![\"image\"](\"http:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/en\/a\/ab\/RadioShack_Logo_2013.png\"){kind=logo}
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No tear in my eye: Radio Shack, where I purchased my first computer over 30 years ago, is apparently going to seek bankruptcy protection. As my son so aptly put it just a few days ago, “Why is Radio Shack necessary?” Short answer: It isn’t. It was also dumb luck that Radio Shack even got into the computer business. Supposedly they had one TRS-80 Model I computer for each store. Figuring they wouldn’t sell one, their intention was eventually to use the computers as cash registers and for store inventory — but the computers sold!<\/p>\n The Shack never was a popular technology store. Often called “Radio Schlock,” it sold inferior merchandise and cheap Asian toys. As a computer pioneer, it was said that the one thing Radio Shack was good at was aggressively shooting itself in the foot. Recently they tried to become a cell phone store and even sell Apple porducts, but that isn’t helping the bottom line.<\/p>\n Adios, Shack!<\/p>\n
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\nThe Shack began life as Tandy Leather. In fact, the T<\/em> in TRS-80 is for Tandy. Lots of their early computers were known as Tandy, such as the Tandy 1000. From what I gather, their electronics business was just pure merchandising on behalf of founder Charles Tandy.<\/p>\n