RadioShack Closing Down

[23]

After almost 100 years

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2880755/radioshack-files-for-bankruptcy.html

The Ft. Worth-based retailer filed for bankruptcy today and said it would sell between 1,500 and 2,400 of its storefronts to its largest investor, hedge fund Standard General. Standard General, in turn, will partner with Sprint, according to news reports.

RadioShack operates 4,000 stores across North America, which means the stores that aren't sold to Standard General will be shut down. Rumors that Amazon might buy some of the stores remain unsubstantiated.

The news comes as no surprise, as talks of the impending sales and closure of stores began circulating. Some stores reported being told to begin transferring high-value inventory and liquidating the rest.

RadioShack is a 94-year-old retailer that has ridden numerous consumer technology fads to boom and bust over the decades.

[ImTellinTim]

Re: RadioShack Closing Down

I can't believe they held on this long to be honest.

[AUChase]

Re: RadioShack Closing Down

In my experience, It's been a pretty useless and overpriced store for some time now.

Several years ago they were the only store in town selling X-Mod parts and cars so I did spend a little time there, but there's nothing else they offer that can't be purchased online at a better price or somewhere else. I forget there's one in the mall back home.

[dsallupinyaarea]

Re: RadioShack Closing Down

When I saw the thread title I thought this would be a 5 year old bump. I haven't seen a store in years.

[Majingir]

Re: RadioShack Closing Down

lol, never even realized they were still around. They closed down in Canada over 10 years ago.

[23]

Re: RadioShack Closing Down

Its always sad to me to see chains that have been around forever just disappear even if it is their own fault ala circuit city and now this.

I don't think I've been to one in years either for one because their products were overpriced, and secondly they never kept up with what similar stores did for less or just didn't have the same stuff in stock.

What do you guys think they could have done to survive this eventual close down?

[TracerBullet]

Re: RadioShack Closing Down

When I saw the thread title I thought this would be a 5 year old bump. I haven't seen a store in years.

Meanwhile, I've lived with one a block from my house since I was 8. Did not go in there often.

In my experience, It's been a pretty useless and overpriced store for some time now.

Several years ago they were the only store in town selling X-Mod parts and cars so I did spend a little time there, but there's nothing else they offer that can't be purchased online at a better price or somewhere else. I forget there's one in the mall back home.

X-Mods lol. I still have a Supra buried in my dresser somewhere. Had some good times with those.

[p_rushing]

Re: RadioShack Closing Down

After they got rid of their parts or put them in only 1 store in the area at best, I had no reason to go there when I needed something right then. They had basically become a cell phone shop.

map here of the stores closing

http://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-MBB-32960

[23]

Re: RadioShack Closing Down

Wow I didn't know they largely existed on the east coast

[55]

Re: RadioShack Closing Down

I dated a girl who worked at a Radio Shack around 12 years ago and they were already in jeopardy of closing back then. They've spent a lot of money on advertising in recent years too. I'm stunned this didn't happen in like, 2006.

As for what they could have done to prevent this: nothing.

[BurghFan]

Re: RadioShack Closing Down

After they got rid of their parts or put them in only 1 store in the area at best, I had no reason to go there when I needed something right then. They had basically become a cell phone shop.

map here of the stores closing
http://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-MBB-32960

I entered my ZIP in the search field at the top right of the map and it put me somewhere in Spain

Anyway, looks like the one on Pitt's campus (right next door to GameStop) is staying open, but one on the Waterfront is closing. I know of 2 other locations in the South Hills that have Radio Shacks that don't appear on the map, though I also don't know if those stores are still there.

[Majingir]

Re: RadioShack Closing Down

What do you guys think they could have done to survive this eventual close down?

Go back in time and take over BestBuy before it got big? lol.


RadioShack closed down in Canada over 10 years ago like I mentioned,but they got taken over/rebranded as another store which basically does the same stuff as Radio Shack and they've managed to stay around since. I think it's just cause they have small locations with items as somewhat cheap price that has them able to stay around still. Though I'm still surprised they've been able to stay around too because Canada has a number of bigger stores which does everything and way more, than what that store does.

[SPTO]

Re: RadioShack Closing Down

"the other store" is The Source. It has a bit of a complicated history as it was originally part of Radio Shack but during one of Radio Shack's bankruptcies Bell Canada bought out the assets and merged it with Circuit City. After Circuit City ceased operations Bell just rebranded it as The Source. Anywho, it's stuck around for the reason you stated. It's a small store with very niche products and the pricing is affordable. They don't try to compete with Best Buy or Future Shop but rather they offer the bare necessities for electronics and manage to eke out an existence. It doesn't hurt that they're owned by one of the two major telecommunications companies in Canada.

Basically the only way Radio Shack in the US could've survived is if it was backed by and owned by a major telecommunications company and pare down their selections to just the necessities without competing against the larger chain stores. The retail business being what it is today, you have to fit a certain niche or at the very least be economical.

[Pappy Knuckles]

Re: RadioShack Closing Down

We've still got a couple left in town. When I drove by one the other day, I was wondering to myself how it was still making any money. Not surprised at this news. They were essential back in the day when they were one of the few places that you could find certain things, but not anymore. The internet has rendered them pretty much obsolete. Plus they never tried to make themselves competitive when it came to prices. They overcharged for everything.

[23]

Re: RadioShack Closing Down

"the other store" is The Source. It has a bit of a complicated history as it was originally part of Radio Shack but during one of Radio Shack's bankruptcies Bell Canada bought out the assets and merged it with Circuit City. After Circuit City ceased operations Bell just rebranded it as The Source. Anywho, it's stuck around for the reason you stated. It's a small store with very niche products and the pricing is affordable. They don't try to compete with Best Buy or Future Shop but rather they offer the bare necessities for electronics and manage to eke out an existence. It doesn't hurt that they're owned by one of the two major telecommunications companies in Canada.

Basically the only way Radio Shack in the US could've survived is if it was backed by and owned by a major telecommunications company and pare down their selections to just the necessities without competing against the larger chain stores. The retail business being what it is today, you have to fit a certain niche or at the very least be economical.

I think they did kind of merge a deal with sprint but their products aren't cheap anyway.

I have a phone upgrade now and all they're pushing is that wacky phone lease plan with acceptable credit. I'm not desperate and I'm not sure how successful sprint will be with that in the long run but it doesn't look like they tried to do anything really.


Like many others I'm not even sure at what point I lost interest in the store....mightve been when it started charging too much for products you can get cheaper else where.

Crazy because they've been around for almost 100 years and are whimpering out. I still miss having circuit city as comp these days.