Party Vibe

What I do find a bit suprising is when I constantly read Trumpf-supporting types bleat “the business of America is business”, that the management of Rat Shack got themselves into this situation when they were doing quite well internationally during most of the 90s, having picked up on the first wave of EDM/DJ culture and young adults being able to afford their own personal AV equipment (rather than being handed down what your Dad had previously bought).

They had also managed to get a slice of the personal computer market and at the same time CB/amateur radio and hobby electronics never went away and are still popular to this day.

Then again there is only one remaining electronics retail outlet in most of the UK (Maplins) and they seem to have become a lot more like Tandy to the point of seemingly importing a lot of their former stock. Nowadays a retail outlet is often “last resort” when you want to complete a project or build a system and cannot wait the few days for online ordering, although I’ve picked up bargain “lucky bags” of German ex military surplus components there..

most remainng shops are near enough cleared out, they are now even selling off the shop fittings!

https://twitter.com/RadioShack/status/869593150872059904

TBH if I lived in USA and had connections with a hackerspace/makerspace the drawers, shelves, racks and trays and shop fittings might be worth putting in an offer for; they are useful in such an environment (they are not cheap to buy new either!)