Did you see where RadioShack is changing its name to “The Shack” in an attempt to survive by appearing cooler? From the accounts I perused, it’s unclear whether the name change is official or whether it’s simply a case of a lonely retailer annointing its ownself with an affectionate nickname. I’m sure the facts are there if you care to dig deeper.

It is all understandable. RadioShack began life as a supplier of vaccuum tubes for ham radio enthusiasts, the technology geeks of 1920. This was before commercial radio, folks! Now, RadioShack is competing with the likes of Best Buy to sell heaven-knows-what to “consumers.” Part of the plan is to further de-emphasize the electronic-parts business and concentrate even more on the latest must-have device that everyone is walking around fiddling with. I wish them well.

I’m not sure how RadioShack has managed to stay afloat as long as it has, and I will admit that if they had to depend on the likes of me they’d have gone dark decades ago. However, I do love a store where you can wander around and be intrigued by “parts” and say things like, “I didn’t know you could buy those!” There are fewer and fewer such places of any discipline these days, and if the folks running “The Shack” have their way, there’ll be one less. Over and out.