[BC] Radio Shack Hangs In There

[Jerry Mathis]

I DO have my own private parts stock. Well, at least a wide variety of
resistors, 1/4 watt and1/2 watt.

I'm fortunate that in one of the two markets I cover, there is still an
honest-to-God electronics parts store. Hoopers, located in downtown
Meridian, MS, has rarely let me down when I go in looking for something.
Fuses, lamps, resistors, capacitors, connectors, adapters, test equipment,
technicians aids, heck, they still have bottles of rubber rejuvenator for
pinch rollers. They've got one of those pegboards along one wall with
Jim-Paks hanging there. IC's, sockets, diodes, power transformers, fans,
LED's, and more. Metal and plastic chassis and project boxes. I could go on
and on. And he does a decent business. I'm rarely the only customer in the
store at one time.

By contrast, there's a Bluff City Electronics in Tupelo (my other market),
but they stock only what sells at least a hundred of every week. I can get a
few varieties of connectors, mostly telephone and LAN connectors, BNC and
Type F connectors. They have a FEW resistors on a board, and fewer
capacitors. No lamps, no fuses, no Type N connectors. Now they can GET them,
sometimes overnight, but I can do that with Newark, so I don't bother Bluff
City with my needs very much.

JM



On 4/27/07, Stevan A. White <w5saw at pathwayz.com> wrote:
>
> So we pretty much agree that Radio Shack is the one we all love to
> hate.  Several years ago I would design a circuit for a project, go to
> RS to pick up parts, discover that they didn't have "X" number of the
> parts I wanted in stock, I'd look at what they had, redesign my circuit
> according to what was there, etc.  It got to the point that the
> employees knew who I was and what I was doing.  When I came in they'd
> simply say, "Hi Steve, let us know if you need any help," and go about
> their rat killing.  I can't even do that much now.
>
> So, the serious question is, where do YOU buy parts in a pinch?  Bear in
> mind, the Amarillo, Texas metro area has a population of well under
> 250,000, four RS stores (barely) and no other place to buy parts
> locally.  We dream of the day we might get a Frye's.  We'd all have to
> have our own private stock,  like Willie, to get by on a normal day.  So
> again, where are we to find what we need?  I need to set up an account
> some place I can get what I need and get it in a hurry when I need to
> solve a problem.
>
> Best Regards,
> Stevan A. White, W5SAW
> SW Commercial Electronics
> 928 South Crockett Street
> Amarillo, Texas 79102
> Phone 806-681-7228
> w5saw at pathwayz.com
>
> "The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person
> doing it." -- Chinese proverb
>
>
>
>