In the latest , and now refreshingly upbeat, tale of Radio Shack, the retailer has taken on a new partner for in-store distribution. Radio Shack started after World War II as a ham radio store, in Boston. In the early 1960's it was in dire financial shape from over-expansion and unpaid customer credit billings, and was bought out by Tandy Corporation. It then expanded into becoming an American institution, familiar in shopping malls nationwide. In the last decade, however, changing buying options and over-emphasis on cell phones spelt bankruptcy for the chain. Up to 140 HOBBYTOWNs are anticipated to have 'in-store' sections for Radio Shack, emphasizing parts and maker/DIY accessories. Radio Shack saw business failure as 'America's Electronics Store' and has been rapidly shedding any vestige of bricks and mortar locations. A few still remain, with emphasis on local DIY needs and local owner oversight. Radio Shack does, however, have an excellent website store--www.radioshack.com -- that has ooodles of cheap and high quality stuff. And they still sell cheap batteries! Here's a link--- https://www.dealerscope.com/article/radioshack-looks-to-make-a-comeback-with-hobbytown-deal/
Very happy to see this partnership happen. The closest HobbyTown store to me in Brandon FL is still a bit of a drive, but it is one of their chosen RS outlets, and already has a nice looking stock of items. See their video below. I may go check it all out in person next week. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1858558330870065
Sad,no radio Shack Stores here in the Philippines,I am a Retired US Marine/Vietnam Veteran living in the Philippines and sometimes getting the right part here is Mind Numbing.Bob DW7NIB 73
lucky you still have them there, they (tandy/radio shack) disappeared from the uk over 10 years ago,the nearest type of shop to them maplin,bit the dust end of last year here in the uk, so its either amazon or the dreaded fleabay or maybe rs components for the odd item or two, progress nah think not Kevin M6ENP
IMO Ham Radio Outlet should remove the CB stuff and put in a few rows of RatShack parts. Then Radio Shack would come back full circle! Its a very interesting question about where and how Maker/DIY electronics ends up selling in retail. There clearly is demand. Here near Boston, we have 'You Do It' (YDI) (unaffectionately called 'You Blew It') which does a good to excellent job of this in selling parts and tools. I buy most of my parts on EBay, with good to excellent results. The trips to YDI have become less frequent for me, but if I get too bored on a rainy Saturday, I make the trek and buy stuff I don't, and will never, need. At 63 I recognize the 'ROUND-TUIT' when I see it. Where do you buy YOUR parts?
I just saw one last week in Tehachapi, Ca. Of all places. Wasn’t associated with Hobbytown either. I thought they closed down completely. It really did go downhill in the last 10-15 years. Geeks don’t want to work for cheap. You’ve got questions, we’ve got blank stares.
Dyersville, Iowa still has a privately owned store. Looking in their cabnets, I found 2n2222, 2n3055, LM-317, along with IRF-510 and more. Bought caps, resistors, breadboads, small cases and more. Fifty bucks got me 1.4 pounds of stuff. Do I need it . . . might . . . it was a great deal HI HI KG0BK
I agree. They really are getting back to the game of reasonable quality parts at VG prices. I just got off the RatShack website and spent $50 on clearance stuff.
I am quite lucky to have a honest to goodness non-chain Ma & Pa parts store nearby, called Sarasota Electronics. How rare is that? See link below. Been around for at least 20 years, run by a very nice married couple, and the Jack Russell terrier is a hoot too. Some very esoteric stuff along with the basics, they have bailed me out many times. Otherwise its Digi-Key, because they have quick service, and the founder is Ron, now call sign AE5E. I started at the U of MN as he was coming out of grad school. Met him as a shy tween at the EE lab, he kindly helped as I bought and built one of his now legendary kits that started it all, the "Digi-Key"(er). Sure wish I still had it! http://www.sarasota-electronics.com/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Stordahl Through the years have spent many bucks at Rat Shack though too. Their closeout prices are irresistible.
1. Tehachapi, Ca is a dealer store. Hobby Town was dealer stores as well..... Radio Shack did the right thing and partnered with their largest dealer store network. Dealer stores are what they referenced about local owner oversight. IOW, they got parts at a 10 pct below retail price. I've no idea about the deals now, my experience is 30 years ago. 2. As to the you've got questions, we have stares: I started working for the shack over Xmas, and after 3 weeks was handed the keys to an underperforming store. My first month was the first profitable month in 2 years. When I was brought in for training, I was told to explain to all my new hires that we where NOT allowed to give ANY technical advice or other information out. This was due to a kid on (iirc Sanibel) a island known for affluence who decided to off his parents. He purchased the parts at a local Shack, and asked for generic wiring instructions to make it an alarm (he purchased car alarm parts) Instead of making it activate a siren, his alarm fired a spark plug in the tank (again, iirc) and killed both his parents. Radio shack corporate lawyered up the store (was a company store) and I don't know what, if anything happened to the salesperson or the store. Back then, early 90s, it was a great place to work. Free education plan, great bonus structure, company sponsored vacations for management and top performing sales people and at the time we got to work with some pretty good tech (behind the scenes with SCO Xenix POS systems linked nationwide, alarm systems that allowed constant 2 way comms with Fort Worth selling some decent equipment, etc). Even in the 90s, I never saw anyone my age shopping there (fresh out of high school) . They sold rebranded low end stuff as their high end.... And their entry level stuff could be sourced at the flea market (sherwood made their stereo equipment, etc) ... Writing was on the wall then. --Shane KD6VXI Store 01-8969. S. Tamiami Trail
Quite interesting that they could not call it Radio Shack in the UK they were called Tandy stores. There was a ham radio store in North London called 'Radio Shack' and I visited it in the late 60's quite a few times but they held the right to the name Radio Shack so the Tandy corporation could not use the name in the UK, cheers Geoff
I suppose I am lucky to not only have a hobbytown, several fully-stocked electronics stores, and a privately owned radio shack in Tulsa, but we are in one-day UPS shipping distance from Mouser's Dallas warehouse as well.
Post Mortem on the UK naming, they asked the gentleman who owned the store if he would relinquish (sell) his rights, and I believe his reply was 'hell no!" he did not consider them a real radio store, trying to remember this part of my radio upbringing have to try and find his callsign, 73 Geoff W6UXB/G3UXB
Hams within about a hundred miles of Wichita Kansas are very very fortunate to have the best Radio Shack in the country. they stock an amazing amount of both new and used amateur radio equipment , Mark and his crew attend a number of local and area ham conventions also http://www.hamradiocenter.biz
