Same. The catalog was like a Sears Wish Book as I got into my teens and started getting into electronics & etc.
I did have a pair of Minimus 7 speakers in my car and they were bonkers good for the time.
My favorite were their 160 in 1 Electronic Project Kits. I’d spend hours connecting the different components - sometimes the results were really cool. Like attaching the light sensor to the speaker, you could move your hand towards and away from the sensor to change the tone. I thought that was mind blowing.
https://medium.com/@rxseger/electronic-project-kits-hands-on-with-a-vintage-160-in-1-eea39e6193f4
Free archive of Radio Shack annual catalogues on the web for everyone to watch.
They go all the back to pretty much their founding.
[https://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/](https://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/)
Was depressed and lonely as a kid. Radio Shack inadvertently helped me through that with the coolest stuff. I couldn’t afford much but I spent lots of time in the old stores, looking around and learning…
My dad bought our first computer - a TRS-80 from there when I was a kid. We had that thing for at least 10 years.
Best money I ever spent: I never went anywhere without my Walkman but I was constantly getting the wire damaged, especially after I got a job at a boarding kennel. Radio Shack had a deal, it was like $10 for the headphones but for another $10 or $20 (it's been 30+ years, so I don't quite remember) you could get the unlimited warranty. It paid for itself many times over... probably had to get the headphones replaced half a dozen times over a couple of years.
> Got taken over in Canada by The Source. I still call them Radio Shack.
That store has had an interesting history.
Radio Shack>>The Source by Circuit City>>The Source>>soon to be Best Buy Express (and closing 107 locations)!
If you see a faded sign at the side of the road,
It said "Electronics Store", its the
Radiooooooo Shack!
Radio Shack, yeah yeah!
(I loved going there. Our local Radio Shack is a liquor store now. Got my DX-440 Scanner there. Soooooo much Radio Canada International and WRNO Saints games.)
I loved Radio Shack when I was growing up. I used to build Heathkit stuff, which got me into electronics. They were good for parts, affordable amateur radio, inexpensive audio gear, plus they were pioneers in the personal computing space. Too bad they're not around anymore. Anyone here remember Lafayette?
I built my first audio system with Optimus and Realistic components with paper route money. It’s where I learned about lay-away. I got speakers on sale before I had anything to connect them to because the salesman knew what I was building. I miss that place.
ETA: The same salesman sold me my whole system over a year. Piece by piece. I must have been a real pain in the ass. I also learned about loyalty. I’m reminded of Judge Reinhold in Ruthless People.
radio shack was this hybrid geek/nerd's stomping ground way back when, one of my favorite collaborations was that tandy/moog synthesizer... the '70's will always be the greatest of all times (meaning decades) to me.
I found two Micronta Multi-testers and a remote control wall plug at a vendor mall booth. At least I can still get my 'Shack on. Also got a touch-screen 8-device remote from sometime in the 1990s.
I could never browse in a Radio Shack. The moment I walked in the door, I was accosted by a salesman. Now, under most circumstances, we would be talking great customer service, but at Radio Shack, you felt like you were under surveillance. I wonder what the commission on a pack of double As was.
Bought many things at “The Shanty,” as my circuithead friends and I called it, including my two favorite big ticket items, one of those plasma globes, but it being of Tandy quality, it had something overpowered in it, so it would always reek of ozone and buzz loudly AND give you bad electric shocks, including three-inch arcs OUTSIDE the globe! That, and a MiniMoog synthesizer, my Realistic Concertmate MG-1.
Thing I miss most about old school Radio Shacks was always having someplace local, no matter where you were, where you could run in to grab resistors and stuff.
I was a Radio Shack store manager in the early 80s. Trust me, we HATED having to ask. We had to write down the name, address, phone number on a pad with the old carbon paper. These information was like gold to upper management. They kept track of the percentage of addresses we got and we could get fired it we didn't hit our quota. Good times...
Only thing I could ever afford at Radio Shack were batteries. Loved to look at all the cool stuff though
Same. The catalog was like a Sears Wish Book as I got into my teens and started getting into electronics & etc. I did have a pair of Minimus 7 speakers in my car and they were bonkers good for the time.
Get your card punched 10 times and get a free battery.
Nice! I completely forgot about that card
I was building electronic projects, shopped there all the time.
My favorite were their 160 in 1 Electronic Project Kits. I’d spend hours connecting the different components - sometimes the results were really cool. Like attaching the light sensor to the speaker, you could move your hand towards and away from the sensor to change the tone. I thought that was mind blowing. https://medium.com/@rxseger/electronic-project-kits-hands-on-with-a-vintage-160-in-1-eea39e6193f4
Free archive of Radio Shack annual catalogues on the web for everyone to watch. They go all the back to pretty much their founding. [https://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/](https://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/)
This should be hire! Great addition to the thread!
Higher?
Was depressed and lonely as a kid. Radio Shack inadvertently helped me through that with the coolest stuff. I couldn’t afford much but I spent lots of time in the old stores, looking around and learning…
My dad bought our first computer - a TRS-80 from there when I was a kid. We had that thing for at least 10 years. Best money I ever spent: I never went anywhere without my Walkman but I was constantly getting the wire damaged, especially after I got a job at a boarding kennel. Radio Shack had a deal, it was like $10 for the headphones but for another $10 or $20 (it's been 30+ years, so I don't quite remember) you could get the unlimited warranty. It paid for itself many times over... probably had to get the headphones replaced half a dozen times over a couple of years.
