Radio Shack Bankruptcy Near?

[FTA4PA]

Things aren't looking good for Radio Shack. It appears they may file for bankruptcy soon. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/11/us-radioshack-results-idUSKBN0H61A220140911

 

[Ilya]

That's unfortunate, but not unexpected. I am surprised Radio Shack is still in business.

 

[long_time_DNC]

When they had electronics parts, I frequently visited there to buy adapters, cable ends, barrels, switches, etc, etc, but then they took all of that out and became a small version of Best Buy and I can't recall the last time I was in there...maybe 6-7 years ago or so...

 

[harshness]

They figured out much too late that there is still a market for hobbyist stuff and that the other lines that they were trying to get into have been done to death by Amazon and web-based specialty stores.

The store nearest me recently installed a really nice Arduino/Raspberry Pi display after having reduced their experimenter kit products to practically nothing.

 

[Ilya]

I agree! They should've stayed focused on DIY electronics enthusiast.

 

[long_time_DNC]

They figured out much too late that there is still a market for hobbyist stuff and that the other lines that they were trying to get into have been done to death by Amazon and web-based specialty stores.

The store nearest me recently installed a really nice Arduino/Raspberry Pi display after having reduced their experimenter kit products to practically nothing.

Exactly...corporate lost focus and forgot their roots and what made them successful...there's a big, independent, electronics warehouse I've been going to in order to get parts since Radio Shack became a mini-Best Buy. They're locally owned/operated and also have general hardware parts too (washers, nuts, nails, screws, bolts, etc, etc) in big bins as well as resistors, potentiometers, switches, cable ends of endless sizes/types. It's a hobbiest's wonderland..

 

[Cosmo Blatz]

They still have some hobbyist items in the parts drawers, but you are on your own finding what you need. The staff will be no help at all. Biggest problem I've encountered is at the cash register. Seems there's always a gaggle of people with cell phone
billing problems. "I really really really DID pay my cell bill. Please please turn my phone back on.!" "No, I don't have proof of payment."

http://money.cnn.com/2014/06/11/investing/radio-shack-worthless/

 

[bpalone]

Surface Mount Technology hasn't helped much either. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I don't think I could work with the stuff. I need the bigger standard sized parts and chips.

 

[FTA4PA]

Agree that most of the staff are no help. Last year I wanted to build a robot costume for my son for Halloween (flashing leds, switches, etc). I researched everything online, got part numbers, checked stock availability, then printed a complete list with part numbers and quantities. My wife was going that direction so I gave her the list. The "helpful" clerk picked out the parts and checked her out. Upon returning home I discovered that one item was missing, one was wrong and the quantity was off on another. She drove back, explained the problem to a different clerk, who went to get the parts. Upon returning to the counter my wife noticed that they got the same wrong part as before. My wife, who knows nothing about electronics, went back and picked out the correct part herself. The clerks were either clueless or simply did not care. I remember years back when they still catered to the hobbyist and carried a lot of parts. The staff was knowledgeable and could point you in the right direction or pick out a correct parts list for you in a few minutes. Sad to say Radio Shack is just a shell of what it used to be.

 

[drunk247]

I gave up when the guy argued with me that ladder line could only be used for TV antennas. There was no possible way I could use it for anything else. All I wanted to do was make a portable J-pole... Anyway, I didn't think the guy was going to sell it to me but he finally gave up. Parts are hit and miss. Their selection of TV antennas all seems to be stuff that won't actually work in our are if you want to get all of the networks. I think you can still order the antennas in store but I can just as easily do that online and I don't have to waste time going to that store. They never seem to even have parts that I need anymore.

 

[pickone4me]

I hope so, every time I have been there I ended up putting things back because of some moron telling their life story, or some other reason for taking 10 minutes or however long it took to move the person along.

 

[Mr Tony]

I gave up on Radio Shack years ago...especially after I moved into an apartment and needed a smaller TV antenna (couldnt fit a 14 foot antenna in the walk in closet)

Walked in and said "I need an OUTDOOR TV antenna" and the doofus took me to the rabbit ears...REALLY???

 

[Labrat0116]

I go there once every (2) years to renew my cellphone contract. They do have very good deals on cell phones/plans.

They also do have decent sales as well.

 

[TheHamNerd]

Man...we use to have a Tandy computer back in the day.....Radio Shack ring a bell anyone? Heck yeah...DOS and Windows 3.1 baby! Man...the days of the 5.25 floppy.....

 

[TheHamNerd]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tandy_Corporation

 

[FTA4PA]

Man...we use to have a Tandy computer back in the day.....

Me too, a Tandy 1000HX - used that until I built my first pc, with a 286 processor running at an incredible 12MHz!

 

[N5XZS]

Man, those were the days we had a good time in the 80's they have great scanner radio same goes for CB radios!

Good old days....

 

[drunk247]

Man, those were the days we had a good time in the 80's they have great scanner radio same goes for CB radios!

Good old days....

I still have some of their scanners and an old CB. I think they are from the early 90's though.

 

[bpalone]

You guys are making me feel OLD! My Radio Shack computers were a TRS-80 Model I (somewhat modded) and a TRS-80 Model 4P. Have fond memories of those computers.

If my memory serves correctly, Tandy/Radio Shack went public by selling shares at the Texas State Fair grounds.

 

[Dee_Ann]

There used to be a Tandy store where they sold leather craft stuff. We were always going on long trips when I was little so my folks would go to Tandy and buy some leather craft thing for me to make in the back seat of the car on our trips. Wallets and purses and key thingies.. One time I made this little leather key pouch and gave it to my dad and to this day he still puts his keys in it and carries it in his pocket. He’s been carrying it in his pocket for over 45 years.. I haven’t seen a Tandy store in decades. At some point in time I think they went from selling leather kits to computers and I guess that’s gone too.
I went in a radio shack store some years ago looking for some small thing, maybe some satellite connectors, I can’t even remember what it was for sure but I do remember that some mouth breathing greasy pimply kid was dead set on selling me a cell phone and remote control toys for my grandchildren. I was so annoyed I vowed never to go back again.