Anybody near Fort Worth gone over to the company outlet store? I forget its address but I think I've mentioned it before here in a different thread.
Radio Shack seems to never have recovered from the failure of their Tandy PCs - it was downhill after that.
At one time I was a regular RS customer. Enjoyed browsing the annual catalogs. My very first multimeter was a little analog job. Still have it, along with at least 2 more Microntas. And tools, speakers, more audio stuff, even a fully functional TL/2 PC.
I remember, from the late-90's, a RadioShack-affiliated mail order business named Tech something or something Tech... anyone else remember that? It didn't last long, but I did get a brand new Fluke 73 for $55, among other items, while it was around.
Radio Shack seems to never have recovered from the failure of their Tandy PCs - it was downhill after that.
At one time I was a regular RS customer. Enjoyed browsing the annual catalogs. My very first multimeter was a little analog job. Still have it, along with at least 2 more Microntas. And tools, speakers, more audio stuff, even a fully functional TL/2 PC.
I remember, from the late-90's, a RadioShack-affiliated mail order business named Tech something or something Tech... anyone else remember that? It didn't last long, but I did get a brand new Fluke 73 for $55, among other items, while it was around.
YES, it was called Tech America, opened mid-late 1990s, but after maybe a year or so the name changed to RadioShack.Com (yes, the big sign at the front of the building), and lasted until, I forget, maybe 2002-2003. It was not a secret that "Tech America" was owned by Radio Shack when it first opened, and there was no apparent change to the store when the name was changed, but it was much more like the current Fry's (but without the appliances, TVs and computer) than any Radio Shack I ever heard of.
There's a mention of Tech America here, of there being only three retail locations:
Radio Shack Changes Its Name:
The location I'm thinking of was north of Atlanta, on Buford Highway just north of I-285. About 15-20 years earlier, the very building had been one of the first Home Depot locations.
It was a wonderful place for its books, maybe a thousand titles, all technical. It had a nice magazine stand with more tech stuff, some audio stuff such as AudioXpress (or whatever it was at the time), another I remember on model rocketry.
A memorable purchase was two "Metex" DMMs with DB9 RS-232 output (even if it's an odd 600 baud) on sale for $25 each, and still have them, they work fine.
Thanks. Yes, that was it. Tech America. I didn't see mention of it at the few sites I searched, but do have an old catalog stored away. Wasn't aware of the TA brick n mortar stores.
not doing what made them money in the first place(kits,parts, and educational material) and the corporate philosophy of ever increasing profits year to year will doom any company.
the thing that always dumbfounded me was why on earth would you hired Business students as store associates rather then people with tech or electrical backgrounds to serve your customer base?
i guess the principle of a "loss leader" (as in parts aren't big profit but they get people in the store) is viewed as non viable these days.i can't count how many times i'd go into a RS store for parts and come home with something else like a new meter, a pair of Minimus 7's or a strobe light...
the thing that always dumbfounded me was why on earth would you hired Business students as store associates rather then people with tech or electrical backgrounds to serve your customer base?
i guess the principle of a "loss leader" (as in parts aren't big profit but they get people in the store) is viewed as non viable these days.i can't count how many times i'd go into a RS store for parts and come home with something else like a new meter, a pair of Minimus 7's or a strobe light...
Radio Shack bankruptcy auction today
Today is the big day for Radio Shack. Their remainnig 2000 or so stores are up for auction at bankruptcy court in Delaware. According to this article, things don't look good at all for them remaining in business:
RadioShack?s Future to Be Decided at Bankruptcy Auction - WSJ (may require a WSJ subscription to read through)
Only one hedge fund that already has money into them has that co-branded Sprint Store deal proposed, while all other bids are from liquidators. Apparently the legal standard for the auction is "highest and best" offer, not savings jobs or keeping the business going. The article says this same judge is the one who chose liquidating Tower Records way back when during their bankruptcy over an offer that would have kept the company going.
If it does get liquidated that will also probably nail the 900 franchisees. The brand name, patents, and trademarks are all breing auctioned so that doesn't leave anything left to make product with. Aparrently a lot of those franchises are just corners of existing stores selling other stuff in smaller towns.
Lol - get ready for the second round of Radio Shack store closings!
Today is the big day for Radio Shack. Their remainnig 2000 or so stores are up for auction at bankruptcy court in Delaware. According to this article, things don't look good at all for them remaining in business:
RadioShack?s Future to Be Decided at Bankruptcy Auction - WSJ (may require a WSJ subscription to read through)
Only one hedge fund that already has money into them has that co-branded Sprint Store deal proposed, while all other bids are from liquidators. Apparently the legal standard for the auction is "highest and best" offer, not savings jobs or keeping the business going. The article says this same judge is the one who chose liquidating Tower Records way back when during their bankruptcy over an offer that would have kept the company going.
If it does get liquidated that will also probably nail the 900 franchisees. The brand name, patents, and trademarks are all breing auctioned so that doesn't leave anything left to make product with. Aparrently a lot of those franchises are just corners of existing stores selling other stuff in smaller towns.
Lol - get ready for the second round of Radio Shack store closings!
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It happened! Sprint + Radio Shack
On Tuesday the bankruptcy court judge did allow one of the hedge fund creditors to buy 1700 of the RS stores, to keep them open with 1/3 of the store as Sprint stores starting this month (April).
I wouldn't have a clue as to how well that is going to work out for them. 😕 But after 95 years Radio Shack is going to live on a little longer, just like an antibiotic-resistant bacteria. 😛
RadioShack CEO Resigns As Company Prepares To Open New Stores Later This Month ? Consumerist
On Tuesday the bankruptcy court judge did allow one of the hedge fund creditors to buy 1700 of the RS stores, to keep them open with 1/3 of the store as Sprint stores starting this month (April).
I wouldn't have a clue as to how well that is going to work out for them. 😕 But after 95 years Radio Shack is going to live on a little longer, just like an antibiotic-resistant bacteria. 😛
RadioShack CEO Resigns As Company Prepares To Open New Stores Later This Month ? Consumerist
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Lives on only in name. As already mentioned, from the perspective of hobby electronics the "SPRINT + Radio Shack" combination is as useful as "Walgreens + Radio Shack" or "Starbucks + Radio Shack".
Engineering ain't engineering anymore. It's certainly not what has been taught at schools for the past 30 odd years - calculations and analysis.
Most engineers can't tell you why they actually get paid.
Trevelyan, James 2010 "Mind the Gaps: Engineering Education and Practice"
Trevelyan, James 2010 "Reconstructing engineering from practice"
Engineering schools are in for a big shock.
Walked by our new Radio Shack/Sprint store today. Looks like a Sprint store, not a Radio Shack. All phone stuff showing, nothing else.
FWIW..
Well over a year ago I went to the local RS store to get a $1 item that I really needed..
I along with a few others had to wait for a very long time to check out as they serviced a couple of new phone customers first which the\y deemed the most important customers.
Now that Sprint owns it... ..just use you imagination !
Well over a year ago I went to the local RS store to get a $1 item that I really needed..
I along with a few others had to wait for a very long time to check out as they serviced a couple of new phone customers first which the\y deemed the most important customers.
Now that Sprint owns it... ..just use you imagination !
I value my local Maplin shop a lot, its just a mile away.
However a resistor is 17p.
I can get the same resistor from RS or Farnell for 2p.
But the time saved is well worth the difference many times over.
However a resistor is 17p.
I can get the same resistor from RS or Farnell for 2p.
But the time saved is well worth the difference many times over.
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