Saturday, April 25, 2015

The demise of Radio Shack and where to buy stuff locally


Generations of home electronics hobbyists, ham radio enthusiasts and computer geeks spent their growth-spurt years hanging around their local Radio Shack stores. I was one of them. None of us are happy to have witnessed the company's long slide toward irrelevance and its looming exit from the retail landscape. The company's heyday ran from the 1970s through the late 1990s, when it rode the CB radio craze as the largest retailer in the market, and then transformed into a creditable maker of computer gear.
I am reminded of heading to my local Radio Shack store after school to get batteries, crystals, parts and books. My first crystal radio kit, a 101 Electronics project kit and first VHF scanner all came from the “Shack”. Remember the Battery of the Month Club card? Was I the only one that waited for the new catalog each fall? The manager in my local store was a great guy! I scored lots of “damaged” goods for little to nothing from the return shelf in the back of that store. His support was another influence that shaped my career choice and several lifelong hobbies. So the “Shack” as we once knew it is another Silent Key. What do we do now? (read more below)


What do we do now? The internet has brought a lot of parts and accessory availability to us from around the world, but that can take days or weeks to have goods in hand. But what about those immediate projects today, that you need a connector, capacitor or a piece of coax for that radio install? Fear not, there are still a couple of places around that may help.

So if you need a part, don’t forget to check out the local guys (listed below) that still support our hobby. If you know of other suppliers anywhere in Upstate NY, we would be glad to list them here. Also, if you have a good Radio SHack story, we will also be glad to share it here) So feel free to e-mail them to us at: UpstateHam@gmail.com.

Don't forget that there are still a few options here in CNY. Stewart W. Smith and Bush Electronics are two local places you may be able to get some parts and accesories. Smith carries a full selection of electronic parts and supplies, while Bush; a Land Mobile Radio dealer, may be able to help you with coax or a specialized antenna. Read more below:
Stewart W. Smith, Inc. offers over 75 years of experience in the electronic industry for Syracuse, NY and the surrounding areas. We have a large selection of electronic parts and supplies and we also provide electronic components, circuit design, and specialty repair consulting. We are conveniently located just off the NY State Thruway, off of exit 35
Electronic Equipment - Syracuse, NY - Stewart W. Smith, Inc. - Test equipment - Circuit Board Design Consulting
Learn More About Stewart W. Smith, Inc.:
  • Wire and cable
  • Coax connectors
  • Resistors
  • Capacitors
  • Electron tubes
  • Test equipment
  • Terminals
  • Lab supplies
  • LED’s
  • Displays
  • Transformers
  • Power Supplies
  • Hardware
  • Boxes
  • Cabinets
  • Fuses
  • Transistors
  • Semiconductors
  • IC Chips
  • Power semis
  • Rectifiers and diodes
  • Prototyping materials
  • Hi voltage parts
Our friendly and professional staff is here to answer any questions you may have about our company or our services. Contact Stewart W. Smith today at 315-437-7836 for all of your Syracuse, NY electronics needs.  Link:http://stewartsmithinc.com/
Bush Electronics
Phone: 315.422.0301
Email:sales@bushelectronics.net
Address:  146A Luther Ave, Liverpool, NY 13088
http://www.bushelectronics.net/

Rochester:
Goldcrest Electronics: http://www.goldcrestelectronics.com
700 Goodman Street South
Rochester, NY 14620

Binghamton/Johnson City: 

Unicorn Electronics
1 Valley Plaza
Johnson City, NY 13790-1056
Phone: 607-798-0260
Fax: 607 -798-1453
Store Hours (EST): Mon - Fri: 9 to 6, Sat: 9 to 5
http://www.unicornelex.com/

Oneonta:
Creative Electronics
http://www.ce2wayradio.com/products.html

4 comments:

  1. Rochester has Goldcrest Electronics http://www.goldcrestelectronics.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. WOW ... I need a Walkie Talkie But 1st you tell me me do you have red Walkie Talkie and in how many days you deliver to me LinhtramN

    ReplyDelete
  3. I loved working for Radio Shack in Setauket, Long Island, NY

    ReplyDelete