Radio Shack, Dutch Square: 12 April 2011 34 comments
Radio Shack has been at Dutch Square since the mall opened, though not always in this location. I'm a bit hazy on the old layout, but think the original site was a bit further up the hill towards Tapp's. At any rate, as reported by commenter Andrew some time ago, they have now relocated this store from Dutch Square to the new Wal-Mart plaza, Bush River Village.
I believe this pull-out leaves The Rogue hair stylist as the only store which has been in the mall from the beginning.
(Hat tip to commenter Andrew)
34 Responses to 'Radio Shack, Dutch Square: 12 April 2011'
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I recall seeing my first LCD desktop clock at this RS location in the early 70s. RS always had the fascinating new electronic wonderland gizmos and gadgets on display. 40 years in one mall is an accomplishment.
18 May 11 at 4:46 am
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Didn't this RS move to Bush River Village just down the road? i.e. where the Wal-Mart is.
E.J.
18 May 11 at 6:39 am
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Guess I should read the post next time. :)
E.J.
18 May 11 at 6:40 am
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I'm surprised it lasted this long in it's current location.
Jason
18 May 11 at 6:41 am
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I want to say they started directly next to White's (if you exited the store and looked right) directly across from where the Pet Store/Barrel of Fun was located. I think they've always been on that side of the mall, never located on the Tapp's side.
Chris, an "odd store with cheap imported goods" could describe 25% of the stores in there, but I remember the one you refered to. Prior to that it was a shoe store located across from Eckerd's. It was located on the corner and you could enter from two sides. There was also a cheap imported goods store almost directly across from the Radio Shack.
Jonathan
18 May 11 at 8:52 am
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Jonathan, I think you are right, RS used to be the first store to the right as you came out of JB White's. I think Barrel of Fun was directly across. I seem to recall that location was a little bigger than the one RS last occupied.
ED
18 May 11 at 9:29 am
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The RS was on the JB Whites side. I remember when the RS salespeople would get bored they would race RC cars up the mail and trip the Whites customers.
Darrell
26 Nov 11 at 2:59 pm
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Meritt's Jewelry is now in its final week at Dutch Square
Andrew
9 Jul 12 at 11:05 pm
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And Andrew nobody cared....or noticed that this speciality jeweler was even in the Dutch square mall for 3 years!
Merritt
10 Sep 13 at 1:09 am
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I didn't realize Merrit's only lasted 3 years...I do know that a computer repair operation is open in their old spot...but just as the old Merrit's gets filled, Claire's and Fashions Unlimited have closed their Dutch Square stores...
Andrew
11 Sep 13 at 12:32 am
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Currently, this is the only RadioShack that has featured here (according to the Alphabetical Closings page that is linked at the top)...
It looks as if RadioShack may have to file for bankruptcy and consequently I wouldn't be surprised if (before much longer) other RadioShack locations wind up featuring here.
Prior to his retirement, the fact that RadioShack was still in business was the subject of Jay Leno jokes on a few occasions...one in particular spoke to a bizzare incident (can't remember any details) that he said something to the effect of, "I don't know if it's more bizarre that this happened or if RadioShack is still in business."
Stay tuned as this situation unfolds...
Andrew
11 Sep 14 at 4:51 pm
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Andrew, in the early to mid 70s I used to visit a Radio Shack store on Forest Drive just up from the Trenholm Road intersection. I think they were in a remodeled 7-11 building. It was always a thrill to see what new innovations they had on display. Today you can buy all the shares of Radio Shack stock you want for less than a dollar.
Terry
12 Sep 14 at 5:49 am
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Terry, I shopped at the same Radio Shack many times. And yes they were in some sort of old convenience store.
Most of my experience with Radio Shack was in the 70's and 80's. It was so cool to see all the different stuff they had. When I got into the Car Stereo business I frequented them often. I would purchase items to install stereos that I might not have in stock. For example, noise filters, the kind that kept engine noise from coming across one's stereo speakers. How many people remember that? You put in a new car stereo and when you stepped on the gas, you could hear a whining noise through your stereo speakers.
They also sold car stereo antennas, sometimes I would run out and go to the Shack or Western Auto to pick one up.
They also sold crossover networks that I used from time to time.
I purchased diodes, capacitors, resistors, speaker wire, cables, antenna extensions and even FM Converters, who remembers FM Converters? I bought many other items from them that I needed on a daily basis out of convenience.Just my humble opinion, but Radio Shack has lost touch with it's customer base, to many toys and cell phones. They need to get back to basics and stock and sell the cool stuff they once did, even though what was cool then, not so much now. But you know what I mean, you go in and get that "WOW, CHECK THIS OUT" sort of factor.
Rick
13 Sep 14 at 11:10 am
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Rick if you read the comments on the article I posted you'll find that you aren't in a club by yourself with regard to thinking RadioShack needs to get back to the roots you described.
The RadioShack Terry referenced has me thinking it's somewhere around where Tuesday Morning is currently located on Forest Drive (though it was before my time)...or somewhere along that stretch before the Lakeshore Drive intersection but find myself wondering if that's the stretch it could have been found along or not...
Andrew
13 Sep 14 at 9:51 pm
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Andrew, I remember the Radio Shack being just a block or so up from Trenholm Plaza on the same side of Forest Drive going towards Richland mall.
