The Rise & Fall of Radio Shack

About this episode

This episode explores the history and cultural significance of Radio Shack in the 1980s.

Before Amazon, before Best Buy, there was Radio Shack--and in the 1980s, it was your one-stop shop for all things electronics. Today, we look at the origins of the company--which go back to the early 19th century--then witness its rise through the 60s and into the 70s, culminating in its presence in every mall in North America in the 80s. But despite being such a prominent part of the retail landscape, Radio Shack couldn't stay on top forever in a rapidly changing world. From the CB Radio craze to the rise of the TRS-80, Radio Shack was not just at the forefront of the PC revolution, but was a cultural touchstone of 1980s consumer culture. Check out the old catalogs: radioshackcatalogs.com Support the show and get bonus 1980s audio content: Patreon.com/80s

People in this episode

Host: Jamie Logie

Topics covered

• retail history
• electronics
• 1980s culture
• consumer technology
• company origins

Keywords

• Radio Shack
• 1980s
• electronics
• retail
• TRS-80
• CB Radio
• consumer culture

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Radio Shack, Amazon, Best Buy

Products: TRS-80

Places: North America

More episodes of Everything 80s

• Pac-Man Fever Takes Over the 1980s · April 29, 2026 · 50 min
• Hulk Hogan and the Rise of Hulkamania in the 80s · April 22, 2026 · 1h 2m
• WrestleMania 3: The Biggest Event in Wrestling History (or Was It...?) · April 15, 2026 · 57 min
• ET: The Movie That Stayed at Number One for 11 Years · April 8, 2026 · 52 min
• 10 Pranks & Hoaxes That Fooled the Entire 1980s · April 1, 2026 · 44 min
• Exxon Valdez: The Neverending Damage · March 25, 2026 · 44 min