Anyone Remember 'Crazy Eddie's'?

[screenersam]

Crazy Eddie's. electronics retail in NYC in 80s.
lots of scam.
https://thehustle.co/the-popular-electronics-chain-that-scammed-america/

Every night starting at 10:30, Crazy Eddie store managers descended on the Brooklyn home of Antar’s uncle (also named Eddy). They came with bags full of cash, checks, and receipts.

Antar’s uncle used the cash to pay off expenses and then put the rest in a briefcase. When the briefcase got too full, he stored the cash under a radiator. And when there was no more room under the radiator, he started bringing the money to Antar’s father’s house, where he hid as much as $3.5m — ~$11m today — in a false ceiling.

Eddie Antar kept close tabs, usually calling his uncle twice a day to see how much money they were skimming. A family member later said Eddie Antar received ⅔ of the skimmed cash and Sam M. Antar, his father, the other third.

The skimming strategy allowed Antar to not only hoard cash but also evade sales taxes. His employees were also paid off the books so Crazy Eddie could avoid payroll taxes.

anyone remember?

 

[BamaBilly]

Yes it’s been discussed at least once. I have a couple of records with Crazy Eddie’s inner sleeves.

 

[hendertuckie]

Not long ago I bought an Lp and the plastic outer cover had Crazy Eddie's pricing tag. I'm a West Coaster and still knew the store. On the west coast we had "Fred Rated" selling electronics for "Federated Stores".

 

[Mystic]

Sure do.

 

[Pio1980]

Should have called it "Shady Eddie's".

 

[Kevin D]

Remember it well.

 

[imglocked]

When you think you’re ready,
Go down to Crazy Eddie,
He’s got most everything in stereo sound,
....nope..never heard of him!...

 

[loopstick]

Bought some gear there when there was only one store, late 1970's. IIRC everything was still in the box and you went in the back and pointed at it and some kid took it to the front and you were in and out in 2 minutes. There was also a Mashugana Dave's, but not as massive.

 

[LF240]

Masterminds did an episode on him not too long ago -

 

[spicer]

Crazy Eddie's. electronics retail in NYC in 80s.
lots of scam.
https://thehustle.co/the-popular-electronics-chain-that-scammed-america/

Every night starting at 10:30, Crazy Eddie store managers descended on the Brooklyn home of Antar’s uncle (also named Eddy). They came with bags full of cash, checks, and receipts.

Antar’s uncle used the cash to pay off expenses and then put the rest in a briefcase. When the briefcase got too full, he stored the cash under a radiator. And when there was no more room under the radiator, he started bringing the money to Antar’s father’s house, where he hid as much as $3.5m — ~$11m today — in a false ceiling.

Eddie Antar kept close tabs, usually calling his uncle twice a day to see how much money they were skimming. A family member later said Eddie Antar received ⅔ of the skimmed cash and Sam M. Antar, his father, the other third.

The skimming strategy allowed Antar to not only hoard cash but also evade sales taxes. His employees were also paid off the books so Crazy Eddie could avoid payroll taxes.

anyone remember?

Seems like an interesting guy. He should have branched into the mattress business, love the regional entrepreneur characters from back then. They added color to life.

 

[MuseChaser]

There's an ad on our local AM talk radio station that reminds me very much of Crazy Eddie's ads... which I hated. I don't know if the ads are local or syndicated, but they're for life insurance by "Big Lou" ... with such catchy phrases as..

When addressing the issue of obtaining life insurance at a reasonable cost (phtphtphtpht) if you have medicated health issues, his closing tag line is...

"If you need insurance, Call Big Lou... He's on meds, too!"

Another one that gets even further under my skin discusses trophy wives, coming up with a policy to leave the third one with a million, and maybe save some money on the policies you have as part of your previous marriages... he ends that one with,

"So call Big Lou... He's just like you, 'cept he's only on number two!"

Just........ nope.

If "Big Lou" is just like me, I need to make some immediate life, attitude, and personality changes.

 

[spicer]

There's an ad on our local AM talk radio station that reminds me very much of Crazy Eddie's ads... which I hated. I don't know if the ads are local or syndicated, but they're for life insurance by "Big Lou" ... with such catchy phrases as..

When addressing the issue of obtaining life insurance at a reasonable cost (phtphtphtpht) if you have medicated health issues, his closing tag line is...

