I arrived in the US in 1998. Prior to that, I remember reading good things about Radio Shack. When I finally found a branch, I browsed inside to see what the big deal was. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I remember leaving very disappointed. It seemed to be all custom gadgets (PDAs, RCs, etc), cellphones, and expensive batteries. Reading comments here of what Radio Shack used to be at least clarifies why it got good buzz in the past.
I think Radio Shack gets the benefit of a lot of at least somewhat rose-tinted memories. Yes, they were a source for various electronics components at a time when there weren't a lot of sources for such things. And you had a decent shot at finding a knowledgable employee. However, for as long as I remember Radio Shack--which takes us back to the mid-1970s--their shelves were also filled with all manner of mostly overpriced and poor quality audio gear and the like. So they've been something of a mixed bag for a very long time.
Comments
I arrived in the US in 1998. Prior to that, I remember reading good things about Radio Shack. When I finally found a branch, I browsed inside to see what the big deal was. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I remember leaving very disappointed. It seemed to be all custom gadgets (PDAs, RCs, etc), cellphones, and expensive batteries. Reading comments here of what Radio Shack used to be at least clarifies why it got good buzz in the past.
I think Radio Shack gets the benefit of a lot of at least somewhat rose-tinted memories. Yes, they were a source for various electronics components at a time when there weren't a lot of sources for such things. And you had a decent shot at finding a knowledgable employee. However, for as long as I remember Radio Shack--which takes us back to the mid-1970s--their shelves were also filled with all manner of mostly overpriced and poor quality audio gear and the like. So they've been something of a mixed bag for a very long time.