this is my favorite story about the impact radio shack had on a generation of early makers and startups: "HOW I FOUNDED A $2 BILLION COMPANY WITH A 95 CENT BOOK FROM RADIOSHACK": https://www.wired.com/2016/07/how-i-founded-a-2-billion-comp...

I also loved shopping there... the items seemed to be obscure, growing up I always wondered who actually shopped there for these items to justify an entire store... but the demand was there, they just didn't figure out how to take advantage of the early-mover advantage