OT - The last of Radio Shack...

[alanganes]

For those among us old enough to remember Radio Shack in its heyday and who get nostalgic about it, here is your chance to own some genuine RS memorabilia or original old products. 500+ auction lots direct from the former corporate archives are on line for bidding now:

https://ubidestates.hibid.com/catalo...k-auction--1/?

Been discussed here before, I think it's sort of too bad that the missed the boat and lost sight of who they were. Browsing this stuff brought back some memories for me anyhow.

[6PTsocket]

What I remember was a convenient stock of electronic parts that were good in a pinch and not too bad. They were never great. What I really miss was New York's iconic Radio Row. Blocks and blocks of electronic stores that carried anything you could imagine. As a kid I would go there with my parts list from Popular Electronics Magazine and spend all day going through the stores that carried new and surplus parts for my latest project. I was happy as a clam. Sadly, it was all torn down to make way for the World Trade Center. Radio Shack, like Sears has been in decline for so many years that the end is anticlimatictic.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[A.K. Boomer]

It's a bummer cuz like you said the electronic parts which granted was reduced to this one tiny little section but got me out of a bind once in awhile - everything else in the store you can basically find anywhere...

and I remember when the employee's actually had some knowledge about electronic parts - even some of the girls which was super cool, but they have all been reduced to just knowing about the latest smart phone apps and gadgets, ask a semi-technical question about a resistor or capacitor and get a blank stare with that "WTF is that" kinda look...

kept hearing they were closing for along time now yet my local little store held on till about a month or two ago and now all gone...

[flylo]

Reminds me of when Heath Co went OOB here, and Clark Equip, Whirpool production, & many many more. Really sad. I had forgotten about Tandy computers.

[AD5MB]

Radio Shack ceased to exist for me when they started to use chrome plated steel on what should be soldered components. you can not solder to chrome or steel, so what you get is a simulation of a $.79 part

[DS_park]

"What I remember was a convenient stock of electronic parts that were good in a pinch and not too bad."

"It's a bummer cuz like you said the electronic parts which granted was reduced to this one tiny little section but got me out of a bind once in awhile "

Ditto Ditto

Spent almost 20 years in Fairbanks Alaska where anything is available if you can pay the shipping and don't need it today. Radio Shack bailed me out at least a couple of times a year.

[Axkiker]

So im sure dumb question what were the corporate archives ?? Was this a sort of museum or just a warehouse they kept some of everything. Some of those computers were from wayyyyyy back

[DR]

Now the problem is where to go for that common component that's needed RIGHT NOW.

The answer I get most often is use one of the big mail order houses. Yeah, that's fine if you can wait and are willing to pay the shipping on a $.39 part. We do have a Fry's about 15 miles away if the need is worth the drive.

[RWO]

Any of you old enough to remember "Poly Packs"? Great stuff for the electronics hobbyist.

RWO

[Paul Alciatore]

Radio Shack lost it's roots. They started as a place that sold PARTS and small, interesting items. It was a place for hobbyists, like me. Nothing of great quality, but you could get parts to play with and KITS. Yes, they actually had kits that you could assemble.

Somewhere around the time when the Apple II came out, they started with the TRS-80, I believe. I believe that was the beginning of the end. They grossly overpriced it. But it wasn't worth the price as it was no where near the Apple. But their management was on an "upscale" trend. The parts became a smaller part of the store and that part slowly shrank as time went by. More "upscale" items were added: computer items, phones (even before cell phones), HiFi, toys, etc., etc., etc. And all the time, the parts section of the stores shrank. Somewhere in here, probably early on, the kits disappeared. The final shrinkage was stuffing the parts to those drawer units. They weren't even visible. Hidden away in drawers and often in complete dis-array. Only cell phones and other high value items counted.

They lost their roots. And they tried to compete in one of the fastest growing segments of the market. Idiots! Idiots with fancy, expensive marketing degrees. There should be a way for them to get their college tuition back. With interest!

[Joel]

If they stuck to their roots they would have been gone long ago.
Ask 100 random people what a diode is, or if they have ever needed to purchase a resistor. It is sad, but very few have the slightest clue how anything works, nor do they have any interest in trying to repair anything. How many relatively expensive electronic items get thrown away every minute for wont of a dab of solder, a fuse or some other simple part? It is we that have failed...

[Paul Alciatore]

If they had stuck to their roots, perhaps more people could answer those questions. I am amazed at the number of hobbyists that there are out there. And can only wonder how many more there would be if things were more available. Their greed was part of the problem.

There is no end of people making money selling parts on line.

[RB211]

They were only good for when you needed something immediately and didn't care about a 1000% markup. The death process of this one lasted a little too long.

[Royldean]

I am amazed at the number of hobbyists that there are out there. And can only wonder how many more there would be if things were more available. Their greed was part of the problem.

There aren't enough. Back in the old days, people actually used to repair their electronics, either professionally or by themselves (hence radio shack). It was like working on your own car. If we just threw away our cars instead of replacing alternators, Pep Boys and O'Reily's would close down, too. The thing keeping Radio Shack open was the cheapskates (like us) that wanted to fix their own stuff - not the people who wanted to tinker on custom projects.

[RB211]

Most people don't want to dick around with SMT. I have, but I have a high tolerance for pain.