those are not company owned

I still have a Realistic receiver from 1985 that works and i still use.

It's the only store of these that I recall.

They are all gone near me. I can't count the number times I needed components that RS would have had.

I loved going there in high school.

Not just hobbyists and radio folks. Sound people could run down to Radio Shack and grab a speaker cable or adapter. I ran church sound and would go when we needed a new cable or something for the sound board.

Agreed. I used to know their product lines better than the people that worked there. It was a joke in my family I should work there. RS sold some quality audio components, computers, and of course radios. When half their floor space became devoted to cell phones, you knew the end was coming. Weirdly, there is still a RS at the mall where I live, they sell junk toys, cellphone chargers, and cheap off brand garbage in a space little larger than than a home bedroom. Maybe they should have gone full DIY/maker/hobbyist; their website wasn’t shabby either. I remember when they were going out of business, I picked up like $500 of arduino stuff for like $120. A sad day still. I felt like I was robbing a sick friend.

I would spend hours looking through the catalog. I made the mistake of working for RS in the mid 1980s. The manager wanted high ticket sales, we worked on commission. I was focused on parts sales and loved helping others. I was also a TRS-80 CoCo fanatic. So the decline was brewing back then. The 90s really hurt when they started bringing in RCA instead of store branded items. Bean counters killed the core values of the company and they were no longer special. I miss spiff lists, manager specials, special purchases, battery club cards and the free flashlight coupon when the new catalogs came out.

Before the Radio Shack in my town closed down, they attempted to go back to their roots and sell electronic components again. Too little too late.

@@kd8opi The Christmas toys and Radio Shack at Christmastime in the early eighties during my childhood! Also, yeah, the pushing of cell phones. I worked for RS in late 2001 for two months. District manager tried to say that RS sold more cell phones that any other retailer (later proven false). Was assigned to a Radio Shack in a Blockbuster Video concept store. We did well during Christmas but flat lined after and the concept was terminated (along with my employment).

Every weird kind of adapter or connector could either be bought there or made from the parts they sold. Radio Shack is back with a smaller footprint of nationwide stores. Their website is also smaller in terms of selection. The battery finder portion really took a hit.

@@IraQNid Yes. We have one in Marion, SC. It was odd walking into and seeing some of the Radio Shack signs but it was not the same. It looked more like a place with ripped off goods than the original store.

I loved Radio Shack. One year, I decided to take advantage of Black Friday sales as they advertised with some items going for 5 dollars. Knowing how crazy Black Friday crowds were, I decided to take a chance and line up at 6 am anyway. There were like 10 of us only. Someone went for coffee and Danish and we all interacted quite nicely. Some even exchanged contact info.

A little for Crazy Eddie's too because I grew up hearing the commercial all the time.

@@derekprospero Yep, I did, and it totally fits his personality, but the commercials were so memorable.

I loved their commercials

I worked for Circuit City and they wanted to move their appliance section to a standalone store. We shook our heads and knew that it was the beginning of the end.

@@LacesHurricaneGaming My husband bought me a camcorder at Circuit City for a road trip for my birthday. A week later they were closed for good. I still have the camcorder. Such memories. He had bought me a monitor there earlier. We used to love going in there, in all departments.

Now Best Buy becomes boring especially cell phone accessories (if you don't have Apple, Samsung, or Google, forget it)

There was a Circuit City near where we lived, they were more expensive than Best Buy or others though.

We have a Radio Shack in our town but there is really Nothing there and everything needs to be ordered. They deal mostly in Cellphone stuff. No R/C Toys, No Speakers, A Couple of Receivers with built in amps.. But Nothing like they use to be in the 80's and 90's.. Not even Close.

There are still a few around. I shop at one in Russellville, Kentucky.

I recall there being a “Mall” version which was nothing special and an “Off the beaten path” version which were usually owned and operated by a sort of Eighties electronics prodigy who lived his work. Idk if that makes sense… lol

Agreed!