Maybe kind of across from Duncan Donuts and Franks Car Wash.
It was a long time ago so my memory may be slightly flawed.And just FYI, with all the post about RS lately, I think I'll go check one out just to get a first hand look. It has been a while since I have been in one and maybe my opinion will change, hopefully for the better, but I doubt it.
Rick
14 Sep 14 at 10:57 am
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Then it was on the opposite side of Trenholm Road from what I envisioned....Rick's description leads me to think that it was at the site where Pasta Fresca and Rite Aid are now located...I envisioned it more along where Zoë's Kitchen and Tuesday Morning are now...
Andrew
14 Sep 14 at 1:45 pm
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There was definitely a Radio Shack on Forest Drive somewhere across from Mr. Donut. It was in a little standalone building, and had a tube tester.
Later there was a Radio Shack in Trenholm Plaza more or less where Rosso is now. I was a member of the Battery-of-the-Month Club at that location, and got a little set of screwdrivers that I have still.
ted
14 Sep 14 at 10:19 pm
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The last time I went to an RS (about a year ago) they still had some electronic parts, patch cords, jacks and such but for the most part it was a cell phone and gadget store. Gone were the glory days, for sure. No stereo equipment, speakers, world band radios or any of the other stuff I used to love to play with when I would go there. I still have a few catalogs from the 80's that I will thumb through once in a while to see what they used to be like. I did, however, find a book I mentioned in another post that contained speaker enclosure diagrams and plans along with crossover design. I built a few f them at the time and they sounded pretty good. Lost them all over the years by 'loaning' them to 'friends' and a leaking storage building.
Homer
15 Sep 14 at 12:37 am
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RadioShack has stayed in business lately with a name combining something NO One buys anymore and a type of building no one wants to go into.
Rick
24 Sep 14 at 9:12 am
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Love shack bay-bee!
ted
24 Sep 14 at 5:03 pm
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Tin Roof, rusted.
Rick
24 Sep 14 at 9:50 pm
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@Rick - while cleaning out an old storage shed the while back, I ran across an bookshelf amp that I made from the circuit board out of an old GE portable stereo from back in the 70's. Everything from the case to the volume, balance, tone controls and all of the switches and jacks came from the Shack. I also had a set of mini speakers I had made from Shack Minimus speaker drivers. No idea where they ended up!! Just goes to show you how they used to be!!
Homer
24 Sep 14 at 11:48 pm
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Yes, RS used to carry a complete line of Realistic audio gear for your home and car. I do not think they carry any branded items today. I suppose with the better quality audio systems installed at the factory the add-on market evaporated.
Terry
25 Sep 14 at 12:25 pm
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(Reuters) - "Electronics retailer RadioShack Corp will stop matching employees' retirement-fund contributions and review health benefits to help cut costs.
RadioShack will discontinue matching for 401(k) plans on Feb. 1. The company has been trying to turn around its business by closing unprofitable stores to cut costs. However, it has been unable to get approval from lenders and creditors to close 1,100 stores. "
This has turned into a slow, painful ending for RS employees. I read where some stores opened Thanksgiving morning at 8 am. ??????????
Terry
5 Dec 14 at 1:30 am
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Here is a rather harrowing article about working for RS.
ted
5 Dec 14 at 1:36 am
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Radio Shack Kept Alive by $25 Billion of Swaps Side Bets
Radio Shack is finding an unlikely ally in its efforts to stay out of bankruptcy: credit derivatives traders who amassed more than $25 billion of trades speculating how much longer it can keep paying its bills.
The craziness continues, meanwhile the share price has dropped to 33 cents. I do not recall seeing a single ad for Radio Shack merchandise this shopping season.
Terry
18 Dec 14 at 5:36 am
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Only in America can people get rich by betting on how long a struggling company can stay in business.
Homer
22 Dec 14 at 12:47 am
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Capitalism!
Jason
22 Dec 14 at 4:39 pm
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Well, quarter capitalism, anyway.
We're not the same Jason. I'm pretty sure.
Jason
28 Oct 15 at 10:20 am
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Actually you are the same Jason; he's just you ten months ago..
ted
28 Oct 15 at 10:46 am
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I am deeply confused, that whole string of comments appeared on the sidebar under recent comments and I think I need to go lie down now.
Jason
30 Oct 15 at 9:18 am
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Yeah, unfortunately what happened is that I had to reload my database from right around Christmas 2014, bringing all those posts and comments to the top again. I'm trying to gradually bring back the posts between then and now from the http://www.archive.org wayback machine and google cache, but it will be slow going.
Moral of this story is: Never assume your backups are good. Actually look at the backup files now and again..
ted
30 Oct 15 at 3:22 pm
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Stumbled upon this (for unrelated reasons) and realized that this one is missing the Radio Shack tag that the other Radio Shack posts have...
Andrew
9 Sep 17 at 8:37 pm
Wow, that feels like the end of an era. I worked there in the late 90's and recall it being in that same location. There used to be a Cromer's next to it (which later became some odd store with cheap imported goods). When it was Cromer's. they had monkeys, and occasionally we could smell them. Gross.
That RadioShack store did good business until that mall totally fell apart.
Chris