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Attention Optimus owners! Your Lifetime warranty has expired (I think).
Follow Ups:
The Radio Shack stores in ND at (enlosed) Dakota Square (Minot) and (enclosed) Kirkwood mall (Bismarck) are closing, as are the (high-rent enclosed) Fayette Mall, (non-enclosed but still high rent) Hamburg, and (strip mall) South Farm Marketplace (oddly, a stone's throw from the Fayette Mall location) stores here in Lexington KY. Interestingly, the franchise operation in much-smaller Bottineau ND will remain open. We have an (strip-mall) Eastland store on cheap real estate that must be franchise-operated too, as that is staying open. I suspect the franchise non-RS owned stores will band together and find suppliers for electronics and parts to keep their store-fronts operating, as these are way low rent compared with the mall properties. A lot of the franchise RS operations are sideline stores within-a-store for businesses such as hardware stores and thus have low fixed costs. That could eventually happen in Minot and Bismarck too. Sprint has minimal presence in either ND or KY so the stores are being closed not converted to Sprint storefronts.I'm curious if the franchise owners can locate suppliers that will allow them to keep going. Amazon might be interested in being that as the bricks-and-mortar fixed costs are largely covered by the franchise holder. This would fit in with a low cost Amazon delivery pickup point, operating much like the old Sears catalog pickup operations.
You realize that Sears (now closed in Lexington) and Sears Outlet (much smaller in cheaper real estate now newly-opened in Lexington), are essentially independent companies, and a Sears/Kmart bankruptcy (entirely possible) would not likely put the lower rent and smaller Sears outlet stores out of business. We still have a large Kmart and I always thought that would be the ideal place for Kenmore appliances, Craftsman tools and lawn and garden. Kmart is doing a bit of Craftsman/Kenmore, but still use most of the store for clothes and grocery. The separate small Sears outlet store is now the place to go locally for Craftsman and Kenmore.
It was realy the high-rent mall locations that brought RS to its knees as they could not justify the rent based on the sales. But RS does own some of their own real estate under some non-mall stores, which is why they still have significant assets in the bankruptcy. Sears usually owns the real estate under their mall stores, and selling that and closing the stores on the most expensive real estate is helping them stave-off bankruptcy. The Sears store here was on very valuable Sears-owned real estate. But the typical RS store is only 3,000 square ft or even less, (just a decent-sized house) and the enclosed mall locations are by-and-large rented not owned. One of the RS problems is getting out from under long-term mall rent contracts in the bankruptcy. The malls have creditor claims for unpaid contracted future rent in the bankruptcy.
Edits: 02/09/15
Hasn't been called Radio Shack since 2004 and has changed hands a few times since then but lives on all the same.
;)
...
I still go to RS occasionally to get some hook up wire in an emergency, or a piece of perf board for prototyping a circuit, but that's about it. They no longer have anything else I need.
...with Sprint. Sounds kinda like the merger of Sears and K-Mart. How's that one working out?
And yet despite the look on my face, you're still talking.
I heard on the financial channel this morning that Sprint is taking over their property / store fronts for their use. Not for RS's use??????
charles
... evaluating Radio Shack
And yet despite the look on my face, you're still talking.
I just used what is likely my last one yesterday.
Over the years it became harder and harder to find things at the store to spend it on.
Day is actually clueless Rob Lowe with his hair tinted gray.
I remember that discussion (Julian Day)on CNBC.
The more things change ...
nt
Dman
Analog Junkie
Yep, that's one of the major reasons Medicine is in the shape it's in today. People who know NOTHING about there companies actual "product" are running the company. I've seen this over and over again with everything from Hospitals to Hotels.
A bunch of Warton gradgee-ates who know numbers but nothing of what they sell.
For DIYers RS was fairly weak by the late 1980s. Later, many would stop by RS to check out the electronics (hands-on) then order it for less cost thru Amazon.
I fear what they the corporate brains will try to replace it with or maybe they are not even watching.
I think someone will take over the Radio Shack brand. It would make a good retail outlet for Amazon, but I don't think they would stock and sell parts and all the other goodies of the past.
I WAS IN ONE OF THERE STORES LAST MONTH,,,COULDNT FIND WHAT I WANTED,,,I TOLD THE STORE MANAGER THEY NEED TO CHANGE THE STORE SIGN,,AND TAKE DOWN THE NAME RADIO,,,HE WAS NOT PLEASED..
I had a lot of very nice memories going to RS. Looking at all the cool stereo and Ham radio equipment. Testing tubes and looking at the neat kits.
Even got a few good deals. Like buying a set of headphones. Only to find the label peeled away to reveal they were really Koss headphones and not cheaply priced RS brand.
Sorry to see ya go. But your better days are behind you now.
charles
for me, they were priceless for being five minutes away and having those few other parts that I needed for that weekend project, when it's Wednesday afternoon and shipping is not an option anymore. Or it's during the weekend, I need a resistor or something very specific and I don't want to stop working and wait for the next weekend because I don't have the darn thing. Priceless, especially after Triode Electronic closed the storefront here in Chicago.
And then of course, it's the sadness of an era ending (or transforming into something else?...) - the DYI culture, electronics kits world and all that. It doesn't matter their past few years have been murky and confusing, their pedigree is there to stay for history and I'm saying this when I wasn't even around to see it! It does have cache for even us younger (or relatively ~) guys.
It's a pity, especially as an opportunity to re-embody has been wasted...
Radu.
It just didn't know it was a zombie. I can't count the number of times I've gone to Radio Shack for items only to return to ebay to have them delivered from China..