@@carpe009 I know exactly what you're talking about. The one in our local mall had electronics stuff, but the more rural "standalone" stores were more amateur radio/CB oriented. Still had a lot of the usual Radio Shack fare though. I miss that store so much.

Me too -- I built crystal radios when I was a kid from components I bought at Radio Shack.

My grandpa got us a used TRS 80 CoCo for Christmas in 1993 lol. Just plugged into a little 13 inch B&W tv with a joystick and keyboard. That’s where I played Tetris for the first time.

Yes it's neat to see it there still but it's difficult for them to have much new. Thank you for watching!

It would be really cool if tinkering with electronics became popular again! I love electric guitar gear, and that seems be be the last stand for hand built electronic devices. I know people still build ham radios, and gaming computers, but not like in the past

Why?

@@MH-fb5kr because then we can stop buying disposable electronic junk that is bad for the environment and start buying quality stuff that can be repaired and last a lifetime I hate having to throw away things that look new but the battery is worn out and the software isn’t supported anymore. It’s like scrapping a car that only needs new tires and and an oil change

@@MH-fb5kr Quality!

I use to go to Burbank store almost every Saturday or Sunday over the 15 years. It was my church, now I have no "religion".

Yep. No one has home stereo systems anymore or knows what loud pounding music is like anymore. They all just use their little Bluetooth speakers or amazon echo 😂 🤦‍♂️ 😭

Exactly!!!! I love that store still to this day. 😢

Thx for that HOT TAKE

@@nathanworthington4451 😆 my pleasure!

​@@nathanworthington4451 woosh

The one in Woodland Hills, is that the one on Canoga Ave, if I'm correct?

@@joelpaniagua2024 that's correct

I frequented both locations. I will miss them dearly.

Frys north Hollywood great place to buy computer parts..and transistors..tools etc. I worked in a nearby repair shop.

I was heartbroken when I discovered our local Fry’s was closed. Phoenix Az next to Best Buy. Fry’s was so much better.

Thank you for watching Darrell!

Do you remember Tower records as well?

@@jlohmann13 Definitely. The one around 66th St had like everything. So much fun to be in there.

I enjoyed shopping at NBTWitz.

In the late 80's, I got my first musical keyboard, 35mm camera, and laptop computer from 47th Street Photo.

@@jlohmann13 I remember a Tower Records in DC at 1900 Pennsylvania Ave.

Former hip-hop star Biz Markie created a song based on the slogan of the wiz

Mars

Same here in the 80's and early to mid 90's I've bought lots of stuff there for my electronic gear and I still have a 10 band eq that I got close to 30 years ago.

Same. I got an "Illuma Storm" plasma globe for Christmas back in the early '90s. I remember that vividly. A few years later, I started getting into electronics after browsing through their components drawers in the back. Loved that place.

Kids today have no interest in electronics. My wife can't figure out why I like repair stuff instead of throwing it away.

Thank you for watching musicnerd!

I loved that place

I worked at the one in Hilliard, Oh. It was the best retail job I ever had.

While the narrator correctly identified Tandy as the owner, Tandy Leather was not the business Tandy was known for. Tandy was Radio Shack… yes, Radio Shack owned Incredible Universe… and IU was one of the dominoes that led to Radio Shack’s eventual demise.

The one pictured in the video also became a Fry's at some point, too. The outside is very recognizable in its abandoned state as a former Fry's Electronics store. Got painted a diff color etc but it's unmistakeably the old Fry's. Fry's Electronics unfortunately also went down in 2019.

Especially at Christmas time, I would love to go to Radio Shack for remote control cars. I still have my Realistic CB.

Me too -- when I was a kid -- the Radio Shack was one of my favorite places. I have an interest in electronics to this day because of Radio Shack.

I worked for Service Merchandise and before that Value House back in the early 70s. I still remember the tube system and conveyor belt ... lol. I worked in the warehouse pulling orders when I was 18/19

In the late 1970’s and 1980’s, I bought just about all my stereo equipment at BEST Products which was another catalog showroom chain.