"If you need insurance, Call Big Lou... He's on meds, too!"

Another one that gets even further under my skin discusses trophy wives, coming up with a policy to leave the third one with a million, and maybe save some money on the policies you have as part of your previous marriages... he ends that one with,

"So call Big Lou... He's just like you, 'cept he's only on number two!"

Just........ nope.

If "Big Lou" is just like me, I need to make some immediate life, attitude, and personality changes.

Good comment. The problem for me with that one is the condescension, the delivery more than the subject though that is bad enough.

 

[R-2-R]

Yeah I've heard that AM radio commercial as well.

( https://www.kono1011.com/ on regular AM receiver reception and also can even be found on iHeart Radio as well)

When I first heard it I could not believe that the station (syndicated?) was playing it.

But then again, if one has the money to pay for air time commercial.

Real thing is....I can't believe people actually fall for crap like that?

Like the saying goes.......there's a sucker born every minute.

There's an ad on our local AM talk radio station that reminds me very much of Crazy Eddie's ads... which I hated. I don't know if the ads are local or syndicated, but they're for life insurance by "Big Lou" ... with such catchy phrases as..

When addressing the issue of obtaining life insurance at a reasonable cost (phtphtphtpht) if you have medicated health issues, his closing tag line is...

"If you need insurance, Call Big Lou... He's on meds, too!"

Another one that gets even further under my skin discusses trophy wives, coming up with a policy to leave the third one with a million, and maybe save some money on the policies you have as part of your previous marriages... he ends that one with,

"So call Big Lou... He's just like you, 'cept he's only on number two!"

Just........ nope.

If "Big Lou" is just like me, I need to make some immediate life, attitude, and personality changes.

 

[Dr. Ears]

He skipped to Israel with over 100 million dollars, he then became the second Jew ever extradited.

 

[init4fun]

There's an ad on our local AM talk radio station that reminds me very much of Crazy Eddie's ads... which I hated. I don't know if the ads are local or syndicated, but they're for life insurance by "Big Lou" ... with such catchy phrases as..

When addressing the issue of obtaining life insurance at a reasonable cost (phtphtphtpht) if you have medicated health issues, his closing tag line is...

"If you need insurance, Call Big Lou... He's on meds, too!"

Another one that gets even further under my skin discusses trophy wives, coming up with a policy to leave the third one with a million, and maybe save some money on the policies you have as part of your previous marriages... he ends that one with,

"So call Big Lou... He's just like you, 'cept he's only on number two!"

Just........ nope.

If "Big Lou" is just like me, I need to make some immediate life, attitude, and personality changes.

Those commercials run on WBZ AM 1030 in Boston, an all news station that I listen to for traffic reports. "And your third trophy wife wants a policy 5 times what you had for your previous mistakes???"

Yeah, kinda tacky.....

 

[MuseChaser]

Those commercials run on WBZ AM 1030 in Boston, an all news station that I listen to for traffic reports. "And your third trophy wife wants a policy 5 times what you had for your previous mistakes???"

Yeah, kinda tacky.....

"Kinda tacky".... kinda like a tidal wave is "Kinda damp." I really, REALLY despise those commercials.

 

[RVT1K]

His prices were INSANE!!

I remember the ads well from when I was a kid my favorite being the Christmas sale in August

 

[loopstick]

The thing about the actual store is there was zero hype at the store. It was like going to a very busy post office to pick up a package. They were too busy flowing boxes out the front door to waste any time on chit chat. Typical New York environment. If you weren't in the process of actually buying something you were just taking up space. All the hype was on TV. IIRC he was far enough out in the "boonies" of Brooklyn to have his own parking lot. I'd never drive into Manhattan to buy a stereo.

 

[init4fun]

"Kinda tacky".... kinda like a tidal wave is "Kinda damp." I really, REALLY despise those commercials.

Actually, if I could vote any commercial off the island, it'd be those "Kars for kids" commercials, while I'm all for charities that help kids, those commercials sound horrible....

 

[Pio1980]

Actually, if I could vote any commercial off the island, it'd be those "Kars for kids" commercials, while I'm all for charities that help kids, those commercials sound horrible....

It's midterms here, each and every one of the pandering assholes relentlessly running mendacious campaign ads for months now belong against the wall, and it's another month of this annoying crap before it stops.