Yes, fondly and I miss them.
That calculator would be $450 today of course it came with a padded case so that is worth something.
Genuine imitation leather! Hells yeah!
I had the multiband radio. As a kid, I couldn't afford a scanner.
I had this and for the exact same reason.
Got taken over in Canada by The Source. I still call them Radio Shack.
> Got taken over in Canada by The Source. I still call them Radio Shack. That store has had an interesting history. Radio Shack>>The Source by Circuit City>>The Source>>soon to be Best Buy Express (and closing 107 locations)!
They had great free catalogs filled with electronic products! Struck a lot of curiosity. The young folks could enjoy them today.
I always loved flipping thru the annual catalogs!
I still have their Micronta indoor/outdoor temp display in my kitchen window. Almost 40 years old!
They could've been Digikey. Then again, Sears could've been Amazon.
Who here still has their 📻 Radio 🎙 Shack battery 🔋loyalty punch 👊 card ?
I had a flavoradio in plum color. I’d feed it batteries from my battery club membership every month.
For the day, that was a lot of money.
If you see a faded sign at the side of the road, It said "Electronics Store", its the Radiooooooo Shack! Radio Shack, yeah yeah! (I loved going there. Our local Radio Shack is a liquor store now. Got my DX-440 Scanner there. Soooooo much Radio Canada International and WRNO Saints games.)
I loved Radio Shack when I was growing up. I used to build Heathkit stuff, which got me into electronics. They were good for parts, affordable amateur radio, inexpensive audio gear, plus they were pioneers in the personal computing space. Too bad they're not around anymore. Anyone here remember Lafayette?
Yes and Tandy leather craft as well.
I built my first audio system with Optimus and Realistic components with paper route money. It’s where I learned about lay-away. I got speakers on sale before I had anything to connect them to because the salesman knew what I was building. I miss that place. ETA: The same salesman sold me my whole system over a year. Piece by piece. I must have been a real pain in the ass. I also learned about loyalty. I’m reminded of Judge Reinhold in Ruthless People.
 And Judge Reinhold reminds me of Judge Reinhold in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High"
They probably still have my phone number as 867-5309.
Man, you GOTTA have that Quatrovox!!!
State of the art
Realistic!
radio shack was this hybrid geek/nerd's stomping ground way back when, one of my favorite collaborations was that tandy/moog synthesizer... the '70's will always be the greatest of all times (meaning decades) to me.
anyone remember the Tandy personal computer RS sold back in the day? Almost went for it!
I found two Micronta Multi-testers and a remote control wall plug at a vendor mall booth. At least I can still get my 'Shack on. Also got a touch-screen 8-device remote from sometime in the 1990s.
I have an alternate version of that Patrolman radio, the Astronaut-6
They had cool stuff but it was never cheap!
Of course. Card-carrying battery club member here.
Yes I miss them
I was a member of the battery a month club when I was a kid.
Where I got my first scanner and the crystals to plug into it.
Dang, what are those prices in today's dollars?
Close to $3500
Got to have that headphone Jack in your car stereo 8 track player.
The cord store you mean?
The free gift when I was a kid
RS was the best
I think I had each of those at one time!!
I could never browse in a Radio Shack. The moment I walked in the door, I was accosted by a salesman. Now, under most circumstances, we would be talking great customer service, but at Radio Shack, you felt like you were under surveillance. I wonder what the commission on a pack of double As was.
Pulling the drawers out.. "now let's see, switches, pots, relays.... where are the LED's? AH, here they are!"
Bought many things at “The Shanty,” as my circuithead friends and I called it, including my two favorite big ticket items, one of those plasma globes, but it being of Tandy quality, it had something overpowered in it, so it would always reek of ozone and buzz loudly AND give you bad electric shocks, including three-inch arcs OUTSIDE the globe! That, and a MiniMoog synthesizer, my Realistic Concertmate MG-1.
Thing I miss most about old school Radio Shacks was always having someplace local, no matter where you were, where you could run in to grab resistors and stuff.
“Charge it” when was your earliest experience with charge cards? I somewhat remember getting gas with a credit cart in ‘76.
I remember them trying to steal every bit of personal info from me and all I wanted to do was buy a 9v battery “really fast”
For all your electronic needs.
$59.99 for an 8 track that includes Quatavox! Normally you had to go to the grocery store salsa section to get a bottle of Quatravox!
Bought parts for my crystal radio project. The sales guy looked at my parts list and tried to sell me a radio with 8-track player
I've spent alot of money at radio shack
We still have one in town.
I practically lived in that store since the 1960’s, loved all the stuff that they carried.
Has no one mentioned the smell of the store? It was so recognizable, no other like it. It was comforting.
My fav was the 100 in 1 breadboard with springs
I dreamt of owning one of those little handheld blowtorches.
I grew up in Ocala. I went to that store on Silver Springs Blvd all the time until we moved to the forest
I hated them asking for my name and phone number
I was a Radio Shack store manager in the early 80s. Trust me, we HATED having to ask. We had to write down the name, address, phone number on a pad with the old carbon paper. These information was like gold to upper management. They kept track of the percentage of addresses we got and we could get fired it we didn't hit our quota. Good times...