I was there for the fall of RadioShack, what killed them is in the late 1990's and early 2000's they abandoned the hobbyists and amateur radio folks (the customers that made them) and decided they were now all about cell phones and personal electronic devices. Radio Shack just couldn't compete with the big box retailers like Wal-Mart on these products and having now alienated their loyal customer base, they were left with nothing. It was just one long death spiral through the remainder of the decade.
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.
@@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.
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.
Radio Shack is why I have a tech career. I started hanging out in my local store when the TRS-80s were released in 1977. My grandfather bought me one for Christmas in 1979. I still have it. It led to a Silicon Valley career and living overseas for a bit. It allowed me to buy a home at age 31 and live comfortably. My life was forever changed because of RS.
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.
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.
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
@@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.
RadioShack was THE place to go for all your electronic needs. I miss it. There are none around here in Bath, Ohio. Thank you again for a great upload 😊
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
@@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
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 😂 🤦♂️ 😭
I will always miss Fry's Electronics. They seemed to have everything, and I'd go to one of my two favorite locations. 11:00 This was the Burbank location, which was a convenient walk for me back in the day. 11:28 This is the Woodland Hills location, which looked VERY unassuming on the outside, but the inside was themed Alice In Wonderland. This was where my favorite computer sales associate of all time worked, and her name was B. Funn McKinley.
Growing up in NYC in the 80's/90's I remember "Crazy Eddie's", "Nobody Beats The Wiz" and "J&R". I loved going inside and looking around. I believe one of the memorable Eddie commercials can still be seen in the movie Short Circuit 2.
Hand in hand with the electronic stores were the music outlets that also sold electronic accessories. I still have small, plastic grocery style bags to take cd's home in for The Music Factory and Tower Records. Thank you for the great video. Love the old footage you use.
Circuit City was my "toy" store as a teenager. I loved going through the rows of turntables, cassette decks, CD players, boom boxes, walkmans, VCRs, etc, etc...... Very fond memories! 👍
i sure miss radio shack, that was always such a fun store for me back in the 70s and 80s , their hand held games and radios were so cool , i still have my realistic boombox
I walked into a Radio Shack 15 ish years ago. A radio was BLASTING and the workers behind the counter said they were required to play music while open. A few months later the shop was closed permanently. Quiet now. Just missed the old nostalgic electronics.
Radio Shack supplied me with all the stuff I needed for my projects in the 60's and 70's. I couldn't wait for each new catalog to drop. RS probably stoked my passions to be an engineer and ham radio operator as an adult.
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.
I grew up with Radio Shack. My Mom got me a red Toshiba transister radio with ear buds from them when I was 12 years old. It was my favorite Christmas present that year. I also remember Crazy Eddy, "Our prices are INSANE!" was their motto. I was afraid to go there though because Crazy Eddy scared me. He was such a psycho. I remember commercials for "The Wiz" and their slogan "Nobody beats the Wiz." Others I remember...Circuit City, RadioShack, Fry's,💕♥️
For those who never got to see Incredible Universe, it was... incredible! To give you an idea of how big it was, the building later became a Sams club. So, it was a very large place. It was designed like a shopping mall with each category of product having it's own sectioned off shop. There was a speaker shop, a tuner/receiver shop, a music shop, home appliance shop, etc. There was a food court, a juggler on a unicycle, and I think there was a live band playing somewhere in there. Like I said, it was designed like a shopping mall, but it was just one business. It was a very unique concept.
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.
I know Service Merchandise was more of a general-type store, but I'm curious if it would apply here since electronics were part of its inventory or if it is in another video about defunct stores. That's a sales model that isn't around today, but would probably be nice to bring back because of all the retail theft happening today.
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
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.
I remember when you could walk into a Radio Shack and geek out looking at all kinds of weird stuff like diodes, resistors and transistors. It was mecca for geeks! I also remember that I got my 1st PC there, a TI-99 (Texas instruments) from there. Now I am a successful technician at IBM managing servers worldwide. Thanx Rad. Shack.
I loved going to Radio Shack. I bought a lot of radios from them, some I still have today. I had a lot of fun dreaming of what I wanted but couldn't afford while looking through their catalogs.
