Ahhh, another nostalgic thread for this ol'-timer! My RS (and Allied, Tandy, Lafayette, etc.) experiences go back over 40 years. I too am an ex-RS employee having worked in one of their "SMIA" stores in the early 70s. No need to relive all that here. Like Ice said, we've had several threads on the RS topic. But the theme continues; they lost the identity we all knew and loved (at least some of us DIYers did!).
The so-called "dealers" (franchises) are a subset that still seems to be surviving however. Their business model has changed little over the years. Dealers were/are non-Tandy owned independent retailers who chose to add a portion of the RS line to complement their existing offering, expertise, and customer demands. And that's the difference. A small independent retailer, like "Joe's TV & Appliance and Radio Shack" HAS to have a knowledge of and passion for the business, and that can make all the difference in both customer loyality and long-term survival. For the most part the kids working in the company-owned stores are hired with minimum skills/knowledge, and minimum motivation for the long haul. I don't know whether or not they're paid commission (we were in my days) but there are so few "big ticket" items anymore in the RS stores it's hard to imagine what they have to sell for significant personal gain. Perhaps they get big incentives for pushing the cell phone contracts?
We're down to only 1 company store around here anymore (#4197, the one I worked in at the local mall all those years ago, relocated within that mall several times!) and I think the only local dealer folded years ago. Over the years RS got a ton of my money in almost every product category they sold. We're in a fringe area TV wise, so in the days before DBS and widely-available cable TV, I learned a lot about "TV DXing" working in that store then later solving my own OTA TV situation with mostly RS antennas and parts.
I rarely go into that mall store anymore except for the occasional component where the high price is commensurate with the immediate need and convenience. Hard to imagine how they stay in business that way. As we have discussed elsewhere, perhaps RS has now reached its practical end...
Anyway - another moment for reflection. Still brings a smile to my face...