RadioShack facts for kids
Logo used from 2013 to 2015 and since 2023
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The exterior of a typical free-standing RadioShack store in Texarkana, Texas (2006)
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Trade name
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RadioShack |
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Formerly
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Radio Shack Corporation (1921–1962) Tandy Corporation (1962–2000) RadioShack Corporation (2000–2015) General Wireless Operations Inc. (2015–2020) |
| Industry | E-commerce, retail |
| Predecessors | Hinckley-Tandy Leather Company, Tandy Corporation, RadioShack Corporation, General Wireless Operations Inc. |
| Founded | 1921 Boston, Massachusetts, US |
| Founders | Theodore and Milton Deutschmann |
| Headquarters | Fort Worth, Texas, US |
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Number of locations
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Approximately 400 authorized dealers in the US Various international locations |
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Area served
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United States |
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Key people
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Alex Mehr (CEO) |
| Products | Consumer electronics |
| Parent | General Wireless IP Holdings LLC (2015–2020) Retail ECommerce Ventures (2020–2023) Unicomer Group (2023–present) |
RadioShack is an American company that sells electronics. It started in 1921 as a mail-order business for amateur radio equipment. At its biggest, in 1999, there were over 8,000 RadioShack stores in the United States and other countries.
However, the 2000s were a tough time for the company. In 2015, RadioShack had to file for bankruptcy. This meant the company needed help to reorganize its business and debts. Its brand name was then bought by another company called General Wireless.
In 2017, General Wireless also filed for bankruptcy. RadioShack then closed many of its stores and decided to focus more on selling things online. In 2020, a company called Retail Ecommerce Ventures bought RadioShack. Today, RadioShack mostly sells products online and through independently owned stores. In 2023, Unicomer Group bought RadioShack. Unicomer Group already had many RadioShack stores in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.
Contents
A Look Back: RadioShack's Journey
How RadioShack Began
RadioShack was founded in 1921 by two brothers, Theodore and Milton Deutschmann. They wanted to sell equipment for the new hobby of amateur radio, also known as ham radio. They opened their first store in Boston.
The name "Radio Shack" came from a term for a small room on a ship where radio equipment was kept. The brothers thought this name was perfect for a store helping radio enthusiasts. In 1939, the company released its first catalog and started selling high-quality music equipment.
Tandy Corporation Takes Over
In 1962, a company called Tandy Corporation, which made leather goods, bought RadioShack. RadioShack was struggling at the time. Charles D. Tandy, the owner of Tandy Corporation, saw a future in selling electronics to hobbyists.
Tandy changed RadioShack's focus. They created smaller stores with staff who really understood electronics. These stores mostly sold products made by RadioShack itself. This helped the company grow a lot.
Charles D. Tandy passed away in 1978. But the company continued to grow. By 1990, Tandy was one of the biggest makers of personal computers in the world. RadioShack became the largest electronics chain globally.
In the 1990s, RadioShack started to sell fewer parts and more common electronics. They also began selling products from other well-known brands.
Fun Promotions and Changes
From the 1960s to the early 1990s, RadioShack had a "battery of the month" club. Customers could get one free battery each month with a special card. This brought many people into the stores.
In 1970, Tandy Corporation bought another company called Allied Radio. For a short time, stores were called Allied Radio Shack. But soon, they went back to just RadioShack.
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One of RadioShack's most famous products was the Realistic Flavoradio. This small AM radio was sold from 1972 to 2000. It came in many fun colors like vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. It was the longest-running radio product in history!
The CB Radio Craze
In the mid-1970s, citizens band radio (CB radio) became very popular. RadioShack sold many CB radios, and they made up almost 30% of the company's sales during that time.
Early Home Computers
In 1977, RadioShack introduced the TRS-80, one of the first personal computers made for everyone. It was a complete computer system at a time when most computers were sold as kits. This made it very popular.
RadioShack also offered "Computer Camp" lessons for kids in the early 1980s. This helped many young people learn about computers.
RadioShack Corporation Era
In 2000, the company officially changed its name to RadioShack Corporation. They stopped using some of their old house brands like Realistic and Optimus.
RadioShack also tried new things, like putting small stores inside Blockbuster video stores. They also had kiosks selling phones in Sam's Club and Target stores.
Tough Times and Changes
From 2000 to 2011, RadioShack's sales started to decline. The company faced new competition from big stores like Best Buy and online sellers like Amazon. People also started buying more smartphones, which changed what they needed from an electronics store.
Many long-time employees noticed that the company focused less on electronic parts and more on selling cell phones. This made it harder for customers looking for specific parts.
In 2006, RadioShack closed almost 500 stores because they were too close to each other or not making enough money. The company also had some changes in its leadership during this time.
Financial Challenges
RadioShack continued to face financial difficulties. Sales kept falling, and the company lost money for many quarters in a row. They tried to close more stores to save money, but some lenders prevented them from doing so.
