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RadioShack To Rebrand As "The Shack"?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the a-little-old-place-where-we-can-get-together dept.

Harry writes "Rumor has it that RadioShack is planning to re-brand itself as The Shack later this year, after eighty-eight years under the old name (most of them with a space in between 'Radio' and 'Shack'). I hope it's not true, because I don't think the move would do a thing to make the retailer a better, more successful business." Where will we go to buy soldering irons and those RCA to headphone jack adapters now?

18 of 629 comments (clear)

  1. legalize now by davejenkins · · Score: 4, Funny

    They're just anticipating the coming legalization of pot. It will allow them to move into a generalized convenience store model, sort of a "smarter" quik-e-mart: soldering irons, robot toys, pot,and munchies.

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  2. How are they even still in business at this point? by elrous0 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Radioshack has spent the last 20-30 years attempting to rebrand itself from a store that carries one-of-a-kind electrical components and equipment to a store that carries 2nd-rate, overpriced versions of the stuff everyone else carries (cellphones, computers, really awful audio equipment, non-educational toys, etc.). It's all part of their master plan to turn themselves into a store with no apparent reason to exist.

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  3. Re:Beware of namechanges by Duds · · Score: 5, Funny

    Oh that's what it is, I thought it was a service that delivered you a popular 80s console by 9am...

  4. Are there two more low-tech words by 93,000 · · Score: 3, Funny

    than 'radio' and 'shack'? Telegraph hut? Gramophone igloo? Victrola shed? . . .

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  5. Hmmm... by thisnamestoolong · · Score: 4, Funny

    I was actually thinking that if they were going to change one part of their name, calling the store a 'shack' is certainly more likely to turn away customers than implying that you sell radios... would you buy anything from the Computer Hovel? The Cell Phone Shanty? Meh... I won't be sad to see them go in any case, they have totally missed the opportunity to dominate the hobbyist market by making a half-assed attempt at edging into the mainstream.

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  6. Not Taking it Far Enough! by Trifthen · · Score: 5, Funny

    Indeed, I believe they are being too conservative in this renaming. For regular customers of Radio Shack, we know the new name is too high class. The only possible remedy for this situation is to name the chain "Electronics Shanty," because we all know that's what they are.

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  7. (caution: game refernce) by The+Redster! · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think they should change their name to "Hz So Good."

  8. Re:Beware of namechanges by Moryath · · Score: 5, Funny

    The rebranding of "The Shack" is because it's the only thing the marketing company could come up with that beat the more-apt "Crap Shack" moniker.

    Remember: Even the Radio Shack CEO can't figure out how his company stays in business.

  9. Re:How are they even still in business at this poi by Gkeeper80 · · Score: 3, Funny

    This guy can't figure it out either

    http://www.theonion.com/content/news/even_ceo_cant_figure_out_how

  10. Lance Armstrong is gonna be pissed by sir_eccles · · Score: 4, Funny

    He just created a new cycling team called Team RadioShack and will have to change the name to match, he had the t-shirts printed and everything.

  11. Re:Beware of namechanges by MBCook · · Score: 4, Funny

    Agreed. "The Shack" just sounds incredibly sketchy to me.

    So you're saying the new name is a better fit?

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  12. Re:Beware of namechanges by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 5, Funny

    Worse, choosing a name that goes from "The Shack" to "The Suck" so smoothly(and appropriately) just seems like a terrible plan...

  13. My favorite reference from an old /. posting: by DutchUncle · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Radio Shack. You've got questions; we've got blank stares."

  14. The Shack, Baby The Shack by MrKaos · · Score: 3, Funny
    Maybe their tin roof,, rusted.

    With apologies to the B-52s

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  15. There is a Radio in your Carphone. by tepples · · Score: 3, Funny

    Same for "Carphone Warehouse" in the UK, they don't want to lose the recognition despite the fact no-one has called a cell/mobile phone a car phone in 2 decades. [...] [RadioShack] should REALLY look and see if the number of people who say "I don't need a radio I won't go there" might be outnumbered

    FACT: There is a Radio in your TV. There is a Radio in your Wi-Fi laptop. In fact, there is a Radio in your Carphone.

  16. Re:Beware of namechanges by Old+Grey+Beard · · Score: 5, Funny

    I went in to a local Shack to buy a soldering iron a couple months ago. They don't have them. They do have cell phones, and boy do they love to pitch them. I have no idea who sells soldering irons any more, though I'm sure I could use Bing to google around.

    Is it proper English to use "google" intransitively?

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  17. Re:Beware of namechanges by Dragonslicer · · Score: 3, Funny

    Worse, choosing a name that goes from "The Shack" to "The Suck" so smoothly(and appropriately) just seems like a terrible plan...

    I think going to "The Shaft" is an easier move.

  18. Re:Radioshack is profitable by canajin56 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Well, yeah, $41 million in a quarter seems like a lot of net income, but remember, that's only like 4 of their god damned monster cables.

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