Agreed. And you can add electronics related tools and supplies. The last thing I bought there was a DTV receiver with one of those gov’t coupons for the transition, and even then, the thing was not even their own brand. Before that, yeah, I think I purchased a switch I needed in a hurry, and had a hard time finding the thing. In the “old days” I’d have walked right up to it.
Radio Shack (and a host of others) also did NOTHING to help keep the hobby alive. Those who did so, primarily on the Internet, have found all sorts of niches.
I bought some quality Ham radio equipment dirt cheap when they closed out those items. HF, 2 and 6 meter,
and 440 mhz. Their going out of business sale should be fun.
I worked for them for three years right out of college. They should have gone to the IBMPC long before they kept the TRS Model III alive, should have allowed 3rd party development on their software, and UGH, that God-awfel “ColorComputer” (CoCo). I can now get small parts over the InterWeb at far cheaper prices, computer parts at MicroCenter with a HUGE selection...RS has/had a business model that acted like they were still the Only Kid On The Block for stuff.