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Most old Radio Shack stores would easily fit in the electrical aisle at Lowe's, which *may* be the best answer for them.
That's exactly how Radio Shack is in my town.
There is a Radio Shack sign outside, but it's really just a couple of isles inside the Ace hardware store, and it seems to be shrinking.
They used to have a pretty good stock of components like resisters, etc., but the other day I went looking for some small alligator clips and the component section is gone. The only thing they have left is connectors and cables for audio and video systems.
The nearest real Radio Shack is about 25 miles away.
We avoided Radio Shack as much as we could simply because of one very annoying practice.
Even if paying cash they practically refused to complete the sale without you giving your name,address and phone number.
Don't know if it still happens, haven't been able to find what we needed there the last few times.
The name/address drill ended about a decade ago. It was irritating indeed.
We call them the "Rat Shack". But yeah they're doing away with their origins so it seems....slowly. I think I bought out the last 102 whip for a mobile CB last year.
I bet if I went in there now and asked for a resistor or a capacitor or even an LED the sales clerk would look at me like I was an idiot.
Now they're all about selling cell phones....oughta just rename them the "phone barn".
Yes, I long for the days of when Radio Shack had a whole section or 2 were dedicated to electrical components. It's much cheaper to buy a pack of resistors from them than to have to order from Mouser and pay the shipping. Now, there electrical components are all crammed into a storage cabinet with sliding drawers. Luckily I was still able to get a hold of a bottle of PCB etchant. I'm sure it won't be long until that disappears off shelves.
I went there lately to get a weather alert radio. My old one (10+ years) finally broke.
They were the only ones that sold just the weather alert without a radio/alarm/toaster built in.
I was shocked when I went in there. About 90% of the store was just electronic gadgets you could buy anywhere. The components like forcedfx posted were pushed back to one or two small shelves.
Do they really think "The Shack" will fly? It sounds like a nightclub or honky tonk to me! Maybe they ought to try going back to what they used to do best- selling electronics that nobody else had to sell. I recall when you could go there to buy things like resistors, capacitors, circuit boards, home alarm systems and TV antennas that NOBODY else had. Now the place looks like just another mobile phone and TV store. I cannot tell the difference between "The Shack" and the electronics section of the local Wal*Mart these days!
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- Consumer electronics retailer RadioShack Corp. will roll out a new ad campaign later this week, hoping customers will latch onto "The Shack."
The company, which says the nickname has long been used by associates, customers and investors, wants its brand to have the same familiarity as other businesses such as Coke and FedEx.
RadioShack to start new ad campaign this week - Yahoo! Finance (http://finance.yahoo.com/news/RadioShack-to-start-new-ad-apf-3387308588.html?x=0&.v=1 - broken link)
The whole electronic hobby market just isn't what it used to be anymore which is why Radio Shack is looking for a new identity and market.
I dabble in Shortwave finding that it's getting harder and harder to get either good new radios or other equipment to support the hobby.
The "shack" is quite an outdated term which once referred to the place that early day radio operators or enthusiasts transmitted from and listened to their radio stations.
Radio Shack is suffering from the same problem some other failing retailers are. The company is being run by higher ups with no merchandising experience or background. They are probably all finance and bean-counter types. These types are utterly clueless when it comes to running and growing a retail business. Circuit City is one example.
Unfortuntely, expect more lame-brained ideas, layoffs of long-time loyal and knowledgeable employees replaced by part-time kids, and the eventualy demise of Radio Shack.
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