Well goodbye Radio Shack, nice knowing you! On Thursday, the chain started in 1921 declared bankruptcy. And starting this weekend, they will begin their store closing sales. I knew Radio Shack was in trouble, for starters, they went away from their core mission, a store all geeks/nerds could turn too. They went into this toy selling, cell phone selling, who cares about geeks/nerds attitude, with all of the stuff us geeks/nerds cares about like computer parts placed way in the back. Also, the internet began a slow killing of Radio Shack. Who wants to go into a Radio Shack to buy a computer chip, and give the cashier your name, address, and phone number? Just let me buy that computer part!
On Thursday evening, as news of the bankruptcy was coming in, I went to my local Radio Shack in the Quintard Mall. And as you can see in the picture below, the store was already half empty. And everything left was discounted at 25% off.
I talked with one of the store employees, and they could not say much because corporate told them to not talk about the company’s problems. The employee said he knew Radio Shack was in trouble, and he did not think they would stay open for long. The employees had no idea how long that store would stay open. The employee also said he wished Radio Shack’s would become more like a model store they had in Huntsville. But, with the bankruptcy approved, and store closing sales about to begin, the employees there will be improving their paper resumes for the unemployment market.
Yes, about 2,400 stores will soon be turned into Sprint stores. But don’t expect to see Sprint coming into Anniston or Gadsden anytime soon. When Radio Shack came out with their Super Bowl ad a few years ago, I thought Radio Shack was trying to make a comeback, and bring back the techy people who remembers what Radio Shack was supposed to be about, a place any technology savvy person can get help, repair, and parts and supplies to carry on with their geeky/nerdy daily life. But, when Radio Shack began to sell non-popular toys, sell products no one cares about, ask way too much personal information at the register, and mark up the prices way too much, I knew Radio Shack was doomed.
Yes, some of the toys Radio Shack had was cool, like those ZipZaps, that many teens had while I was younger. Now, those were products that Radio Shack should be putting out, too bad they did not last!
Well, seeing the end of Radio Shack is a sad time for the geeks and nerds out there. Maybe if they would be bigger and offer more things that the tech world wanted, they would not see 11 straight quarters of losses and no profits since 2011. When stores stay open for entire day, and not see one paying customer, you know that your days are numbered. And who cares about those products, most people were just coming in for cheap stuff like batteries, I am surprised that Radio Shack lasted this long! Back in the 1970’s, people loved getting radios at Radio Shack. And in the 1980’s and early 1990’s, people loved the techy products like computers offered at Radio Shack.
When Radio Shack ended their battery club program in the early 1990’s, I thought that was the start of the customers being angry at Radio Shack. Remember, customers come first! But I guess it’s not all Radio Shack’s fault, companies have made their products today where it’s harder to fix by yourself, and you must take it to a professional to have it fixed. Back in the 1980’s, products were much easier to work with, and bigger, and you could buy a cheap part and fix it yourself, without spending that big money having someone else fix it for you. It does not help Radio Shack whey they were selling things like cables, in a non-cable world! I mean, we get our internet today without cables, how about offering cool cell phones and computers instead?
Well, goodbye Radio Shack. Us geeks and nerds will remember the good ole days, and not remember you anymore when you close down for good. It’s just like that Super Bowl ad you put out! The 1980’s came for their stuff, and you were left with an empty store!
Below is a map of all the Radio Shacks that will close in Alabama. Locations in Anniston, Gadsden, Fort Payne, Auburn, Troy, Scottsboro, Cullman, Jasper, Huntsville, Birmingham, Montgomery, and Mobile are included. Map from the Wall Street Journal.
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