Rumor : Best Buy may be buying Radio Shack
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My Rat Shack rule is that it is a good place for parts, but never buy anything that actually plugs into the wall there. The cheapest of the cheap.
And they are always running a "exclusive special" on some brand or another of cell, dish, satradio, and such, but the next time you go in, they have dumped that for another brand.
And they are always running a "exclusive special" on some brand or another of cell, dish, satradio, and such, but the next time you go in, they have dumped that for another brand.
I always felt like Radio Shack was a place to get pretty much anything (albiet at a higher price). However, I went down to the Rat Shack on Saturday to pick up some speaker wire (didn't want to wait on monoprice) and they only had 16 AWG and higher (I was looking for 12 AWG). It has become pretty much worthless to me.
Yup, like getting a 4GB Pen drive for over $20.00.
For me Rat shack was always about getting communication equipment, from Scanners to 2-way radios, other then that every other item was always over priced.
Merge the name
Best Shack, no, Radio best, wait, Shack Buy. No , that's not it, Best Radio Shack Buy!!!!
Best Shack, no, Radio best, wait, Shack Buy. No , that's not it, Best Radio Shack Buy!!!!
Yep, that's about all the "niche" they have left. And folks will pay a bit of a premium for the "have it now" convenience. Everything else is another "me too" line and that's where they have lost their identity time and again over the years starting with the computers. I was in our local mall store this past weekend and they have stripped-out all of the high-end stuff, all the TVs and audio, musical/PA lines, etc. So all that's left is the specialty stuff. I'm not sure if that's just this (full company) store or the whole chain.
I was pondering the future for the 'Shack. I go back a long way with them, including being an employee for almost 4 years in the 70s. So what would I do if suddenly I was in charge ??
Get rid of those lines that folks can buy at any big box store and focus on the more obscure items they already have? That would include all the cell phones and plans.
Bring in a line of affordable high-end accessories like HDMI cables for $5 - 10 (just a few $$ more than monoprice)?
Become again the recognized source for OTA antenna equipment BUT "fine-tuned" for the specific location (which they never were before). Sell only the better brand names this time, not "Archer".
Here's a radical thought: Phase back into the audio line again, but featuring some of the "retro" gear. Maybe carry some of the high-end vinyl and the equipment to play it?
Hard to make a buck with any of these lines though. Maybe it's finally time to throw-in the towel...or like above..."Best Buy Radio Shack"...or not...!
I was pondering the future for the 'Shack. I go back a long way with them, including being an employee for almost 4 years in the 70s. So what would I do if suddenly I was in charge ??
Get rid of those lines that folks can buy at any big box store and focus on the more obscure items they already have? That would include all the cell phones and plans.
Bring in a line of affordable high-end accessories like HDMI cables for $5 - 10 (just a few $$ more than monoprice)?
Become again the recognized source for OTA antenna equipment BUT "fine-tuned" for the specific location (which they never were before). Sell only the better brand names this time, not "Archer".
Here's a radical thought: Phase back into the audio line again, but featuring some of the "retro" gear. Maybe carry some of the high-end vinyl and the equipment to play it?
Hard to make a buck with any of these lines though. Maybe it's finally time to throw-in the towel...or like above..."Best Buy Radio Shack"...or not...!
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I'll certainly miss them, if they go. Passing of an era, kinda like when Heathkit departed.
A moment of silence, please.
A moment of silence, please.
I have many of the old Radio Shack Commercials and Catalogs . Fun to go back and look at. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.shadowstorm.com/cb/Radio-Shack-1976-Catalog/RS-1976-cover.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.shadowstorm.com/cb/Radio-Shack-1976-Catalog.html&usg=__H8-15cYMr4YzIRTNmzO-qHvoiOQ=&h=2937&w=2400&sz=1232&hl=en&start=2&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=gec0vsgdMGhMLM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=123&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dradio[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ozshxc296pk"]YouTube- Radio Shack Video Game Commercial[/ame]%2Bshack%2Bcatalog%2B1976%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26tbs%3Disch:1
Interesting name, televisionarchives. I hope you haven't saved any episodes of "My Mother, The Car." If so, we might have to hurt you! 
Youtube has full episodes of that show. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8bjUWVaAKE"]YouTube- I'm Through Being a Nice Guy[/ame]Interesting name, televisionarchives. I hope you haven't saved any episodes of "My Mother, The Car." If so, we might have to hurt you!
And for Radio Shack I remember my dad always buying his Antennas from Radio Shack. Then one day I discovered the UHF channels broadcasting out of Boston. Great memories
Spent a few coins at Shadio Rack! My favorite all time big purchase there was a Model 1 TRS80 computer with 4 disk drives. Later, I upgraded to a Model 4.
I should clarify my post above re: RS and computers. (Can't edit it anymore.) The "trash 80s" were quite innovative for their time and developed a loyal following. It was a great product and a money maker for the company. Unfortunately when the "IBM clones" came along (which was the end of the TRS 80s) and RS decided to open separate computer stores to sell their own Tandy flavor, that's when the wheels started coming off...
