Save on Radio Shack Parts Before They're Gone - Up to 70% Off!

[dlgoff]

I stopped by Radio Shack and picked up some parts since they're going out of business. I bought mainly plugs and connectors but also a soldering iron and some 50 Ω coaxial cables. Normal price total would have been $104.28. Out of business price total w/tax was $30.57. They're open half a day tomorrow, so I'm thinking maybe going back for some caps and resistors.

Good bye Radio Shack.

 

[jedishrfu]

Aa a kid, Radio Shack was the place to go for cool parts. I remember getting a rotary telephone dialer there and tried it out in several "computer-like" projects and I use that term lightly. I would build switch based digital logic with xmas tree lights (the tiny cheap ones). I also would get the double throw multi-pole switches too and the jewel lights (like on Star Trek) trying to make Spock's desktop computer. I got as far as making it play Nim.

 

[OmCheeto]

Again?

PF: Radio Shack Bites The Dust [part 1]
Feb 2015

Thanks for the heads up. I got some very useful stuff last time.

 

[UsableThought]

I guess the Internet stores (both consumer electronics and parts) killed Radio Shack, just like Netflix and then streaming killed the old video rental stores.

Maybe I'll stop by the branch in my town to see if I might get some similar deals, if they haven't folded yet. They stopped stocking new resistors or other small parts over a year ago, so I stopped going there for anything.

 

[dlgoff]

Aa a kid, Radio Shack was the place to go for cool parts. I remember getting a rotary telephone dialer there and tried it out in several "computer-like" projects and I use that term lightly. I would build switch based digital logic with xmas tree lights (the tiny cheap ones). I also would get the double throw multi-pole switches too and the jewel lights (like on Star Trek) trying to make Spock's desktop computer. I got as far as making it play Nim.

bold by me

So Radio Shack was part of the beginning leading to your CS degree?

 

[dlgoff]

Thanks for the heads up.

From talking to the sales person last night, the franchise stores are all closing, but on different scheduled days. I learned this after asking what they'll do with the parts that don't sale after closing their door tomorrow. He explained that because of different days stores are shutting their doors, the extra parts will be shipped to the ones still open, to try to sale. Better hurry if it's not already too late.

 

[dlgoff]

I guess the Internet stores (both consumer electronics and parts) killed Radio Shack, ...

I don't know for sure but last night's salesman mentioned the break-up of the agreement with Sprint as being the cause of Radio Shack declaring bankruptcy.

 

[jedishrfu]

bold by me

So Radio Shack was part of the beginning leading to your CS degree?

In short yes, after I realized it was easier to program than to make a computer from scratch.

Actually I had a strong interest in physics after reading a children's biography of Einstein and discovering that he did poorly in math like me. (and later found out that wasn't exactly true)

 

[jedishrfu]

Yeah, stores are getting better at leveraging their bankruptcies using phased markdowns and moving stuff around to where they can get the best price for it.

 

[UsableThought]

I don't know for sure but last night's salesman mentioned the break-up of the agreement with Sprint as being the cause of Radio Shack declaring bankruptcy.

But clearly that was a fairly dubious tie-in, unrelated to Radio Shack's original business of being a go-to place for computers, audio and TV gear, etc. If it had still been profitable to sell electronics from small storefronts, they wouldn't have needed a Sprint to try & save them.

From http://www.phonearena.com/news/Sprint-is-no-savior-Radio-Shack-goes-bankrupt-again_id91901 :

Once a thriving national chain selling electronics, batteries, tape recorders, computers and radios, Radio Shack has had a rough time competing in the digital world. Earlier attempts at selling a broad line of smartphones failed, and now has the plan to co-brand locations with Sprint.

My comparison to Netflix first & later streaming video killing local videotape/DVD stores was that small storefronts (or even big storefronts) can't offer the vast choice & nor volume prices available online (remember that even when Netflix rented only DVDs & not streaming, you still browsed their selection via the web). Similarly Radio Shack can't compete in the hobbyist part market in the face of easy online access to the likes of DigiKey and Mouser, nor can they compete in the consumer electronics market in the face of huge online stores such as Amazon (which is where I have bought most of mine the last few half-dozen years).

 

[OmCheeto]

In short yes, after I realized it was easier to program than to make a computer from scratch.
...

Good lord.
You, are old...

 

[jedishrfu]

One of my first projects was to make a solenoid from a nail in wood and some wire. For a power source I plugged the wires into the wall socket. It was quite colorful before the fuse blew. I managed to reset all affected clocks at home except for one in my parents bedroom. I couldn't figure out how to reset it. Anyway, my mother, a veritable Sherlock Holmes deduced that something was amiss and thus my career as a computer engineer suffered a small setback.

 

[dlgoff]

But clearly that was a fairly dubious tie-in, unrelated to Radio Shack's original business of being a go-to place for computers, audio and TV gear, etc. If it had still been profitable to sell electronics from small storefronts, they wouldn't have needed a Sprint to try & save them.

From http://www.phonearena.com/news/Sprint-is-no-savior-Radio-Shack-goes-bankrupt-again_id91901 :My comparison to Netflix first & later streaming video killing local videotape/DVD stores was that small storefronts (or even big storefronts) can't offer the vast choice & nor volume prices available online (remember that even when Netflix rented only DVDs & not streaming, you still browsed their selection via the web). Similarly Radio Shack can't compete in the hobbyist part market in the face of easy online access to the likes of DigiKey and Mouser, nor can they compete in the consumer electronics market in the face of huge online stores such as Amazon (which is where I have bought most of mine the last few half-dozen years).

I see what you mean now with the comparison to Netflix. I guess what saddens me about loosing their brick and mortar stores is the ability to browse, as that's one of the ways I get ideas for a solution to a particular step for a design.

 

[dlgoff]

For a power source I plugged the wires into the wall socket. It was quite colorful ...

This must be a common scenario, for us survivors, for understanding that the couple constant for the electromagnetic force is a whole lot bigger than that of gravity. That experience gives one respect for electricity and how to be safe.

... my mother, a veritable Sherlock Holmes deduced that something was amiss ...

As for me too. But that's another story ...