Topic: Looks like another going under

[rustybayonet]

About to add Radio Shack to the list?

http://www.charter.net/tv/3/player/vendor/Newsy%20Now/player/sf/asset/newsy_now-radioshack_may_shut_down_sell_stores_to_sprint-newsy/source/Clips

[ToddF]

Radio Shack missed it's chance to stay relevant.  They could have adopted Batteries Plus' business model, but missed the boat.  That would have been a natural extension of Radio Shack.  I'm sure there's other niche markets that could have been exploited.

One thing they weren't, anymore, is the go to place for the odd connector or charger for your gadget.  A swing and a miss the last time I went into one, trying to find a charger for the wife's odd phone brand.

[richb]

Not a surprise,  the only surprise that they lasted as long as they did.    They have sucked and been pointless for a long time now.   From the few people I know that work there or worked there say its been an increasingly lousy place to work too.    Too bad, they were everywhere from big cities to the tiniest town.   

Sears-Kmart can't be too far behind.   Another big one dying a slow death.   Both probably ruined by upper clueless management.   

[Weisshaupt]

Radio Shack missed it's chance to stay relevant.  They could have adopted Batteries Plus' business model, but missed the boat.  That would have been a natural extension of Radio Shack.  I'm sure there's other niche markets that could have been exploited.

One thing they weren't, anymore, is the go to place for the odd connector or charger for your gadget.  A swing and a miss the last time I went into one, trying to find a charger for the wife's odd phone brand.

I needed a cheap 4-5 inch speaker for my sons science project. They didn't even have that .  Radio Shack has gone beyond useless.
q

[Alphabet Soup]

Gone....and soon forgotten.

Ain't that just the way?  I imagine kids today looking at what we had and cringing. Brings to mind (again) the Southpark episode where the kids are playing those dreadful plastic guitar-things (Guitar Hero). Randy (the dad) shows them how to play a real guitar but the kids would rather play the stupid plastic thing versus creating real music.

Radio Shack died because people's tastes changed. When I was a kid if you wanted a toy you made it yourself. Now you go online and order what you want. It's delivered to your door. No muss-no fuss.

I taught myself electronics because I wanted to create things. Same with music. Same with mechanics. Instead of the mall I used to haunt Radio Shack. And Empire Electronics. And the Army/Navy surplus store. My idea of a good Saturday was prowling the local junkyard looking for treasures.

I got thinking about it over the weekend. I'm rebuilding one of my guitars and need a new volume and tone controls. I will jump in my car and drive the twelve miles to see my local dealer so that I can buy the parts I need at a mark-up because if I don't support him he'll soon be gone.

Just like Radio Shack.

[rustybayonet]

Not a surprise,  the only surprise that they lasted as long as they did.    They have sucked and been pointless for a long time now.   From the few people I know that work there or worked there say its been an increasingly lousy place to work too.    Too bad, they were everywhere from big cities to the tiniest town.   

Sears-Kmart can't be too far behind.   Another big one dying a slow death.   Both probably ruined by upper clueless management.   

In our area we have a K-Mart and everytime they talk about closing more stores we can't believe this one remains.  Except for the holidays you never see more than 15 cars in the parking lot, and most of those are probably employees.  We also just got a Publix and they are putting a hurting on Wallyworld in the food department. It couldn't happen to a better company, he says with tongue in cheek

[Libertas]

When I was a kid Radio Shack had all the cool stuff, but then everybody started selling electronics, it was aided of course by a strong dollar and a flood of goods from Japan and Taiwan...then the big box stores came...and then Korea and China started producing...and Sam's Club and CostCo started cutting into the action...now the online market dominates and Radio Shack is history.  The local Radio Shack by me is done.  The K-Mart (thank God! I never meet more dregs in one place than in a K-Mart!) closed 2-3 years ago and they've been folding pretty steadily.  Sears has a little life to it but will eventually be gone, same with Penney's as they are run by idiots too.

If I am not shopping online (which on a percentage basis I have to be about even with in-person shopping) I frequent few stores, but the ones I do patronize I like:  Cabelas, FleetFarm, Menards, WalMart and CostCo are porbably my top 5. 

[AlanS]

How many remember Western Auto?

[rustybayonet]

How many remember Western Auto?

Sure do.... also Woolworth, S.S. Kresge, A&P Grocery Stores, Ben Franklin Stores, Cunningham Drug Stores, milk and dairy products delivered to the house.  Yep, just proves I'm an old fart.

[IronDioPriest]

I used to frequent Radio Shack back in the day. Easiest place to go for audio cable components and tools.

Capitalism in operation. TV repairmen don't really exist anymore either. When you cease providing something that enough people want, or when people stop wanting what you provide, you go out of business.

[ChrstnHsbndFthr]

How many remember Western Auto?

We still have one in the largest farm community of my home county here. Lots of farmers go there to buy parts and stuff you can't get anywhere else in the county.

[Libertas]

Not familiar with Western.  Are there any more Champion Auto stores?  These shops are hit/miss no matter what, you find a place with a mechanic you can talk to and trust and does good work and backs it up, bam - that it!

Remember Woolworths (especially the candy counter [but everybody had those back then, even Penney's!] and the Lunch counter).  Rexall Drugs.  What was the old hobby store...Jolly?  No more Super Valu stores anymore either.  Or Red Owl.  Sambo's Restraunt, remember those?  I think a FlameBurger is still around.  A&W's all but went extinct. 
 

[warpmine]

Reads, Pantry Pride, Basics Food, Hi Hear Auto, Cooks(5&10 store) Hochsild Kohn, Stewarts, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Mercury, Plymouth brand cars are all stores I grew up visiting. Many went under whole others were absorbed by other companies. Many were axed during the great Carter years of stagflation and misery.

[IronDioPriest]

Not familiar with Western.  Are there any more Champion Auto stores?  These shops are hit/miss no matter what, you find a place with a mechanic you can talk to and trust and does good work and backs it up, bam - that it!

Remember Woolworths (especially the candy counter [but everybody had those back then, even Penney's!] and the Lunch counter).  Rexall Drugs.  What was the old hobby store...Jolly?  No more Super Valu stores anymore either.  Or Red Owl.  Sambo's Restraunt, remember those?  I think a FlameBurger is still around.  A&W's all but went extinct. 
 

When I was really little that Red Owl logo on their giant signs used to freak me out. Something about it - I think it may have been the spiky edges around the eyes... Dude looks PISSED!



No WAY Sambo's would survive the PC culture. I mean, the menu had the story of "Little Black Sambo" on it. Find a copy of THAT in a library nowadays. And Sambo wasn't even a Negro!

The A&Ws that remain today are a shadow of what they were. I'll never forget rolling up to the drive-in slot on a hot summer night; waitresses bustling about the parking lot; and watching eagerly as she placed that tray full of frosty mugs of root beer tenuously on our partially-lowered windshield...

Not everything has Few things have changed for the better.

[AmericanPatriot]

Around here, the A&Ws are in with Long John Silver.
I think they may have originated around Youngstown, Ohio.

You forgot Montgomery Wards and GC Murphy.
When I was a kid, Murphy's had lots of comics and when a little older, 45 records

We did have a Woolworth's, too, but Murphy's was a lot better store.

Oh, and we had a Western Auto

[rustybayonet]

I know of three A&W's still in Michigan, but opnly one is a drive-in.  How about Big Boy getting very scarce, and in this area McDonalds and Burger King are starting to thin out, coarse down here they don't sell BBQ ribs and Grits, so what do y'all except?   

[Libertas]

"Not everything has Few things have changed for the better."

(sigh)

Aye...