Radio Shack For Sale?

[ddoorman]

I do not know if this is the correct place for this item:

I was surfing tonight and came across an article that states that RS is poss up for sale and may become part of Best Buy. This could be the end of a once great firm. Several articles can be found by just doing a a web search using: radio shack best buy merger.

 

[RadioDaze]

"Once" great firm is the salient point. I grew up riding my bike there to play with CB radios. I kinda feel like they ended quite a while ago. I'm much more depressed over the closing of Composite Acoustics - I wish somebody would buy THEM.

ddoorman, if you're feeling nostalgic, visit the archive of Radio Shack catalogs, going back to their heyday.
Radio Shack Catalogs

 

[ddoorman]

RadioDaze: I discovered that site when it was first noted in one of these forums. I have been there many times and enjoy looking at the catalogs. I probably was in my early teens when I first found a RS and would visit it often. I remember when they sold stereo units, turntables (remember them?), crystal radios, etc. Only the catalogs remain.

 

[Caboosey]

I still buy audio cables from them alot.

I wouldn't be surprised if they did merge. Some stores seem dead all the time and others still very busy.

 

[K2KOH]

I had heard that rumor a couple of years ago, only it was Circuit City that was going to buy them out. The plan had been to use the RS stores as ordering outlets. It was an interesting idea but it never came to fruition.

 

[scanlist]

Attempted to post this in the news area yesterday and well....

Anyway here's the article from CNET that got this rumour going.

Radio Shack looking for a buyer? | Circuit Breaker - CNET News

 

[rckydenver]

On a side note, now The Shack as of today will sell the IPhone.

AppleInsider | Radio Shack set to become nation's second-largest iPhone retailer

 

[bubbajms]

Some Radioshack stores have been seeling the iPhone since early this year. Here in Indiana, "The Shack" has been selling them since mid Feb..

 

[OldDeadOne]

I used to be very excited to walk into a Radio Shack store and go in just to look at the tandy computers they had on sale there and wished I had the money to buy one back then. I rarely go into the local store here unless it's a scanner related buy(like soon for a new mobile scanner antenna for my Pro 106 for my truck).

 

[IEscanner]

I hope they don't sell out..

 

[RadioDaze]

I admit that I do appreciate my local RS for times when I need a switch or plug or connector of the type that usually isn't carried by the hardware store. But they are carrying fewer items, as time goes by, that cannot be found elsewhere. In my case, I'm also blessed by a very good Marvac electronics store that is not too much farther away than my RS. THAT'S where I usually get the nitty-gritty parts I need.

 

[OsloViking1975]

My father use to work for Radio Shack back in the early 80's. I had a lot of fun in there. And right across the road was my Great Grandma's bar. I miss the 80's sometimes.

 

[georgew0819]

Sale of Radio Shack

The Texas-based electronics chain is exploring strategic alternatives including a possible sale of the company that could fetch more than $3 billion, sources told The Post.

Read more: Radioshack explores possible sale of company and share buyback - NYPOST.com


It's the end of an era for electronics buffs. Go into most RS stores now and ask for any kind of electrical component and all the clerks do is point to a small set of drawers and say if the item isn't there they don't have it.

Went into on recently for 300ohm twin lead (building a 2m slim jim for fun), several capacitors for a diplexer project and some BNC connectors and UHF adaptors. I was to get the 2 BNC connectors, but only 1 UHF adaptor which was all they had. The twin lead and capacitors were not in stock nor did they have a clue if they could order them.

The really fun part of the day was when I tried to get a replacement fuse lamp for a stereo, years ago you could get them there. I couldn't get the clerk to understand that it was actually a bulb, he kept insisting it was just a fuse and that any fuse would work as long as it was above the 200ma rating on the bulb. Needless to say I left without a replacement fuse bulb as well.

 

[dougjgray]

I doubt it would happen soon, RS wants to sell it self because it probably figures it is headed the direction of Circuit City and wants to get out while it is still worth money, if best buy or anybody else is not in the market immediatly for alot of cell phone stores everywhere then they will figure if they wait RS will be cheaper in the future

 

[tommyscan]

they should have never drifted away from radio sales.the reason why they struggle is they became an ordinary cell phone/i-pod outlet like a dime a dozen other stores.my local branch only had the pro-137 on display and had no intentions of getting the i-scan 107 or any other model. its a shame that companies STOP listening to their customers.Maybe its good if they merge with a more electronic minded best-buy.Maybe we will be able to get the radio we are looking for in a much more timlier fashion.

