<description>&lt;p&gt;Before Amazon, before Best Buy, there was Radio Shack--and in the 1980s, it was your one-stop shop for all things electronics.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Today, we look at the origins of the company--which go back to the early 19th century--then witness its rise through the 60s and into the 70s, culminating in its presence in every mall in North America in the 80s. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;But despite being such a prominent part of the retail landscape,  Radio Shack couldn't stay on top forever in a rapidly changing world. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;From the CB Radio craze to the rise of the TRS-80, Radio Shack was not just at the forefront of the PC revolution, but was a cultural touchstone of 1980s consumer culture. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;Check out the old catalogs: &lt;a href= "https://radioshackcatalogs.com/"&gt;radioshackcatalogs.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Support the show and get bonus 1980s audio content: &lt;a href= "https://www.patreon.com/80s"&gt;Patreon.com/80s&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt;</description>

Everything 80s

Jamie Logie | 1980s Pop Culture & Nostalgia

The Rise & Fall of Radio Shack

MAR 11, 202651 MIN
Everything 80s

The Rise & Fall of Radio Shack

MAR 11, 202651 MIN

Description

Before Amazon, before Best Buy, there was Radio Shack--and in the 1980s, it was your one-stop shop for all things electronics. Today, we look at the origins of the company--which go back to the early 19th century--then witness its rise through the 60s and into the 70s, culminating in its presence in every mall in North America in the 80s. But despite being such a prominent part of the retail landscape, Radio Shack couldn't stay on top forever in a rapidly changing world. From the CB Radio craze to the rise of the TRS-80, Radio Shack was not just at the forefront of the PC revolution, but was a cultural touchstone of 1980s consumer culture. Check out the old catalogs: radioshackcatalogs.com Support the show and get bonus 1980s audio content: Patreon.com/80s