Radio Shack to change its name ...

[scrtr84]

Cutting open a battery? Now that's a shocker! <rimshot>

What was RS' explanation for that one?

 

[billyg]

Good point.

What has hit Radio Shack is that the parts and supplies business that paid the rent has dried up. Nearly nobody makes home electronic projects now. In the 60's, there were a half dozen well circulated magazines for experimenters and hobbyists. The same happened in personal computers... the screwdriver shops are almost all gone and the 3-pound issues of Computer Shopper disappeared a decade ago... we buy computers at incredible prices, and get new ones when they come out. Both of these things affected Radio Shack.

And don't get me started on the $90 HDMI cables. And the annoying check of address and ZIP code that kept me away for years...

Good points. It sucks electronics have become so disposable now. Stuff built so cheap so it can wear out in a few years and get tossed in the trash. And we have weaned the last two generations since the 80's with that kind of thinking.

I learned to use (and burn my fingers with) a soldiering iron building a Science Fair AM Transmitter breadbox kit. I thought it would broadcast a few miles but only got as far out as the driveway. And I still have a Science Fair 100-in-1 Electronic project Kit that I got in jr high in 1975.

RS seems to be also trapped in a time warp when it comes to pricing. Especially when you can get a $5.99 HDMI cable at Harbor Freight Tools (good quality too).

 

[Megapsycle]

I'll never forget my brother cutting one of their 'd' cells open and finding an 'aa' inside!

I wonder if that was one of their lesser capacity NiCad rechargeables? Pretty common practice for the battery manufacturers to adapt (or disguise) a AA NiCad inside a C or D case.

 

[scrtr84]

I'll never forget my brother cutting one of their 'd' cells open and finding an 'aa' inside!

I wonder if that was one of their lesser capacity NiCad rechargeables? Pretty common practice for the battery manufacturers to adapt (or disguise) a AA NiCad inside a C or D case.

Common practice? Really? Funny I have never heard anything about Batt. manufacturers doing that.

 

[Jay Walker]

When they dumped carrying amateur radio equipment 10 years ago the "radio" in the name became less significant unless you include remote control toys and cell phones as RF devices.

I don't recall them ever selling amateur radio equipment, even going back to the 70's.

CBs, maybe.

Hi David,

In addition to selling CB radio, they also at one time carried a pretty decent line of ham gear under their brand. The HTX series of 10 meter transceivers, Plus tons of 2meter/70cm mobiles and hand helds. I've got several of each that still work great. They were also a bargain compared to ICOM, Kenwood, and Yaesu offerings at the time. Then just before the end of the ham radio line they were carrying Vectronics, and Alinco gear. And of course their scanner line was once legendary (Pro-2004 etc).
But yes they did have a decent Radio Shack branded ham line at one time.

Jay

 

[Megapsycle]

When they dumped carrying amateur radio equipment 10 years ago the "radio" in the name became less significant unless you include remote control toys and cell phones as RF devices.

I don't recall them ever selling amateur radio equipment, even going back to the 70's.

CBs, maybe.

Yep I have several.

My RadioShack Amateur Radios

 

[Megapsycle]

Common practice? Really? Funny I have never heard anything about Batt. manufacturers doing that.

I have seen several brands of rechargables that were unusually light weight and partially hollow inside. Take a look at the Ma/Hr spec and those will be the same regardless of size.

 

[LibertyNT]

And of course their scanner line was once legendary (Pro-2004 etc).
But yes they did have a decent Radio Shack branded ham line at one time.

Jay

And It Still Is I have 2 of their newer Scanners and 1 older one. They Work Great!

 

[Lancer]

At this point, the only reasonable change to make to their store sign is "CLOSED."

 

[Nik]

I don't recall them ever selling amateur radio equipment, even going back to the 70's.

CBs, maybe.

They've sold plenty of amature radio equipment - antennas, tranceivers, etc. And GMRS, CB, FRS, marine radio...

 

[Nik]

When I was a kid I spent my money equally between Legos and Radio Shack. I watched a once great store (RadioShack) slowly die and witnessed the quality of the merchandise slide to the poor end of the scale. And then they tried focusing on consumer electronic appliances, but with such craptastic brands as RCA. They really gave themselves a black eye trying to sell that junk at such a ridiculous markup. Then in the late '90s they introduced a parts and DIY-oriented retail/catalog/web store called TechAmerica, and I was fortunate to live very close to one in Arizona. I remember going in back in late '01 to pick up some parts and pieces and noticed the going out of business sale signs. I bought so much stuff, so many components and parts I still have boxes and boxes stashed away, "just in case". Plus it was so cheap I couldn't pass it up. But the point is, even trying to get back to their roots failed. Everyone wants cheap and disposable electronics.

Anyone notice Pizza Hut has dropped "pizza" from their name? Yep, they are now calling themselves "The Hut". I'm noticing a trend here in TX...

 

[MikeShannon914]

I always liked Burstein-Applebee a little better than Radio Shack. Name brand stuff, first real place in DFW to buy high-end stereos and other electronics (OK, we had Teco and Kennedy & Cohen, and perhaps FedMart if you want to bend things a little) but, for a little mall store, B-A was packed to the gills with some pretty cool stuff. What they didn't have in the store, you could get by mail-order.

But hell, Radio Shack outlasted just about everyone: Federated, Video Concepts/MacDuff/Incredible Universe (Tandy-owned, like RS,) Circuit City, Videoland, Highland Appliance/Highland Superstore, the aforementioned Teco and Kennedy & Cohen, CMC, Pacific Stereo, and moderately-decent sound departments at O. G. Wilson, Best, Wilson's/Service Merchandise, Medallion, etc.

Anyone remember when it was called, "Allied Radio Shack"?

 

[Jay Walker]

Anyone remember when it was called, "Allied Radio Shack"?

B/A was a favorite mail order spot for me and I still have an old catalog in my stash for Allied Radio Shack.
I think Allied was a company out of Chicago, if my foggy memory is correct and merged with Radio Shack.
That was when they were the component/parts leader. If you needed a 3.3megohm resister on a Sunday afternoon and were willing to pay 33 cents for it you could get it walk in.
Anyone remember Lafayette Electronics?

 

[oldmanradio]

A few years ago, I explored a Fry's store on Northwest Highway for the first time and discovered amateur radio transceivers -- probably not long after Incredible Universe had closed.

How small and compact the equipment had become surprised me.

Last time, I was there, a few months ago, it was gone.

Tony
Tony Lyndell Williams