RadioShack Likely Heading Into Bankruptcy; Plans to Sell Stores to Sprint and Amazon

[cr6]

That was one thing I really liked about Circuit City. Most of the larger stores had a Magnolia Home theatre room, (I think that's what it was called) where you could really get an idea of how receivers and speakers sounded in a true home theatre environment. You just can't get that sitting at your computer. LOL


S5 tap'n

 

[Jeffrey]

The online retailers will eventually put all these chain stores out of business. Unfortunately, the consumer will lose the opportunity to actually see what they are buying.

 

[xxwabbit]

Yup.. I'm one those radio shack generation kids. Gonna miss the ol shack. Just gonna go online like everything else..

 

[CTownDroid]

As long as Best Buy matches Amazon Prime prices, I will continue to shop there.

 

[ukyfan]

Pretty sad to hear. My parents owned a Radio Shack franchise for around 30 years. Three stores in Kentucky and Tennessee. I grew up in a Radio Shack playing with all the remote control cars.

Sent from Big Blue Country

 

[liftedplane]

ahhh the internet, it takes longer and it's no as satisfying, but being able to get what you need online has really killed these kind of places.

too bad, I've always loved radio shack even if I don't go there often

 

[bruben7886]

150 buck coffee maker broke 2 months ago. Radioshack had the 1 buck in-line thermal overload I needed. No way I'd find that at best buy

 

[obxsalvo]

150 buck coffee maker broke 2 months ago. Radioshack had the 1 buck in-line thermal overload I needed. No way I'd find that at best buy

Ditto Ditto, with all of you. I'm a touch/feel and know nothing repair guy and when I go there ( Radio Shack ) there has always been someone to help me get done what I need AND have the part. Going to miss you R.S.

 

[swc2001]

As you can see by the picture Radio Shack has been coming to a close for a long time.
In the window you can see a display that has the old Cingular Wireless Logo on it.

 

[RyanPm40]

Dang, that's where I bought my S4, thank god I didn't buy any sort of extended plan from them

 

[WildcatRudy]

Oh man! Circuit City! Forgot all about them. We had a big one in the "big city." Got some great deals as they were closing though.

Oh...I just noticed you're up in the U.P.! Love it up there. Just wish there was work to be had. So much more tranquil than life where I'm currently at.

I used to go to Radio Shack back in the 70s. While they were a little more expensive than an electronics shop, I could always find what I needed in electronic parts. I used to have a collection of Radio Shack catalogs from back then, but lost them all in a move. (There is a site online with scans of the catalogs, but it's not the same.) At home, I'd make a list of what I needed, reference the RS part numbers, and ride over on my bike to pick up what I needed.

It was sad to see RS cut back its electronic components business all those years ago, along with most of their DIY products. Back then, you never saw any other brand except those trademarks of RS, such as Realistic, Optimus, Archer, Micronta, and a few others.

They weren't the only one. Heathkit pretty much shut down its kit operation when Zenith took over and turned them into a computer company (and then ran that division out of business), so I missed out on being able to buy and build their bigger kits by only a few years. Locally, we used to have many electronics part stores in the area, but today I can only think of two: Abel Electronics (just a few blocks from me), and Electronic Connection in Westland, and the latter is much better stocked on componentry and DIY equipment.

I can buy online, but it is far more tedious, not to mention having to wait to get a large enough order to make the shipping charges worthwhile. It's hard to justify a $5+ shipping fee for a $1.50 pack of resistors. Although online, I have access to far more options at one store (multiple brands, multiple options per item, etc.), way more options than any single store could reasonably ever stock.

 

[dgstorm]

Some of this is now confirmed. Radio Shack is heading to bankruptcy: RadioShack files for Ch. 11 bankruptcy protection - Yahoo Finance

 

[Ollie]

RadioShack Files For Bankruptcy TechCrunch

The bankruptcy motion is on this page.

 

[blacksoxing]

I worked there for a semester.

It was my first retail job where it was salary + commission. Lowish base wage, but the dream of a large hourly. Manager showed me the past month's hourly wages and they were good looking, with some higher than I'd assumed it to be.

Now, this was also my first introduction into BUSINESS. There were two in my town. One only had a walmart next to it, and it was on the low to "regular folks" side of town. So, it made sense that folks would go to RS to get a prepaid phone, or a phone, or something that you could push those batteries on.

My store was on the "business" side of town, nearby a walmart/sams club/target/best buy/circuit city/office depot/THE MALL....just murderer's row for sales! So, imagine having to convince someone to buy a headphone from RS for near retail when they have various options elsewhere. How can you sell a HDTV when we only had 3 and walmart has a row of them? How can you sell a laptop when we had 2 and best buy had a dedicated section of them? How can you sell a cell phone when there was a AT&T & Verizon store nearby, plus the mall w/the kiosks, plus.....

As you can see, I was stuck w/the folks who would go in there for capacitors and resistors and other knick knacks. That promise of $8/$9/$10+ was realistically $7-8 an hour. Much better than working fast food....but not anything to feel as if I were making large money with. I let that job go after the winter break that year in college....


Fast forward to last week. In the town I work in, there was a RS about 3 miles from a job I have. Needed a network toner. I went there, and there was only 1 guy, and he was stuck on the phone w/AT&T trying to get a couple's account cleared up so they could get a phone. Knowing what I needed, I searched for it. Not there. I was shocked, as I thought every RS probably had one of those! In fact, I couldn't find one on RS's website at the time either...

Regardless, had a choice of 5 at Home Depot.

HOME DEPOT had a variety of network toners and the likes. Let that sink in....HD has bested RS in something you automatically assume is a RS staple!

R.I.P RS.

 

[Jeffrey]

Here's the deal.. Looks like 24,000 employees are in jeopardy.

"Electronics retailer RadioShack has applied for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Following a week of speculation, the troubled company filed its papers earlier today, and confirmed plans to sell off a large proportion of its stores to Sprint and Standard General, one which will provide the carrier with a considerable boost to its overall outlet count".


RadioShack files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Electronista