What will I do now with my "battery card"?

Save it, it will be worth money in the future as memorabilia. I still have a composition notebook with the famous Farah Fawcett on the cover. It was a pedestrian article in its time, but worth something on eBay now.

 

I stopped by the RS near my house in southwest Tucson because it put up the Sprint signs. I wanted to see how much RadioShack was left in RadioShack. The pegs had lots of stuff hanging from them and there were resistors in the small parts bins. I think RS is not done yet.

 

Radio Shack is very much alive and kicking down here... although they only sell consumer electronics now. Plus a few wires and adapters.
Zero components, though.

 

Taxis in Mexico look funny.

 

Taxis in Mexico look funny.

It ain't that funny when you have to ride in one... they're usually plain awful. Unless you take an airport-based taxi, those are normally neat and clean.

 

It looks like the 'new' Sprint/RadioShack Bites the Dust.

The two stores near here have liquidation sales already.
http://www.dallasnews.com/business/...successor-preparing-bankruptcy-closing-stores

 

It looks like the 'new' Sprint/RadioShack Bites the Dust.

The two stores near here have liquidation sales already.
http://www.dallasnews.com/business/...successor-preparing-bankruptcy-closing-stores

I'll have to check. There is still a RadioShack near me. Lots of good stuff. If they have a fire sale like the original go-round, I'll make out like a bandit. Arduino UNOs for $4

 

Radio Shack is alive and well in Mexico... But the stores look nowhere near what they were originally intended to be. Now they just sell consumer electronics, and zero, zip, zilch, nada of actual components.
I'm curious at what would happen down here if it completely shuts down in the U.S.

 

The store I mentioned has TONS of parts. Even the more esoteric ones.

It seems almost independent and the owner is channeling the feel of the old stores with an upgraded look.

 

The store I mentioned has TONS of parts. Even the more esoteric ones.

It seems almost independent and the owner is channeling the feel of the old stores with an upgraded look.

That sounds wonderful... but does it sell? is the store able to sustain its own weight? ... I hate economics, but it's the law of the jungle out there.

 

I'm curious at what would happen down here if it completely shuts down in the U.S.

 

​

 

I know this thread is over a year old and that it is not the only RS demise thread, but I received an interesting email today touting:

Announcing over 60 new RadioShack Express HobbyTown stores stocked with everything you need to build, play, and learn!

I have never been in one of these, so I don't know what is going on exactly, but it does sound like some kind of reincarnation. Has anyone seen one or actually been in one?

 

Hello,

They still have those extraordinairy prices.
Here an example 2 white leds for $2.00:
https://www.radioshack.com/collections/leds-and-holders/products/5mm-round-white-led-2-pk

Bertus

 

They still have those extraordinairy prices.

Who is "they?"

Hint: not the RadioShack as previously owned by Tandy Corporation, but General Wireless who bought the brand in 2015.

This is not your father's RadioShack.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RadioShack

 

I should point out that paying $2 for an LED from a brick-and-mortar store is not outrageous -- especially when one desires not to wait for shipping from a much cheaper online source.

Counter people (and physical retail outlets) cost money.

And good, knowledgeable, people cost even more. I worked for RadioShack in its heyday, and we took pride that we knew the details of all of the products we sold and could discuss them intelligently with the customers. And we were paid quite well to do so.

 

And good, knowledgeable, people cost even more. I worked for RadioShack in its heyday, and we took pride that we knew the details of all of the products we sold and could discuss them intelligently with the customers. And we were paid quite well to do so.

I remember those days.

I also remember the Radio Shack ads saying "You have questions... We have answers". Unfortunately by that time the only answer I ever got was "Huh?".

 

"You have questions... We have answers"

Yup. That was the beginning of the end.

 

Just another ignorant RS salesperson anecdote.

Several years ago, during the cell phone epoch, I went to my local RS looking for 430nm blue, 3mm LEDs. That's the pale Caribbean blue, not the typical 470nm blue you usually see so I didn't really expect them to have any but they had stocked pink and purple LEDs before and they were close so I thought it would be worth a look.

As I started towards the components area the young, female salesperson asked if she could help me. I said "probably not" in what I thought was a reasonably pleasant tone. She came out from behind the counter, approached and said something like "how do you know, what are you looking for"? Resigning myself to the fact that I would not be allowed to simply look in the drawers unmolested unless I did something to assuage her, I told her exactly what I was looking for; 430nm, 3mm, etc. She went back to her perch, presumably to reconsider her choice to work at RS. I looked for my parts, now unhindered and as I was leaving I said "It was a long shot anyway." She seemed relieved that it wasn't just her ignorance that caused the 'no sale'.

 

While I can't speak for a national scope here in the Greater Cleveland, Ohio area the average Radio Shack sales associate averaged about $30,000 a year or just under $15 an hour. A few days ago I was in the local Home Depot electrical aisle and knew what I was looking for when a very nice young lady asked if she could help me. I told her I was looking for Seal Tite or Liquid Tite fittings in 3/4". I pointed out a 25' spool of Seal Tite on the shelf. Yes, she was clueless when I saw the plastic versions and pointed out just like these but metallic. I found them with her eagerly still at my side trying to help me. This young lady was likely making about $12 an hour and was sincerely wanting to help me. Now if I had said circuit breakers or extension cords she would have likely been thrilled but that was not the case. I thanked her for her time and wished her a good day. I even told her her day would improve vastly when she got off work which got a smile and laugh out of her.

My point is you get what you pay for when hiring sales associates be it a hardware store electronics aisle or a Radio Shack sales associate. I miss my local store simply because I could get it right now. Then too, a few days with Amazon Prime normally works.

Ron