It's the "Put A Smile On Your Face" thread, please contribute
- Thread starter onwardjames
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CoastinHome
Well-Known Member
@chicks -- I hadn't been following your travels -- but something about the name "Coast Electronics" sounded familiar.
I soon remembered that Coast Electronics was the only electronics supply house in San Luis Obispo back in the early 1980s. Your ranch vacation photos confirmed your location.
Back in the 1980's Coast Electronics had every imaginable component for circuit level repair and everything needed to support the college engineering classes. Nothing like pagers and cell phones and whatever followed. They were here: https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/1409-1413-Monterey-St-San-Luis-Obispo-CA/25075159/
Radio Shack followed -- by then they had very few remaining discrete components. They did have a table of closeout items -- some of which were actually very clever solutions -- but ending up on the closeout table because the the concepts were beyond the level of their new customer base.
I remember having to wait in line to buy a pack of resistors (from the last of the discrete components still in stock) -- and then waiting 20+ minutes in line behind a customer who was purchasing a new cell phone. I was pretty sure they weren't going to make it. That same shopping center now has Best Buy.
With Coast Electronics there is hope...
From the Coast Electronics / Radio Shack website:
"Coast Electronics was founded by father and son team Dick and John Weiss in 1978. Dick had extensive experience in finance from the Bay Area and John was a certified electronics graduate from the College of San Mateo.
Starting Coast Electronics was a natural progression for them, as Dick was the businessman and John, the electronics specialist. John had been employed by Jameco repairing digital clocks and by the County of San Mateo as a Communications Technician.
With the opening of Coast Electronics, John became their first car audio installer. It was valuable experience for John as he truly knows his business from the ground up!
Today, our staff has decades of experience installing home theater systems, surveillance cameras, repairing vintage electronics, repairing computers, mobile car stereos and alarms, professional communications, and more."
From the Radio Shack website linked from Coast Electronics
"Unicomer Group acquired the RadioShack franchise in El Salvador in January 1998 with the vision of expanding it throughout Central America, the Caribbean with a presence in over 20 countries. This successful partnership allowed RadioShack to become the go-to destination for any tech needs in every country it operates, continuing its legacy of offering technology products and accessories to a wider audience.
Unicomer Group, through its affiliate Global Franchising Corporation (GFC), acquired RadioShack's intellectual property assets and domains in about 70 countries around the world, including the United States and Canada, Europe, and China.
RadioShack is coming back in the US with an extensive product selection that ensures our customers they will find exactly what they need to carry on with day-to-day lives or transform their home and office. Our electronics range including: music and audio equipment, gaming equipment, business traveling products, dependable computer accessories and more."
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