Radio Shack going "toes up" again

After visiting her friend in a hospice home my Mom and I stopped by the Price Chopper shopping center in Bristol, CT on Saturday. While she went to Price Chopper to pick up some groceries I walked down to the Radio Shack. While I didn't go inside, it didn't look like there was much left. Signs said almost everything was 90% Off. I don't know what they were getting, but a U-Haul truck pulled up in front of the Radio Shack. The occupants got out, opened up the back, and went into the store.

When the last Jackson, TN store closed I made one last trip there a couple of days before the official closing and even though they were open I was told everything was gone. I really don't know why they were still open if that was the case. Apparently someone came in and bought everything that was left or it was moved to another store that was closing later.

TheBigA said:

The computer can help you find one. Simply search for NOAA Radio, and you'll find a store near you.

I easily found one at Home Depot. Who knew?

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I did that and while I got a lot of results the reality is a different animal. I went to two Home Depots and a Lowes and the staff at either store didn't know what I was talking about. Oh King Soopers was listed too but their manager told me to download the KUSA phone app instead like he did.

They probably were buying the store fixtures. Marc.

According to the retail message board where I'm an admin there are 70 corporate stores left and 500 dealer stores. (Dealer stores mean franchised?)

So much for the "3500 stores" they mentioned at the end of those 70's commercials.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j28ah5VvPA

All the authorized dealers I've seen usually were stores that set aside a section for Radio Shack's products. The main one I remember was a video store in a neighboring town that RS items were along one wall. The hardware store I worked in in the 80's got information on becoming one, and I would have liked to have done it, but the owner decided against it. It was probably just as well since most of the other authorized dealers I had seen went out of business eventually anyway.

hamster said:

True but it's a regional thing. For example here in Denver our biggest grocery chain is King Soopers ( owned by Kroger ) and they don't carry NOAA weather radios because they made a deal with KUSA 9 News and their weather people. Dittos with Safeway with KDVR FOX 31. I think Target is with KMGH but I don't shop there. I have been looking for a NOAA radio for years and one of my pet peeves is being told I should download the KUSA ( or KDVR's ) weather app instead.

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maybe you should buy one online from amazon.com or walmart.com or even midlandusa.com (the website for Midland radios, which is the most well known brand of weather radios) in this case, the internet is your friend, it's easier then looking up all the stores in your area.

The Lowe's store that I used to work at (I'm finally glad to say that!!!) had weather radios, and they were usually in the same area as flashlights and batteries near the front checkouts.

Last time I walked past the store with Boney James or Chris Botti, there was nothing there.

Yesterday, I think it was the first time the other Radio Shack I would see regularly was gone. This is a real concern as another store which was regarded as an institution closed around the same time and newspaper coverage made it sound like that mall was going downhill. It has been 20 years since a major renovation there, and it still looks like that mall is doing well, but there are lots of giant vintage photos and it doesn't immediately register that those are supposed to be stores.