Last Christmas I went into a Radio Shack looking to buy a good FM radio. I was trying to get my mother to listen to NPR in her kitchen where she can only get A.M. radio and has had to listen to a station (WOR) targeting the older set with let’s just say less than stimulating programming. I asked the salesperson where the radios were (at Radio Shack) and the she directs me to two possible areas, one of which was correct. As far from the front door as you could get.
The selection was horrendous. Two brands — none of which I was familiar with. No Sony. No GE. Pathetic. I left and went to Best Buy and found one Sony model. Don’t buy radio station stock is the moral to this story.
As Radio Shack tries to organize its way out of insolvency, with a hedge fund at the helm, one of the questions posed is “Should we rebrand?” “Should we hold onto the old name?” AT&T used to be America Telephone and Telegraph…someone smart over there decided telegraph was not a technology forward name and opted for change. So the answer to the new guard at Radio Shack is a resounding “yes.” A new name is in order. And let’s look beyond the dashboard for a name shall we?
I should add a very big good luck. From what I’m reading of some of the partner decisions so far, they’re going to need it. Peace.
