tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834826019588534175.post6075945182463508191..comments2023-09-20T06:10:29.485-04:00Comments on The Marine Installer's Rant: Shack Collapse Bill Bishop - Parmainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11554223870035485145noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834826019588534175.post-75658152308149768812015-02-26T12:15:54.547-05:002015-02-26T12:15:54.547-05:00The West Marine in downtown Toronto closed in Janu...The West Marine in downtown Toronto closed in January, leaving exactly one chandlery on the actual waterfront. The rest are in industrial parks in the western suburbs. Good thing I like to ride my bike. I have (somewhere) a shortwave receiver I built as a teen from Radio Shack, and I have beside me a Realistic DX-100 basic SW receiver I picked up at a swap meet for $20. When I install my M-802 SSB, I'll be one of the youngest people to do so, as satellite phones seem to be the medium of choice offshore. I don't argue with this, but I would find the "party line" of cruiser nets more useful outside of a medical emergency, and my kid will send and receive his school work via Sail Mail.Rhyshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00598445145507204424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834826019588534175.post-25315108792014222732015-02-12T11:37:17.459-05:002015-02-12T11:37:17.459-05:00The Cicero WM is going under. All clearance and no...The Cicero WM is going under. All clearance and not-first-quality merchandise is heavily discounted, ie. anything with damaged packaging or discontinued can't be sent back to the warehouses. One of the obnoxious things is that WM hasn't announced which stores will be closing when. Radio Shack at least had a list on their website of all the stores going under.<br />I loved going to Radio Shack as a kid, all the RC toys and project kits. I remember walking in once with my dad to look at computers years ago and was awed by the selection. Any time I needed a transistor or LED or piezo buzzer I would head there. Then the internet and cell phones happened. The Shack cut their parts bin count in half, all the science kits (crystal radios and the like) went away to be replaced with wifi hotspots and i-devices. In my opinion that was the beginning of their downfall. Then when the internet offered five times their selection for at least a third of their prices it was over.Brian McBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02955781550883895949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834826019588534175.post-10234829317502194992015-02-10T14:15:46.154-05:002015-02-10T14:15:46.154-05:00Sad to say - gone are the days were kids tinkered ...Sad to say - gone are the days were kids tinkered and experimented with electronics - Arduino and similar toys notwithstanding. As a ham radio operator in my early 50's, I'm often one of the "youngsters" at the local meeting. Not sure what the kids are focusing on these days, but it seems clear, they have little need for Radio Shack.Stevehttp://www.marineelectronicsrepair.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834826019588534175.post-18512237959753434372015-02-10T12:26:33.505-05:002015-02-10T12:26:33.505-05:00Radio Shack has been flailing for quite some time....Radio Shack has been flailing for quite some time. Sad to see it go.<br /><br />Which CNY West is closing? Cicero or Watertown?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834826019588534175.post-15614276017171303512015-02-10T11:45:04.509-05:002015-02-10T11:45:04.509-05:00Sadly it looks like West Marine is going the same ...Sadly it looks like West Marine is going the same way, turning into a "lifestyle store" instead of a boating store. They'll be closing all Canadian stores as their leases expire and my home store here in Central NY, as well as a few others will be closing in March. It's a 60 mile drive one way now to get to a store.Brian McBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02955781550883895949noreply@blogger.com