I always hoped the person behind this video was rolling in the deep of financial kickbacks from his sentimental videos because not only are the nostalgic but they are delivered with the human touch. 🔥 ❤
When I was a kid tech was a trigger of imagination for me, so stepping in an electronics store was an undescriable experience, never ending mental sci-fi journeys.
*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. : ))
Really surprised that the list didn't include Playback Electronics, a 60-store chain headquartered in Chicago, or Pacific Stereo, a similar chain on the west coast that at one time had around 50% of the California electronics market. I had a career in consumer electronics in the '70s, '80s, and '90s and worked at four of the chains listed in this video. Fun times.
Was devastated when they closed down Ultimate Electrics and Circuit City, it was like my toy store…those were the days ! The circle glass entrance to Ultimate Electronics still stands to this day.
Omg. Crazy Eddie and the wiz! Seinfeld did a funny episode about them! I still have a gift card from circuit city, unused :(. I miss my radio shack. My very own diy electronic store. I still have some “Optimus” products.
Aww the memories. My husband was into CB radios for a while and we were often at Radio Shack. I remember getting our son an RC car there for Christmas one year. When my daughter was starting high school we bought our first computer from Gateway and then later on we did a lot of our computer business at Circuit City. It is always sad to see the stores we grew up with pass by the wayside. Another good video, Rhett. Thanks again!
I remember Lafayette Radio and Silo. Both of those were some of my family favorites. My brother was an electronics geek who actually built some of his own equipment. He was quite smart in some aspects. He was the last of my family and just passed away this past week. Gonna miss him.
The Lafayette Radio story was a little too brief. They wanted to be the next Radio Shack but didn't quite make it. I worked there part-time in the late 1970's. The employee discount was pretty good and I quit after I had bought all the good audio components I wanted. 📻
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.
Radio Shack & Circuit City are the only ones that I recognize. I bought many things at both over the years. I got my first hand held video game from Radio Shack in the mid-80’s.
Good Morning Rhett 🙋🏽. It's really sad when I think about ALL the store's that are no longer relevant. Everyday More and More Are leaving. Thank you Rhett . Enjoy your weekend ‼️👍🏽😃.
In its heyday, Radio Shack was staffed by electronics nerds who could answer almost any electronics question or solve any problem, even if it involved products that they didn't sell. In the big CB radio days, the Radio Shack Navaho was the most powerful (and cheapest) base station around. My first computer was a TRS-80 Model III. I miss them!
I miss Allied Radio and Radio Shack, i bought part of my first Amateur Radio Station from those stores. I also got a lot of parts from them for building various projects.
Maaaaaan. Radio Shack. I felt like such a stud going in and getting electronics my mom didn't want to go in and ask for because she didn't wanna look silly. Loved the video, Rhetty!
When I was about 12, I got a newspaper route, I used to spend most of my "hard earned money" at Radio Shack. I got my first boom box stereo and my first remote control car from there. I continued to shop there into my adult years until they started focusing on cellphones. I still have some of the things i bought from them.
The thing I enjoy about these videos is seeing stores I had long since forgotten about. Some were very popular and were well advertised to the point of wondering how I ever forgot about them! Excellent research again Rhetty!
Similar stories just different names here in Canada. It seems like ancient history to my young nieces but I remember that before Cable if there were no storms You could get a lot of USA TV stations on UHF. So I do have some memories of the places you mentioned because of the commercials I watched.
Radio Shack was infamous for asking every customer for their name and address and writing it down longhand. Around 2000, they ran a radio ad lampooning themselves and saying they would stop doing that. Apparently that didn't help business.
I have fond memories of fry’s electronics (Arizona) as a kid. It was always a joy to enter the store I remember going to the store by myself and finding the employees were selling grilled hot dogs and soda for a dollar or something as a kid that was amazing. I miss having the ability to buy off brand items for much cheaper.
Just made me think of Two Guys back when I was a kid. I think it was like a Target though. In fact I think Target moved into the same building that was a Two Guys.
I really loved Radio Shack, this was the place to go when you needed small parts of electronics. Here in Quebec, they almost all closed up and those that stayed open were changed into La Source. And many of them still closed. We also had an computer store called Crazy Irving that was really fun to go. They had all sorts of computer games, often on sales. They closed up in the 80s.
