gave way to flashy displays of cellphones, mp3 players, bad laptops, worse tablets, and overpriced RC toys.  No more soldering irons, hardly a single roll of speaker wire to be found.  Still got some batteries, although they cost half as much at Wal-Mart.

I don't mourn the loss of Radio Shack.  That was all done with a decade past.

[tp4tissue]

Radio shack had all the cool toys...   Until .. Tower Hobbies..