With all the stealing going on if they had store like service merchandise where they used a conveyer belt and you paid as you left store,this would stop the stealing.

Wow Forgot about this place COMPLETELY 😮 Good one

I left a comment before reading this one. I got a lot of my cassettes from Service Merchandise as a kid in N.Y.C.

Thank you for watching and sharing your memories Bob!

There’s a Wikipedia page about him and also some of his commercials on KZfaq. BTW, what part of Scotland are you in?

​@@unclemayhem6696 North East. Around the Aberdeen area.

@@TammieR-B that’s nice. I stayed in Scotland for a few months and spent some time in Aberdeen.

@@unclemayhem6696 when I first came over here I felt like Mary Poppins 🤣🤣

Crazy Eddie was a thief,borrowed money from the bank on inventory he never had

I remember Pacific Stereo and Federated Group in the 80's in southern California.

Thank you for watching JG!

*indescribable It was leg day at the gym today followed by some sprinting intervals for heart rate variablity and elasticity so I overtrained a bit, and when that happens I get mentally tired, excuse the spelling. : ))

Thank you for watching M Lindle!

I worked at one of the Lafayette retail stores in Detroit about the same time as a temp during summer break from college. Bought a SW radio from them before that, which I still have.

I remember having a Lafayette comstat 35b cb radio when I was a kid

@@edwardranno7119 Yeah, back then CB radios and Pong for TV were big sellers.

Thank you for watching Dave!

Shopped at the BA store in KCMO. Great selection of parts.

I worked there in 1983-1984

You're welcome and I'm glad you are enjoying the videos. Thank you for watching and making me a part of your Saturday mornings!

I really loved Lafayette, that was the place where I bought my first Atari 2600 back in 1983

Got my first am radio cassette recorder, a Norelco.

Thank you for watching Mar Sea!

It really was a great store! Thank you for watching Bill!

Mattel can brag all they want about electronic football but Radio shack's was cheaper and easier to play.

Thank you for watching Mallory!

Thank you for watching and sharing your memories with us L V!

Even in the 21st century, you could sometimes buy a hot dog and a soda at Fry's for 25 cents.

Thank you for watching Andrew!

Thank you for watching and sharing some of your memories of Radio Shack Nick!

Thank you for watching Mike!

I loved Incredible Universe, even though I worked at Best Buy I would spend my time at Incredible Universe and shop for everything BB didn’t have.

Very interesting. I am not familiar with them. Thank you for watching TR R!

I remember Luskin's. They used to be on the hill in Towson next to Pier 1. I used to watch July 4th fireworks there..

Thank you for watching and sharing your memories WC!

I think less and less people were making or repairing things. Thank you for watching!

Thank you for watching and sharing your memories Joseph!

Thank you for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed that line!

Thank you for watching and sharing your memories of the store Ticky!

I've never heard of Microcenter. I'm from WA and I don't know if there are any here?

@@jenniferhansen3622 same here, in Tennessee, and I’ve traveled a lot We have Electronic Express, to compete with Best Buy, but it seems like a very budget version of the electronic stores this video is talking about

Yeah and all Best Buy does is sell the literally most expensive product possible

Thank you for watching IAmNotHerbert!

My uncle used to work at Allied Radio back in the sixties on Western Ave. Very smart guy , could fix anything !

I frequented the Allied stores around Evanston in the 60s and 70s. Also Olsens in Morton Grove, they had good electronic kits. Built their metal detector, siren etc. Lafayette wasn't quite as good.

Thank you for watching Fireball!

Thank you for watching and mentioning those Michael!

@@RhettyforHistory You're VERY welcome!

Yes it is. I may have another grouping that includes them. Thank you for watching!

Thank you for watching and sharing your memories Nathan!

As someone who never visited New York i just know it from Seinfeld where Elaine dates "The Wiz". But i think it is a different Wiz

They were around a long time and a lot of us made a lot of memories with them. Thank you for watching!