High sensitivity, wide dynamic range, low distortion, and smooth frequency response. Pwk
http://www.itishifi.com
Went to buy metal film resistors. Only needed one value, but had to buy a whole pack with twenty other values. Never did that again.
Went to buy tubes. They don't stock them. Instead had Tube Depot deliver them to my door.
Went to buy some film speaker crossover capacitors. They only sell electrolytic and ceramics. Instead had Parts Express deliver them to my door.
Went to buy some big electrolytic power supply caps. They don't stock them. Instead had Mouser deliver them to my door.
Went to buy a USB to barrel power connector cable. They don't stock them. Instead had seller from Amazon deliver them to my door.
Anyone else share the same recurring theme here? :)
Every time I went they would carried LESS and LESS. Eventually I would subconsciously think "why bother going - they won't have it".After they stripped down their inventory to just a few toys and cell phones that couldn't compete with the giant carriers, that pretty much was it's demise. I guess it's yet another case of a Warton School Business graduate running a company they know NOTHING about!
Oh yeah, let's not forget the incredible poor quality merchandise they started pawning off since the early 80's
they lost their way.
Edits: 02/05/15
and of those they did have, the price high and the quality crap. I don't mind paying more for a part to have it right now and finish off a job, but the quality of what they sell is so poor, got mouser making weekly deliveries now! Its too bad, but I had a talk with the owner and indicated that they had turned into just another phone store, he quite angrily replied that was where he made his money, not off parts, too bad, don't need another god damn cell phone!
and given my very heart-felt history with them, they have indeed turned into the very non-business you describe.
I left them just as the glory days of their former business started to slide south (the location I was at, and asked to be manager of, before I left, closed about 6 months later).
Come to think of it, I jumped ship right before Sonic Frontiers became (for better or worse) The Anthem Solid State Home Theatre Dog and Pony Show. Hmm. Also right before Sony started closing it's retail outlet doors (at least in Canada).
I feel pretty happy at the job I'm at now... Hope there is good Karma in that!
Cheers,
Dman
Analog Junkie
..somewhere there is a hidden warehouse with a whole pile of NIB Optimus, Nova and Mach loudspeakers that somehow didn't get sold but will appear in the bankruptcy for bidding. There could also be a variety of RS branded Utah raw drivers in various sizes in blue boxes, not to mention unsold copies of the David Weems book, which was kinda my favorite Radio Shack thing of all. Oh, and in a dark back room in the warehouse, a few Allied 395 receivers that have never been opened and powered up.
They've been dead for years. The parts drawers are just a joke at this point. I hate going there.
Though I never bought much from them as my father had an electrical parts store and we were also a Lafayette catalog franchise, I am much saddened by their demise. The end of an era where electronics went from the lab to mainstream. So many parts stores, magazines for us to build projects, repairing pretty easy; pretty much if a hum, then a cap, if a tube did not light, then the tube.
Little educational kits, showing the concept of a radio, transmitter, motors, magnetism, and other things. More advanced kits such as turntable kits, amplifier and tuner kits, even packaged speaker kits. Antenna kits we can only wish for today. Nothing high end but, very decent mid level across the board pretty much.
My high time with them was during their time manufacturing computers. Started with a Model II I used for my 1st accounting office through the Model 16b used to run my law office. Even though I eventually had to go with IBM clones and none RS software, RS focused on the accounting and legal professions and no one ever better system, hardware or software. The only real advancement in some 30 years for these professions has been the graphic web browser, back the we had Lynx that worked fast and was easy.
Don Brian Levy, J.D.
Toronto ON Canada
I read in the paper today that the NYSE is going to delist them. Even though I bought the only piece of new equipment that I have bought in over a decade there, I don't by much from them. I bought a closeout Auvio HD tuner, and it has been a lot of fun. It is not the best sounding tuner, but I have read on the Tuner Asylum that it will sound better with a DAC. I also like their gold spade lugs. They probably have other things I would like, but they don't exactly get the word out. The current employees are not a knowledgeable as the used to be. Oh well!
Dave
As one poster many moons ago posted (re; "The current employees are not a knowledgeable as the used to be.")-
'As long as the answer is, "yes sir!" and, "It's easy sir!"'
I may have to take a little trip down to my local RS and see if they still have any parts- the gamble is whether to buy now, or wait until they start clearing the leftovers out of the building!
Stocking up can be fun too!
Cheers,
Dman
Analog Junkie
I think that I am waiting for the clearance sale. I have got a few things in mind!
Dave
Wait and the stuff you REALLY want might be gone, but then if you buy it now, you'll kick yourself for not waiting... I hate that! LOL
Dman
Analog Junkie
When are they closing? All? Some?
E
T
That is the discussion. There is talk that Sprint will take over some of the stores and continue to co-brand as RS. There is also talk that Amazon is in talks for some of their stores to display popular electronics gear like flat panels and computers and also serve as pickup points for on-line orders. No one seems to know for sure how this will play out. All of this is fluid.Problem is there are 4000 stores total, and Amazon might take a couple hundred, tops.
Besides having fond memories of taking a small hike over to RS every time I needed some resistors, and LED or a few FETs, etc., I will have an even fonder memory of working for RS in Canada between 1988 to 1990.
I was still in High School when I got a job there (and also met my soon-in-the-distance-to-be "D-wife"). It was the most productive and educational 2+ years of my life. I learned a lot, and taught a lot as a result (people where I lived were either technical, or soon to be).
RS's influence on my later life choice of career (as well as a damaged back from too much roadie-ing for shows) is something I will be eternally grateful for!
Yeah, there are the nay-sayers for RS out there. But my story is a personal one, and I can never turn my back on that...
Cheers,
Dman
Analog Junkie
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