I worked at the Radio Shack store on North Rockwell in OKC back when I was in college. It was a really fun place to work for a guy who has always enjoyed electronics. I have great memories from that season of my life. I definitely miss Radio Shack.
I was born and raised in Baltimore in the 80s-90s. I remember our dad took us to luskins for electronics/appliances. What ever happened to them? Love your very nostalgic content!
I got my first computer from Radio Shack and used to ride my bike there to get all my electronic components like LEDs and diodes and transistors. Now my only option is eBay and CHINA!!
This may go back too far for some, but Dixie Hi-Fi was one of my haunts on the East coast. Warehouse style displays and low(er) prices brought me in. When I moved years later where there was a Fry's that was my store. Then the shelves began to be empty or they didn't have what I wanted in stock and I stopped going.
Radio Shack abandoned their bread and butter, electronic parts and small devices. They attempted to become a big box store selling large items and didnt sell the parts most wanted to repair or enhance their electronics. Was a bad business move.
Wish we had an electronics store again, Radio Shack had every connector or weird cable you needed. Forget where we got it but still have my digital clock radio from 1988, still works perfectly.
it's crazy. Nowadays the only electronics stores are Best Buy and Microcenter, unfortunately there isn't a microcenter in my state which sucks since I'm a self-proclaimed computer geek. I really wish Microcenter would expand into my state but on the other hand I think they are playing it smart and not wanting to end up like all these past electronics stores.
@@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
I remember when I would go to RadioShack, the clerk would ask me what he could help me find. I would say, “I need an AV/Auxillary adapter.” He would quickly point and say, “Right over here.” Any other store, the worker would say, “Urm…I don’t know what that is.” I miss RadioShack. 😞
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.
I loved radio shack in the 70s 80s. My Jr high electronic teacher got most of his supplies there and we learned a lot about our projects because of them. Also they still owe me a few d size batteries thru their battery club. Great store.
I remember Radio Shack but I didn't go in it much. We didn't have have much electronics growing up. My grandmother bought the electronics we did have at Kmart. She loved that store.
Not sure if you've ever heard of Cal Worthington but he was a car salesman and he claimed to eat a bug and stand on his head amongst other things if you could beat his prices. His commercials were funny and quirky and I think they can still be found here on YT. I get a kick out of the claims they used to make with gimmicks and ads, good fun! Now I want some coffee for some odd reason, LOL. :)
I miss Radio Shack. It was the only local store where you could go and pick up a resistor or capacitor in an emergency or for a project. I built a lot of custom speakers, back in the day, using "Realistic" (actually made by Fisher Electronics) drivers. Radio Shack was a great electronics hobbyist store at its peak. We had 2 Radio Shacks in town. One on the mall, and one down town. You could see the demise of Radio Shack coming when all they started carrying was cell phones and remote control cars. They also started hiring people that new nothing about electronics. I also remeber getting those "free" batteries at Radio Shack after purchasing a set amount of batteries over time. Good times! 😊
Radio Shack was an absolute LIFE SAVER when home computers, Cable TV, and VCRs entered the market! I was still going to Radio Shack even in 2010-2015 for computer cords, connectors, etc. It's a SHAME to see it gone. Can't believe it's already been 8 years O_O
In Milwaukee there were two electronic stores that went belly-up.....PLAYBACK ......the electronic playground and HI FI FO FUM.....26th and Wisconsinum [Wisconsin Av].
Oh wow. I grew up in NYC, I enjoyed hanging with friends at J&R, Tower Records and Virgin Records. Remember them having the headphones attached to the walls so you could listen to new tracks just released!? I actually miss CompUSA, too. Used to get all my parts for computer builds there. Good times
Growing up in Detroit I saw many Fretter and Highland appliance commercials, but my dad only shopped at Radio Shack. I once applied for a job at Circuit City. The job interview was over 3 hours long plus a drug test and I still didn't get the job, oh well. Great video!!
I remember when Incredible Universe closed in Dallas, then opened as Fry's. Now that was an electronics store! They sold everything from single resistors to complete home AV systems to appliances.
It should be noted that Incredible Universe's parent (Tandy) was of course the parent of RadioShack. Not mentioned: REX Appliances and Electronics was a prominent midwestern chain formerly headquartered in Dayton, OH. At its peak, it operated 226 stores. The chain closed down in 2009 and the company transitioned to a different business model (energy investment).