 

[FrequenC]

"Once" great firm is the salient point. I grew up riding my bike there to play with CB radios. I kinda feel like they ended quite a while ago. I'm much more depressed over the closing of Composite Acoustics - I wish somebody would buy THEM.

ddoorman, if you're feeling nostalgic, visit the archive of Radio Shack catalogs, going back to their heyday.
Radio Shack Catalogs

Before the days of RS, back when it was plain old Radio Shack there was something almost magic about visiting a Radio Shack Store. I think more than visiting the store I remember the hours of wearing out the pages on the Christmas edition of the Radio Shack catalog, dreaming that I could actually afford something in the catalog, a CB, a DX-160, a multi band police radio, oh the memories. I agree with RadioDaze Radio Shack ended long ago.
While this may be a bit off topic in Detroit we had Lafayette Electronics downtown, like RadioDaze time at Radio Shack we would take the bus downtown to Lafayette and play with the CB radios, listen to the state of the art stereo systems and speakers of the day and buy parts for our electronics projects. The big box stores don't possess that home town warm and fuzzy feeling you got when you walked into the neighborhood Electronics store, Olson Electronics was another local discount electronics store. I bought my fist Concord Reel to Reel recorder there. Oh well I'm rambling. It’s good to take a walk down memory lane and remember what we now refer to as the good old days.........they truly were.

 

[KC5EIB]

Does this sound like a company in trouble?

Stock 52 week low of $8.31, 52 week high $23.91, current $22.91

and here is where they are making their money.

Currently, approximately 33 percent of RadioShack's annual sales are generated by our wireless business, which includes postpaid and prepaid wireless handsets, commissions and communication devices, such as scanners and GPS. Our accessories platform generated nearly 24 percent of annual sales. This platform includes home entertainment, wireless, music and computer accessories, media storage, power adapters, digital imaging products and headphones.

Approximately 28 percent of RadioShack's annual sales are generated by the personal electronics and modern home platforms. The personal electronics platform comprises of digital cameras, digital music players, toys, satellite radios, camcorders, general radios and wellness products. Our modern home platform includes residential telephones, home audio and video end products, direct-to-home satellite systems and computers.

The remaining 15 percent of RadioShack's sales are generated by our power, technical and service platforms that include general and special purpose batteries and battery chargers.

 

[Thayne]

Electronic parts-equipment retail is dead in most cities.
The only places I can get stuff I need is Mouser or Digi-Key; for radio items it is Talley, Tessco, or Hutton. They all suck because of the shipping, especially Hutton. They bought Electro-comm and promptly closed the local warehouse for walk-ins.

Back in the 60's-80's there was about 20 places to go in Denver :roll:

 

[Utah_Viper]

they should have never drifted away from radio sales.the reason why they struggle is they became an ordinary cell phone/i-pod outlet like a dime a dozen other stores.my local branch only had the pro-137 on display and had no intentions of getting the i-scan 107 or any other model. its a shame that companies STOP listening to their customers.Maybe its good if they merge with a more electronic minded best-buy.Maybe we will be able to get the radio we are looking for in a much more timlier fashion.

THIS ^^^^^^^


They are no longer "Radio Shack" They don't have staff that knows electronics, radio, or anything other then the cell phone or direct tv plans. I cannot walk in and find BINS of adapters, plugs, circuits or other electronics. They have hardly any selection of what radioshack was supposed to be from long ago. They are now just another tv/phone/toy store.

 

[RadioDaze]

...we had Lafayette Electronics downtown...

I have fond memories of Lafayette as well. I thought it was an even better store, especially in the CB radio days. My brother had a job there as a teenager, and my dentist was a half block away. So I'd visit him on the same days I had appointments. They carried brands of radios other than their house brands, and always had plenty of "dream" radios to fantasize about.

Olson (Olsen?) was a great store too. I had been in the store, not as often, but I remember their catalog. Lots of cool radios to drool over.

I guess if I had had the ambition and aptitude to go after a ham license back then, Radio Shack would not have had as much allure for me, as they got out of the serious ham business years before that. But it was a great CB and scanner store, and it was close enough to ride my bike there. I even experienced my first stolen bike there, when my buddy and I failed to lock up.

Of course, hanging out at Radio Shack was taking the geek path, so there were other potential "firsts" that got deferred, no doubt.