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

[grenefroggie]

I find it amusing that Radio Shack's site says they're back and here to stay, and to use the store locator. The closest store for me that shows on their site is the one that closed up months ago. I will need to look for the others when I am out.

I wonder if they will even sell electronic components anymore. They did in recent years, but it can't hold a candle to the stock they used to have in the 70s and 80s, where I could find most of what I needed on a visit. I think you could still order in components as special order items, but that defeats the purpose--I can do that on my own and at far lower prices elsewhere.

Long ago I switched to sites like All Electrictronics.com.

I use that sight religiously for work.

 

[FoxKat]

I find it amusing that Radio Shack's site says they're back and here to stay, and to use the store locator. The closest store for me that shows on their site is the one that closed up months ago. I will need to look for the others when I am out.

I wonder if they will even sell electronic components anymore. They did in recent years, but it can't hold a candle to the stock they used to have in the 70s and 80s, where I could find most of what I needed on a visit. I think you could still order in components as special order items, but that defeats the purpose--I can do that on my own and at far lower prices elsewhere.

Yeah, I believe they're keeping components bins but in a much reduced capacity. They've really got to make themselves competitive with the other electronics dealers so they've brought in much more cellular accessories. I used to love all the hi-fidelity stereo equipment, even if it wasn't really true audiophile quality. They did however manage from time to time put out a real class piece of one kind or another.

The original Mach One speakers are still to this day bringing more used than they sold for originally. I had a pair and sold them for $300 to a guy in Virginia and he drove all the way to my neighborhood about 5 miles west of Philadelphia to pick them up in person.

I remember some of the "top of the line" receivers back then too. They sounded incredible and could really push some serious watts and decibles.

 

[WildcatRudy]

Yeah, I believe they're keeping components bins but in a much reduced capacity. They've really got to make themselves competitive with the other electronics dealers so they've brought in much more cellular accessories. I used to love all the hi-fidelity stereo equipment, even if it wasn't really true audiophile quality. They did however manage from time to time put out a real class piece of one kind or another.

The original Mach One speakers are still to this day bringing more used than they sold for originally. I had a pair and sold them for $300 to a guy in Virginia and he drove all the way to my neighborhood about 5 miles west of Philadelphia to pick them up in person.

I remember some of the "top of the line" receivers back then too. They sounded incredible and could really push some serious watts and decibles.

I know exactly--I grew up on Realistic components as a teen. I had the SA-1000 integrated amp, TU-1000 tuner and the matching equalizer, all in the same gold finish. Nova 6 speakers, LAB-400 turntable, and a cassette deck circa 1978 (top of the line). Of course, once I got serious equipment in the early 80s, I realized how bad some of that stuff sounded (the tuner though is surprisingly good), but I still have that soft spot for their old electronics, and still have those old pieces in storage. Not all of their equipment was bad--it just depended on which manufacturers they contracted to make some of it.

My cousin worked at a Radio Shack back in the 70s, and I still remember the night he closed up the store for the night, then went over to the display with the big STA-2000 receiver (the "monster" with all the power) and the MACH-1 speakers, then proceeded to crank it up with none other than the Pink Panther theme. Parts of that store were rattling by the time we were through.

I do see the MACH-1 show up on Craigslist and elsewhere, and a few sites (like Audiokarma) have devotees of a lot of this older gear, especially the better receivers in the line. Still quite a rabid following all these years later!

There's just a small part of me that sees the smartphones and accessories, and think it just looks totally wrong there...

And you realize that this dates us somewhat.

 

[prime]

There is a Radio Shack here that already looks like a Sprint store, Sprint banners and yellow all over it.