Radio Shack had electronic parts, as well as kits and famous toys like "150 in one experimenters kit" which was a board with mounted components and springs for rapid hook-up. By selling books of circuits to build, and individual parts, kids could graduate to more serious projects. Many a EE major got started this way!
I liked Radio Shack. I am well aware of about when they went under. I always preferred Best Buy over Circuit City. I never heard of most of the rest of them. I think one
I always think of my Grandma when Radio shack comes up, She used to buy me those remote-control cars every year. Often had the fastest car out of all my friends.
I definitely miss Radio Shack. It was my go-to store for guitar / speaker cables, speaker cabinets, all kinds of TV and stereo hardware, blank cassette and VHS tapes, RC cars and rechargeable batteries back in the 80's and 90's. My first RC car as a kid was an early 80's Radio Shack Porsche in red, white and blue racing colors. Later on in the mid/late 80's, I got a Radio Shack boom box that combined an AM/FM radio, single cassette player and black-and-white TV into one portable unit. Another iconic brick-and-mortar establishment from my youth forever gone!
I used to go to radio shack and went to frys electronics a lot. I loved frys. They had everything you needed for electronics and had an media section I loved. Tvs, DVDs, CDs plus stereo equipment!
Growing up in the 70s in Michigan, I remember the memorable and often hilarious Fretter and Highland Appliance commercials. Many of which can be found on UA-cam.
I,live in Detroit,Michigan. I remember growing up with Fretter,Highland Appliance Stores back in the 1970's 1980's,and the 1990's.And I also remember RadioShack Stores. And Circuit City Stores. I miss all of the Appliance and Electronic Stores from back in the day.
Yes Fry's electronics was also a great store I built my computer from that store and I also bought other computer equipment and other electronics from Fry's electronics. Was very sad when they closed.
I miss Radio Shack, there are still a few around, but they are NOTHING like they once were.
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.
I was there for the fall of RadioShack, what killed them is in the late 1990's and early 2000's they abandoned the hobbyists and amateur radio folks (the customers that made them) and decided they were now all about cell phones and personal electronic devices. Radio Shack just couldn't compete with the big box retailers like Wal-Mart on these products and having now alienated their loyal customer base, they were left with nothing. It was just one long death spiral through the remainder of the decade.
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).
Radio Shack is the only one I feel nostalgic about. I remember shopping there in the 70s as a kid. It was such a neat store.
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 Circuit City. It amazes me, that years ago there was so much competition amongst electronics, and now all there is is Best Buy.
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.
Radio Shack is why I have a tech career.
I started hanging out in my local store when the TRS-80s were released in 1977. My grandfather bought me one for Christmas in 1979. I still have it.
It led to a Silicon Valley career and living overseas for a bit. It allowed me to buy a home at age 31 and live comfortably.
My life was forever changed because of RS.
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.
I absolutely took Radio Shack for granted. If one of these stores were near me in 2023 I would be there regularly.
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.
RadioShack was THE place to go for all your electronic needs. I miss it. There are none around here in Bath, Ohio. Thank you again for a great upload 😊
About 1 year ago I went into a RadioShack in Guymon Oklahoma. It was full of outdated stuff but was cool to see one still open.
Yes it's neat to see it there still but it's difficult for them to have much new. Thank you for watching!
Oh please bring Radio Shack & Tandy back. Make your own stuff!
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".
I miss Radio Shack. Great store.
At one time CIRCUT CITY was THE place to go for ELECTRONICS.
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
I will always miss Fry's Electronics. They seemed to have everything, and I'd go to one of my two favorite locations.
11:00 This was the Burbank location, which was a convenient walk for me back in the day.
11:28 This is the Woodland Hills location, which looked VERY unassuming on the outside, but the inside was themed Alice In Wonderland. This was where my favorite computer sales associate of all time worked, and her name was B. Funn McKinley.
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.
Growing up in NYC in the 80's/90's I remember "Crazy Eddie's", "Nobody Beats The Wiz" and "J&R". I loved going inside and looking around. I believe one of the memorable Eddie commercials can still be seen in the movie Short Circuit 2.
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.
Crazy Eddie, because his prices are... INSANE!!! Loved it!
Thank you for watching Darrell!