By 2014, RadioShack was losing a lot of money every day. The company's stock price dropped very low.
RadioShack Files for Bankruptcy (2015)
On February 5, 2015, RadioShack officially filed for bankruptcy protection. This allowed the company to close many unprofitable stores.
As part of the bankruptcy, a company called General Wireless bought most of RadioShack's stores. They made a deal with Sprint, a phone company, to have Sprint stores inside many RadioShack locations. This meant that Sprint's brand would be more visible in these stores.
General Wireless Operations, Inc.
After the 2015 bankruptcy, General Wireless became the new owner of the RadioShack brand. They focused on the partnership with Sprint. The stores were updated to give more space to Sprint products.
Second Bankruptcy (2017)
However, the partnership with Sprint did not work as well as expected. On March 8, 2017, RadioShack filed for bankruptcy again. Many more stores were closed, and some became Sprint-only locations.
By May 2017, RadioShack announced plans to close almost all of its company-owned stores. The business would mostly move online. In July 2017, another company called Kensington Capital Holdings bought the RadioShack brand and other important assets.
After the Bankruptcies
After these events, RadioShack became a much smaller company. In 2018, RadioShack partnered with HobbyTown USA to open small "RadioShack Express" stores inside HobbyTown locations. This allowed RadioShack products to be sold in more places.
Retail Ecommerce Ventures (REV)
In November 2020, Retail Ecommerce Ventures (REV) bought RadioShack's brand and its remaining operations. This included the independent dealers and online sales.
In 2021, REV announced a new plan for RadioShack to get involved in cryptocurrency. They launched a platform called RadioShack DeFi.
Where RadioShack Headquarters Were
In the 1970s, RadioShack had its headquarters in downtown Fort Worth, Texas. In 2001, RadioShack built a large new headquarters campus along the Trinity River in Fort Worth.
However, after the company's financial troubles, the headquarters became much smaller. In 2017, the remaining RadioShack staff moved to a warehouse. The large campus is now used by Tarrant County College.
RadioShack Around the World
Canada
For many years, RadioShack stores also operated in Canada. However, in 2004, a company called Circuit City bought the rights to the RadioShack name in Canada. The Canadian stores were then renamed "The Source".
Mexico
Amamos la technología
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RadioShack store in the Macroplaza shopping mall in Tijuana, Mexico (2019)
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Trade name
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RadioShack |
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| Industry | E-commerce, retail |
| Founded | 1986 Mexico City, Mexico |
| Headquarters | Mexico City, Mexico |
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Number of locations
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225 (all company owned) |
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Area served
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Mexico |
| Products | Consumer electronics |
| Parent | Grupo Gigante (2015–present) |
Since 1986, RadioShack stores have been in Mexico. A Mexican company called Grupo Gigante partnered with RadioShack to open these stores. In 2015, Grupo Gigante bought all of RadioShack's operations in Mexico.
Even when RadioShack in the US faced problems, Grupo Gigante planned to open more RadioShack stores in Mexico.
Latin America and the Caribbean
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Trade name
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radioshack |
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | E-commerce, retail |
| Predecessor | RadioShack Corporation |
| Founded | January 1998 El Salvador |
| Headquarters | San Salvador, El Salvador |
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Number of locations
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60 (company owned) 245 (franchised) |
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Area served
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Central America, South America, Caribbean |
| Products | Consumer electronics |
| Parent | Grupo Unicomer |
The Unicomer Group, based in El Salvador, bought the rights to the RadioShack brand for Latin America and the Caribbean (except Mexico) in 2015. Unicomer had been opening RadioShack franchise stores since 1998.
They have expanded RadioShack stores to many countries, including El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Trinidad, Jamaica, Barbados, and Guyana.
Middle East
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Trade name
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RadioShack |
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | E-commerce, retail |
| Predecessor | RadioShack Corporation |
| Founded | 1998 Nasr City, Egypt |
| Headquarters | Giza, Egypt |
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Number of locations
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65 (company owned) 15 (franchised) |
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Area served
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Egypt |
| Products | Consumer electronics |
| Parent | Delta RS for Trading |
In 2015, an Egypt-based company called Delta RS for Trading bought the rights to the RadioShack brand for the Middle East and North Africa. They operate as "Radio Shack Egypt" and have many stores there.
Other Things RadioShack Did
Community Support
RadioShack supported various community programs. In 2006, they helped the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children with a child identification program. They also supported United Way of America charities and promoted battery recycling.
Other Retail Partnerships
RadioShack tried different partnerships with other retailers. They had kiosks inside Blockbuster stores for a short time. They also operated wireless kiosks inside Sam's Club and Target stores for several years.
Cycling Team Sponsorship
In 2009, RadioShack became the main sponsor of a new cycling team called Team RadioShack. Famous cyclist Lance Armstrong was part of this team and appeared in RadioShack commercials.
