re: Radio Shack files for Chapter 11. Closing up to 1/4 of Stores

The last Radio Shack that I visited was back in 1989 in the Galleria Mall in Houston. I bought a quality digital thermometer. Haven't been in one since and I never see cars in the parking lot when I pass by.

RS was great when you need to go buy some capacitors or transistors for something you were working on. 1 mile drive, $7 spent.

I have no clue how they stayed in business this long.

Back in my radio days, I used Radio Shack headphones. Owned and wore out a couple of pairs of them over about ten years.

The article I read said they sold out and that someone else would assume the stores.

Little know fact. "AutoZone" started out in Memphis area (Forrest City, AR was technically the 1st store) as AutoShack and Radio Shack sued them thus leading to AutoZone. Im sure Pitt Hyde thanks them daily for that lawsuit!!

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When the iphone 6 came out you couldn't find them at Best Buy or the AT&T store around here. Radio Shack had like a dozen and my wife and I got ours the day it came out - no deposit, no nothing. And literally no one was in the store when we got them.

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Same thing happened with me and the Xbox. I was able to find one a week before Christmas at Radioshack while every single other store (and Amazon) were sold out.

I just walked into the Radioshack five minutes from my apartment, was the only customer in there, and was out in a few minutes. Best kept secret for high demand things. The franchise stores should still be around though.

It sucks to see them go; however, they got away from what made them useful. They did it to themselves.

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2 points if you remember that company name.

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Commodore?

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Radio shack screwed up when they stopped hiring knowledgable sales persons. Radio shack sales people used to be able to tell you how to build things, and could diagnose problems and sell you the appropriate parts to fix said problem. Then those folks all were let go/ retired when they reimaged the chain back in the early 00s. I've been frustrated every time I've gone in one in the last 10 years

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THIS. I am not sure why they don't go out and find old retired engineer types to work there who can speak knowledgeably (sp?) on electronics and then also hire kids who can diagnose/fix cell phones and computers. Turn the stores into a national chain of fix-it/parts supply for everything electronic. That and keep the cell phone sales that have apparently been keeping the lights on. I think RS could easily crush all of the local cell phone repair storefronts. Of course, now I sound like an evil corporate WalMart executive.

They are going the way of Circuit City. Probably have a store front name on the web only.

It's a good place for me to get obscure electronic parts for my projects. Usually.