Hand in hand with the electronic stores were the music outlets that also sold electronic accessories. I still have small, plastic grocery style bags to take cd's home in for The Music Factory and Tower Records. Thank you for the great video. Love the old footage you use.
Mars
Circuit City was my "toy" store as a teenager. I loved going through the rows of turntables, cassette decks, CD players, boom boxes, walkmans, VCRs, etc, etc...... Very fond memories! 👍
Thank you for watching musicnerd!
i sure miss radio shack, that was always such a fun store for me back in the 70s and 80s , their hand held games and radios were so cool , i still have my realistic boombox
I walked into a Radio Shack 15 ish years ago. A radio was BLASTING and the workers behind the counter said they were required to play music while open. A few months later the shop was closed permanently. Quiet now. Just missed the old nostalgic electronics.
Radio Shack supplied me with all the stuff I needed for my projects in the 60's and 70's. I couldn't wait for each new catalog to drop. RS probably stoked my passions to be an engineer and ham radio operator as an adult.
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.
I grew up with Radio Shack. My Mom got me a red Toshiba transister radio with ear buds from them when I was 12 years old. It was my favorite Christmas present that year. I also remember Crazy Eddy, "Our prices are INSANE!" was their motto. I was afraid to go there though because Crazy Eddy scared me. He was such a psycho. I remember commercials for "The Wiz" and their slogan "Nobody beats the Wiz." Others I remember...Circuit City, RadioShack, Fry's,💕♥️
Former hip-hop star Biz Markie created a song based on the slogan of the wiz
Radio shack was my favorite electronic storie. Thanks Rhetty for going back in history 💯🇺🇸
Especially at Christmas time, I would love to go to Radio Shack for remote control cars. I still have my Realistic CB.
For those who never got to see Incredible Universe, it was... incredible! To give you an idea of how big it was, the building later became a Sams club. So, it was a very large place. It was designed like a shopping mall with each category of product having it's own sectioned off shop. There was a speaker shop, a tuner/receiver shop, a music shop, home appliance shop, etc. There was a food court, a juggler on a unicycle, and I think there was a live band playing somewhere in there. Like I said, it was designed like a shopping mall, but it was just one business. It was a very unique concept.
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.
I know Service Merchandise was more of a general-type store, but I'm curious if it would apply here since electronics were part of its inventory or if it is in another video about defunct stores. That's a sales model that isn't around today, but would probably be nice to bring back because of all the retail theft happening today.
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.
I LOVED going to a RadioShack every weekend 😊 Ah the Good ol' Days
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.
Radio Shack was my go-to in high school! Thanks, Rhetty, for the upload!
😂😂I want to know more about the crazy Eddie's story!!!
I look forward to your videos every weekend, Thanks again 👍💙🏴
There’s a Wikipedia page about him and also some of his commercials on UA-cam. 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 when you could walk into a Radio Shack and geek out looking at all kinds of weird stuff like diodes, resistors and transistors. It was mecca for geeks! I also remember that I got my 1st PC there, a TI-99 (Texas instruments) from there. Now I am a successful technician at IBM managing servers worldwide. Thanx Rad. Shack.
Thank you for watching and sharing your memories Bob!
I loved Burstein-Applebee. They had a wonderful catalog, and a nearby outlet in Denver.
Thank you for watching Dave!
Shopped at the BA store in KCMO. Great selection of parts.
I loved going to Radio Shack. I bought a lot of radios from them, some I still have today. I had a lot of fun
dreaming of what I wanted but couldn't afford while looking through their catalogs.
Thank you for watching M Lindle!
I always hoped the person behind this video was rolling in the deep of financial kickbacks from his sentimental videos because not only are the nostalgic but they are delivered with the human touch. 🔥 ❤
Thank you for watching JG!
When I was a kid tech was a trigger of imagination for me, so stepping in an electronics store was an undescriable experience, never ending mental sci-fi journeys.
*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. : ))
Really surprised that the list didn't include Playback Electronics, a 60-store chain headquartered in Chicago, or Pacific Stereo, a similar chain on the west coast that at one time had around 50% of the California electronics market. I had a career in consumer electronics in the '70s, '80s, and '90s and worked at four of the chains listed in this video. Fun times.
I remember Pacific Stereo and Federated Group in the 80's in southern California.
