Never was really into any of the Radio Shack stuff back in the day so I can't say I will miss them.
Matter of fact, for whatever reason, their audio stuff was considered sub-par back then (early-mid '70s).
Would rather be sporting something that said Marantz on it instead of Realistic.
Even for little things like solder we would rather buy from local independent electronics stores. It's just the way it was. Radio Shack sold the cheap stuff as far as we were concerned.
We also had a Lafayette, and another great store called Etco. Everything needed for projects were bought from these two stores. Never disappointed.Me too. I always thought Radio Shack Realistic audio components were lesser than Marantz, Pioneer, Sansui, etc.
I grew up in western NY State and when I needed parts and supplies I went to Lafayette and Olsen Electronics. The people working in these shops were much more knowledgeable and helpful than the RS employees.
However, back in about 1983-84 I met a gorgeous blonde girl at a Radio Shack in California. I ended up dating her for awhile. That is my best Radio Shack memory. She was really something!
Me too. I always thought Radio Shack Realistic audio components were lesser than Marantz, Pioneer, Sansui, etc.
I grew up in western NY State and when I needed parts and supplies I went to Lafayette and Olsen Electronics. The people working in these shops were much more knowledgeable and helpful than the RS employees.
However, back in about 1983-84 I met a gorgeous blonde girl at a Radio Shack in California. I ended up dating her for awhile. That is my best Radio Shack memory. She was really something!
Depends on the audio components too. On turntables, the LAB 300, 400, and 420 are equal to or slightly superior to your Marantz 6100 and 6300. And they have in this case a lot more in common than you think, both were made for them in Japan by the same OEM builder, CEC/Chuo Denki in Japan. The difference in price, is called "The Marantz Tax" Plus the LAB series top of the line changers were built by ELAC/Miracord who changed nothing for Radio Shack except for a badge which said "Realistic by ELAC/Miracord".
The Ratshak catalog was a LOT of fun, too...- Take the new one into the Loo w/you,& dream up all sorts of Nifty Neato stuff to build... Ratshak was a WONDERFUL place for budding Mad Scientists-Like MOI, f'r instance. to dream Big Dreams.. And it WAS Big, Nasty FUN to screw w/the clueless dweebs who "Worked" there. There was a girl in this one who was SO far outta her league, I took Pity on her. Told her I wanted a 15GP22-Which was the CRT for the 1st color sets back in '54-And she had No Idea. Gave her about a 15 minute tutorial on Things Tubage, she acted interested, & thanked me for "Splainin" stuff to her.. See, even I can be a semi-Nice Guy if the situation warrants..
Did they Ever ! Talk about Dyin' & goin' to Heaven... Again, the Knoxville store was their biggest , baddest store in upper East Tennessee- Knoxville & environs had a lot of population that was very well paid, w/UT, Oak Ridge, Bunches of factories in & around Knoxville. They REALLY "Put on the Dog" at Christmas, & they catered big time to antisocial spoilt brats like Moi who got off on model cars, rather than gettin' the Chit pummelled out of us that the jockohomos apparently did. (Are we not Men ?!?) The Knoxville store fairly screamed "!957"- I think it might have been built then, was a bit out of date by the mid/late Sixties, but they took VERY good care of it. But Sears was still a big article of faith in Sixties America-Wally World hadn't taken over & made everything so disgustingly cheap, shoddy, & third rate. Like I said B4, you could buy a nice coat for yr son at a Sears, that he wouldn't be ashamed to be seen in, & would likely last as long as you wanted it to... Bonus points if you caught the blurb about the Truth about Devolution...(grin)Did I ever look forward to their catalogs... And of course getting the battery card punched or the little free flashlights you would get from time to time w/Coupon didn't hurt... Its all about staff and quality of merchandise. Once sears and RS cut back on both, it was the beginning of the end.
To those slightly older folks, did your sears have over the top Christmas Toy displays? Mine had this elaborate toy train set that wound around much of their toy department display. I could not get enough of it...