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Comment by taneliv | Hacker News Reader

As a non-American, I'm completely unfamiliar with RadioShack, except for having seen the name often, and often associated with some sort of strong feelings. Why do they hold such "high" status, or stay relevant in discussions? I could not really gather an answer to this from their Wikipedia page; perhaps I'm just imagining the whole attitude?

(Adafruit's collection I've browsed online, and possibly even ordered something from there; RadioShack appears not to even ship outside the US.)

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If you happen to be from the ex-Soviet Union or maybe other parts of Eastern Europe (going by your username). You might know about open air electronics flea markets. You could buy anything from tube amps, to pirated movies, trade ZX Spectrum computer programs on tapes, tools, multimeters, mechanical parts for tape players and so on. That was one of my favorite places to go to as a kid.

Well, anyway here in US RS was the place to go for kids and adults who liked electronics and needed parts and tools from what I understand. That's why there is name recognition and nostalgia about it.

They were a major electronics retailer when a lot of people on HN were kids, so they hold a special place in our memories. They were pretty much the place to go if you wanted to tinker.

Until the one by me closed earlier this year, it was the only place I could go to buy things like breadboards, transistors, and LEDs. Now I have to order these things online.

For a really long time Radio Shack was synonymous with hobbyist electronics- they had a location in virtually every mall and shopping center in the country where they sold little plastic baggies of resisters, capacitors, and the like- not to mention kits, tools, small electronics, etc.

Then they basically all turned into cell phone stores and became irrelevant.

And let's not forget the battery of the month club! Oh yes RS was Wonkaland for me when I was a kid. I also lusted after the CB radios they sold.

RadioShack was a ubiquitous feature in the U.S. and probably still has a far-reaching string of commercial properties. Hard to believe that any American wouldn't know them. Unfortunately they grew staid and dusty. Adafruit seems the perfect buyer.

If you’re familiar with uk stores: Tandy Electronics, or a crappier Maplins.

crappier Maplins

That's quite hard to imagine.

XD It wasn’t called RatShack for nothing. ;)

I’ve never heard that term before. What’s its significance?

Maplins isn't that bad. They've got a decent range of electronic components that can be picked up in store. They might have to cater to the mass market to keep going, but at least they've not neglected hobby electronics enthusiasts.

Man... if you think Maplins is bad...

... my sweet summer child.

Tandy used to be the housebrand name of almost IBM compatible RS computers.

Yup, made by the same company - Tandy Computers. A spin-off from the Tandy Leather Company.

Then they went retail and eventually were even bought by RadioShack

It's complete spread of America is why I miss it. I grew up in a town of 2,000 people and we had a RadioShack as part of the local Ben Franklin's, a chain department/art's and craft's store. Now in a town of about 30,000, I can't buy something like a SATA cable locally since it closed.

You may know then under the Tandy brand.

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