Lafayette Electronic Part Stores
I agree, I'll miss it. just like the Heathkit stores and mail order; but if you can remember (if you go that far back) the Lafayette Electronic Part Stores, and their thick catalogs, before it became Radio Shack. Did I go too far back for you Navychop?
I agree, I'll miss it. just like the Heathkit stores and mail order; but if you can remember (if you go that far back
) the Lafayette Electronic Part Stores, and their thick catalogs, before it became Radio Shack. Did I go too far back for you Navychop? 
I remember a period when there was also Allied/Radio Shack, and before that Allied Electronics, an independent retailer and catalog outlet. Allied is still around (again independent of Tandy) but I haven't ordered anything from them for years...
I also bought from Lafayette. I remember their series 50 bookshelf speakers ("Criterion" IIRC) as being best-in-class in their time. I had a pair of those and a smaller pair of 25s in a "quad" set-up. I also had a Lafayette tuner and separate amp but I can't remember the model numbers.
Does anyone remember Olsen Electronics? They had a store directly across from the first Radio Shack I did business with, and the Olsen store was larger at the time and my first stop for most things before heading over to RS. I never saw one of them outside of the Pgh. area, not sure what happened to them...
I also bought from Lafayette. I remember their series 50 bookshelf speakers ("Criterion" IIRC) as being best-in-class in their time. I had a pair of those and a smaller pair of 25s in a "quad" set-up. I also had a Lafayette tuner and separate amp but I can't remember the model numbers.
Does anyone remember Olsen Electronics? They had a store directly across from the first Radio Shack I did business with, and the Olsen store was larger at the time and my first stop for most things before heading over to RS. I never saw one of them outside of the Pgh. area, not sure what happened to them...
I remember building a Lafayette receiver (man did I sucked in a lot of solder smoke) after a few months the brass face plate on the receiver stated to get dingy and brown, could not understand why; then I took the knobs off and as I started to clean the face plate with Basso, I discovered that the Face Plate had a plastic clear shrink film on it. That was what was getting dingy, took it off and bingo; a beautiful bright face plate appeared.
Yep, those were the days.
Live and learn! I have certainly inhaled more than my share of "electronic fumes" over the years, probably contributing to my rapid decline, at least in looks...! (Brain cell loss is attributable to other factors!) I shared the solder smoke, professionally and in my hobbies, and I also inhaled many solvent fumes (flux removers, particularly "perc") unintentionally, and the aroma of an occasional transformer burning-up. That latter is particularly pungent, right up there with phenolic !!
I wish I still had many of the things I bought from those electronic stores over the years, particularly the audio gear. I still have a pair of "Nova Pro" headphones I bought circa 1969 from that first Radio Shack store I encountered, and a cassette player from another store about a year later. That player was a standalone unit with a built-in amp and separate speakers, but I lost those along the way. I still have my Realistic STA-150 receiver (with "AutoMagic" tuning no less!), Nova 8 speakers, SCP-9 cassette deck, electrostatic headphones, 4-ch portable scanner, and CB radio, all bought from a store here in central PA. All still work as far as I know and are in decent shape.
EDIT: Forgot my Realistic 7" R-R deck (made by Teac) that's connected into my current HT system! I had to replace the main belt in it last summer (it broke probably 10 years ago, but I can still get the replacement!) and it's working almost 100% now. Needs some more cleaning and tension adjustment to make it perfect.
(Leads back to that other thread about "electronic hoarding"...!)
Yep - I'll miss the ol' 'Shack when it's gone. Now seems more inevitable than ever...
I wish I still had many of the things I bought from those electronic stores over the years, particularly the audio gear. I still have a pair of "Nova Pro" headphones I bought circa 1969 from that first Radio Shack store I encountered, and a cassette player from another store about a year later. That player was a standalone unit with a built-in amp and separate speakers, but I lost those along the way. I still have my Realistic STA-150 receiver (with "AutoMagic" tuning no less!), Nova 8 speakers, SCP-9 cassette deck, electrostatic headphones, 4-ch portable scanner, and CB radio, all bought from a store here in central PA. All still work as far as I know and are in decent shape.
EDIT: Forgot my Realistic 7" R-R deck (made by Teac) that's connected into my current HT system! I had to replace the main belt in it last summer (it broke probably 10 years ago, but I can still get the replacement!) and it's working almost 100% now. Needs some more cleaning and tension adjustment to make it perfect.
(Leads back to that other thread about "electronic hoarding"...!)
Yep - I'll miss the ol' 'Shack when it's gone. Now seems more inevitable than ever...
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I agree, I'll miss it. just like the Heathkit stores and mail order; but if you can remember (if you go that far back
Yep, I guess. I remember Allied but not Lafayette Electronic Part Stores.
Now I'm trying to remember the catalogs I used for electronic parts such as IC chips. Something in-line catalog?
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