Is this a competition to see which one goes out of business soonest?
this post was submitted on 20 Mar 2026
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In this economy?
Do you know what it would cost to build one of those stores for an "art project". More than it would have cost when they were in full swing, no more economy of scale savings. A Radio Shack sign alone would be 10 or $15K today.
EDIT: I mean this type of sign. Having looked at the signs, I see now that they were made at many different quality levels, but this is the sort of sign I was thinking of:
- licensed sign. if it's not licensed, and printed overseas and shipped... it's a looot cheaper. RadioShack signs were just black with red lettering. match the font, have plastic lettering made and use a black backing board and your done.
for internal signs, about $30 for large prints. they come shipped in a large roll.
it's far cheaper than you think, what hurts you is things you cant simulate with plastic/cardboard/etc. actual goods on display.
depending on the business you are targeting and the era. getting products to display that are in mint condition is expensive.
surprisingly, the cheapest ones are clothing stores. you can just pick up reproductions. the plastic pushtags and original product label tags are cheap to make if you have references. they just make them in sheets with cardboard backing. you make a stencil, mark the outlines of each tag with a hobby knife and cut them out.
the most expensive cost is the space. leasing and restoring/maintaing a space is not cheap. even "abandoned" malls still want premiums for those stores...
They’re no longer in business for a reason,
Fuck that. Bring back Blockbuster and Radio Shack. I'll take rentals over streaming any day, and electronics kits are da boss!
We need a circuit city as well.
I see your Circuit City and raise you Service Merchandise.
I see your Service Merchandise and I raise you HHGreg.
Yugi??? NOOOOOOO!
You mean Gregg Appliances?
All in. Kresge's.
Look at the founded part. It was Gregg Appliances in 1955. HHGregg in 2017. It’s about the timeline, Yugi.
Yami. Help me here.
Yami: It's the same store boss.
EXODIA!
Not with Radio Shack.
Regular mall. Strip malls are those boring terrible places that good malls get turned into.
I think that would work for a month or two
What? In person shopping in Sears, Claire’s Boutque, Spencer’s, Payless, Radio Shack, and Forever 21 followed by a steaming pile of Sbarro’s washed down with an Orange Julius?
I’m so old.
I'm gonna need a Bradley's on one end and a Woolworths on the other.
Just go to a defunct mall
We have to do something with the dying high street.
The best set up I’ve seen is a mall with a gym, the local library, and specialty stores that would otherwise exist in a downtown mainstreet: bakery, brunch restaurant, etc.
It could be done: Micheal’s, Ross, hook in the main discount grocery store, Harbor Freight. Then knock down some walls for the smaller shops and keep going: dollar store, local consignment/antiques, etc.
One stop shopping.
The place I grew up had people argue that large shops didn’t want to be on the high street and smaller indie places couldn’t afford it…so why can’t those premises be used for art galleries, for example. The council turned round and said if someone wanted to put an art gallery in there was nothing stopping them. Totally missing the point in other words.
Isn’t it cheaper rent at this point?
Forget the shit 80s and 90s mall vibe. Modernize to the box stores people still use and food favorites like tacos and sushi. Cheaper rent. One stop shop would be less gas and time for everyone concerned. I think the selling point would be getting the grocery store on one end.
Or turn it into a weird apartment complex.