Was devastated when they closed down Ultimate Electrics and Circuit City, it was like my toy store…those were the days ! The circle glass entrance to Ultimate Electronics still stands to this day.
Omg. Crazy Eddie and the wiz! Seinfeld did a funny episode about them! I still have a gift card from circuit city, unused :(.
I miss my radio shack. My very own diy electronic store. I still have some “Optimus” products.
Aww the memories. My husband was into CB radios for a while and we were often at Radio Shack. I remember getting our son an RC car there for Christmas one year. When my daughter was starting high school we bought our first computer from Gateway and then later on we did a lot of our computer business at Circuit City. It is always sad to see the stores we grew up with pass by the wayside. Another good video, Rhett. Thanks again!
I worked at the local Radio Shack during my high school and college years. Some of the best times of my then-young life! (1977-1982)
I worked there in 1983-1984
I remember Lafayette Radio and Silo. Both of those were some of my family favorites. My brother was an electronics geek who actually built some of his own equipment. He was quite smart in some aspects. He was the last of my family and just passed away this past week. Gonna miss him.
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.
The Lafayette Radio story was a little too brief. They wanted to be the next Radio Shack but didn't quite make it.
I worked there part-time in the late 1970's. The employee discount was pretty good and I quit after I had bought all the good audio components I wanted. 📻
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.
Radio Shack & Circuit City are the only ones that I recognize. I bought many things at both over the years. I got my first hand held video game from Radio Shack in the mid-80’s.
Thank you for watching Mar Sea!
Thanks for featuring that Lafayette Radio Electronics ad. It's nice Long Island gets represented.
Good Morning Rhett 🙋🏽. It's really sad when I think about ALL the store's that are no longer relevant. Everyday More and More Are leaving. Thank you Rhett . Enjoy your weekend ‼️👍🏽😃.
This is my Saturday morning cartoons right here every weekend thank you Rhett awesome content can’t wait for next weekend
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!
In its heyday, Radio Shack was staffed by electronics nerds who could answer almost any electronics question or solve any problem, even if it involved products that they didn't sell. In the big CB radio days, the Radio Shack Navaho was the most powerful (and cheapest) base station around. My first computer was a TRS-80 Model III. I miss them!
Wish there was more about Radio Shack. I remember spending so much time with their computers and toys. Very nostalgic place!
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.
I miss Allied Radio and Radio Shack, i bought part of my first Amateur Radio Station from those stores. I also got a lot of parts from them for building various projects.
Thanks. I grew up in Michigan (currently in California) I remember both Fretter and Highland Appliance stores.
Thank you for watching Andrew!
Maaaaaan. Radio Shack. I felt like such a stud going in and getting electronics my mom didn't want to go in and ask for because she didn't wanna look silly.
Loved the video, Rhetty!
When I was about 12, I got a newspaper route, I used to spend most of my "hard earned money" at Radio Shack. I got my first boom box stereo and my first remote control car from there. I continued to shop there into my adult years until they started focusing on cellphones. I still have some of the things i bought from them.
The thing I enjoy about these videos is seeing stores I had long since forgotten about. Some were very popular and were well advertised to the point of wondering how I ever forgot about them! Excellent research again Rhetty!
Similar stories just different names here in Canada.
It seems like ancient history to my young nieces but I remember that before Cable if there were no storms You could get a lot of USA TV stations on UHF. So I do have some memories of the places you mentioned because of the commercials I watched.
Radio Shack was infamous for asking every customer for their name and address and writing it down longhand. Around 2000, they ran a radio ad lampooning themselves and saying they would stop doing that. Apparently that didn't help business.
I have fond memories of fry’s electronics (Arizona) as a kid. It was always a joy to enter the store I remember going to the store by myself and finding the employees were selling grilled hot dogs and soda for a dollar or something as a kid that was amazing.
I miss having the ability to buy off brand items for much cheaper.
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.
Just made me think of Two Guys back when I was a kid. I think it was like a Target though. In fact I think Target moved into the same building that was a Two Guys.
I really loved Radio Shack, this was the place to go when you needed small parts of electronics. Here in Quebec, they almost all closed up and those that stayed open were changed into La Source. And many of them still closed. We also had an computer store called Crazy Irving that was really fun to go. They had all sorts of computer games, often on sales. They closed up in the 80s.
