This. The time when you could build your own computer from parts has been long past.

The 3D printer revolution is something that could have brought them back to their roots, but it's not big enough (yet) to sustain such a huge company. And unless you accidentally walked past a store, you'd have no way of knowing what's on offer - they haven't been a compelling destination for a long time too.

> The time when you could build your own computer from parts has been long past.

This is simply not true. You may choose not to build your own computer, but the components are no less available than before -- in fact, commoditization has made them more affordable than ever before.

Well, you can put a computer in a box, sure. But build your own used to mean a lot more than a chip or two.

If you mean building a computer from fundamental components, you can still do that too. It just won't feel quite as magical today as it did in the 70s or 80s because of the ubiquity of modern computers.

I guess I meant building a computer with a chance to make real decisions. E.g. busses, interrupt architecture, memory controller etc. Now its all integrated. You use a certain chip; you need a certain chipset to support it. Your project becomes cut-and-paste of the single supported design. Why do it at all if you can't change anything significant? "I built it myself, but no, its not different in any important way from one you could buy off the shelf cheaper"?

You can probably hire a shop in China to manufacture your design for not too much.

there are more companies now that I can see in the custom computer cases and parts than I remember in 2000 when I built my first system. plenty of room to play in the space. 3D printing is not a viable business at this point for a radio shack.

Not about putting a computer in a box. Used to be, you could build a bus and a memory controller and choose an interrupt system etc. Now its one chip.

The real purpose of RadioShack wasn't to satisfy the electronics hobbyist.

It was to make a ready, local supply of necessary parts for electronics that were unreliable and burned out frequently, in the days when end-to-end service or "just hire a professional" weren't the way people addressed technology failures.

My grandfather made regular trips to RadioShack because the bloody vacuum tubes on his TV burned out all the time. This wasn't 'hobby,' nor was it really a chore he enjoyed.

I like this theory a lot. Because when you think of it, nowadays products are either more reliable or more disposable. No need to fix a $7 remote control car or $18 quadcopter. Computer parts like memory and HDs can are warrantied 1-5 years and you ship to manufacturer. And by the time something breaks past warranty you've had for a while, you're looking for the next best one that's cheaper anyway. But nothing stopped radio shack from buying some big land and testing out some super stores to copy Microcenter, Frys, Best buy, home stores or even their own maker spaces with unique offerings.