Im 60 now and i still remember how much i enjoyed going in radio shack as a 8 year old and still do today when i can find one.
Thank you for watching Mallory!
I worked at the Radio Shack store on North Rockwell in OKC back when I was in college. It was a really fun place to work for a guy who has always enjoyed electronics. I have great memories from that season of my life. I definitely miss Radio Shack.
Thank you for watching and sharing some of your memories of Radio Shack Nick!
I was born and raised in Baltimore in the 80s-90s. I remember our dad took us to luskins for electronics/appliances. What ever happened to them? Love your very nostalgic content!
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..
I got my first computer from Radio Shack and used to ride my bike there to get all my electronic components like LEDs and diodes and transistors. Now my only option is eBay and CHINA!!
This may go back too far for some, but Dixie Hi-Fi was one of my haunts on the East coast. Warehouse style displays and low(er) prices brought me in. When I moved years later where there was a Fry's that was my store. Then the shelves began to be empty or they didn't have what I wanted in stock and I stopped going.
Oh my gosh!!! Crazy Eddie! I was raised in upstate NY and we got his ads on our tv ALL THE TIME! Wow! What a memory
Radio Shack abandoned their bread and butter, electronic parts and small devices. They attempted to become a big box store selling large items and didnt sell the parts most wanted to repair or enhance their electronics. Was a bad business move.
I think less and less people were making or repairing things. Thank you for watching!
Bought my first double decker stereo at Circuit City. The store closed many years ago in my town. Sad.
Wish we had an electronics store again, Radio Shack had every connector or weird cable you needed. Forget where we got it but still have my digital clock radio from 1988, still works perfectly.
Being a kid in the midwest during the 80s and 90s Radio shack was the go to for gadgets and toys. The store even had a distinct smell😂
Thank you for watching and sharing your memories WC!
"Wasn't possible to keep The Wiz flowing." Nice 😎
Thank you for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed that line!
I used to shop all the time at a store called SOUNDTRACK in Denver. Loved that place!!
I bought my first real quality stereo from Schaak Electronics . Great memories.
Thank you for watching and sharing your memories of the store Ticky!
Wasn't possible to keep the Wiz flowing... HA!
LOL
Thank you for watching IAmNotHerbert!
it's crazy. Nowadays the only electronics stores are Best Buy and Microcenter, unfortunately there isn't a microcenter in my state which sucks since I'm a self-proclaimed computer geek. I really wish Microcenter would expand into my state but on the other hand I think they are playing it smart and not wanting to end up like all these past electronics stores.
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
I remember when I would go to RadioShack, the clerk would ask me what he could help me find. I would say, “I need an AV/Auxillary adapter.” He would quickly point and say, “Right over here.” Any other store, the worker would say, “Urm…I don’t know what that is.” I miss RadioShack. 😞
My father shopped at Lafayette and I shopped at a Newmark & Lewis store here in New York. They were the competitors to Crazy Eddie’s back in the 80’s.
You forgot CompUSA
I worked at Allied Radio in the late 60s a chain that had stores in the Chicago area. They were and still have a mail order business.
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.
I loved radio shack in the 70s 80s. My Jr high electronic teacher got most of his supplies there and we learned a lot about our projects because of them. Also they still owe me a few d size batteries thru their battery club. Great store.
Thank you for watching and sharing your memories Joseph!
I remember Radio Shack but I didn't go in it much. We didn't have have much electronics growing up. My grandmother bought the electronics we did have at Kmart. She loved that store.
Not sure if you've ever heard of Cal Worthington but he was a car salesman and he claimed to eat a bug and stand on his head amongst other things if you could beat his prices. His commercials were funny and quirky and I think they can still be found here on YT. I get a kick out of the claims they used to make with gimmicks and ads, good fun! Now I want some coffee for some odd reason, LOL. :)
Not only Radio Shack, I also miss Circuit City! 😢
Thank you for watching Fireball!
I miss Radio Shack. It was the only local store where you could go and pick up a resistor or capacitor in an emergency or for a project. I built a lot of custom speakers, back in the day, using "Realistic" (actually made by Fisher Electronics) drivers. Radio Shack was a great electronics hobbyist store at its peak. We had 2 Radio Shacks in town. One on the mall, and one down town. You could see the demise of Radio Shack coming when all they started carrying was cell phones and remote control cars. They also started hiring people that new nothing about electronics. I also remeber getting those "free" batteries at Radio Shack after purchasing a set amount of batteries over time. Good times! 😊
Radio Shack was an absolute LIFE SAVER when home computers, Cable TV, and VCRs entered the market! I was still going to Radio Shack even in 2010-2015 for computer cords, connectors, etc. It's a SHAME to see it gone. Can't believe it's already been 8 years O_O
In Milwaukee there were two electronic stores that went belly-up.....PLAYBACK ......the electronic playground and HI FI FO FUM.....26th and Wisconsinum [Wisconsin Av].
Thank you for watching and mentioning those Michael!
@@RhettyforHistory You're VERY welcome!
CompUSA is a pretty big one to miss.
Yes it is. I may have another grouping that includes them. Thank you for watching!
Oh wow. I grew up in NYC, I enjoyed hanging with friends at J&R, Tower Records and Virgin Records. Remember them having the headphones attached to the walls so you could listen to new tracks just released!? I actually miss CompUSA, too. Used to get all my parts for computer builds there. Good times
Growing up in Detroit I saw many Fretter and Highland appliance commercials, but my dad only shopped at Radio Shack. I once applied for a job at Circuit City. The job interview was over 3 hours long plus a drug test and I still didn't get the job, oh well. Great video!!
I remember when Incredible Universe closed in Dallas, then opened as Fry's. Now that was an electronics store! They sold everything from single resistors to complete home AV systems to appliances.
It should be noted that Incredible Universe's parent (Tandy) was of course the parent of RadioShack. Not mentioned: REX Appliances and Electronics was a prominent midwestern chain formerly headquartered in Dayton, OH. At its peak, it operated 226 stores. The chain closed down in 2009 and the company transitioned to a different business model (energy investment).
It was always funny that Radio Shack sold high end tech (for the time) but filled out the receipts by hand
Radio Shack had electronic parts, as well as kits and famous toys like "150 in one experimenters kit" which was a board with mounted components and springs for rapid hook-up. By selling books of circuits to build, and individual parts, kids could graduate to more serious projects. Many a EE major got started this way!
Yes Lafayette radio remembered them in the 70s they had a great catalog
Schaak Electronics had memorable tv commercials. I still sing them in my head occasionally.
I liked Radio Shack. I am well aware of about when they went under. I always preferred Best Buy over Circuit City. I never heard of most of the rest of them. I think one
I always think of my Grandma when Radio shack comes up, She used to buy me those remote-control cars every year. Often had the fastest car out of all my friends.
Thank you for watching and sharing your memories Nathan!
70’s & 80’s & 90’s & 00’s & 2010’s & 2020’s Vibes
I definitely miss Radio Shack. It was my go-to store for guitar / speaker cables, speaker cabinets, all kinds of TV and stereo hardware, blank cassette and VHS tapes, RC cars and rechargeable batteries back in the 80's and 90's. My first RC car as a kid was an early 80's Radio Shack Porsche in red, white and blue racing colors. Later on in the mid/late 80's, I got a Radio Shack boom box that combined an AM/FM radio, single cassette player and black-and-white TV into one portable unit. Another iconic brick-and-mortar establishment from my youth forever gone!
I haven't though of Silo in ages, but I remember when they were a big deal. And I still miss Fry's, it was such a cool store.
I miss stores like these with Radio Shack and I miss Comp USA and other stores like these. I wish MicroCenter would come to Florida.
I remember The Good Guys and unfortunately I also remember the hostage takeover as well Lol
I used to go to radio shack and went to frys electronics a lot. I loved frys. They had everything you needed for electronics and had an media section I loved. Tvs, DVDs, CDs plus stereo equipment!
Growing up in the 70s in Michigan, I remember the memorable and often hilarious Fretter and Highland Appliance commercials. Many of which can be found on UA-cam.
I,live in Detroit,Michigan. I remember growing up with Fretter,Highland Appliance Stores back in the 1970's 1980's,and the 1990's.And I also remember RadioShack Stores. And Circuit City Stores. I miss all of the Appliance and Electronic Stores from back in the day.
Yes Fry's electronics was also a great store I built my computer from that store and I also bought other computer equipment and other electronics from Fry's electronics. Was very sad when they closed.