<p>Vineyard Electronics, the only licensed RadioShack dealer on the Island, is bracing for change in light of the announcement Thursday that the national company had filed for bankruptcy.</p>
In light of Radio Shack’s bankruptcy filing Thursday, Vineyard Electronics, the only licensed Radio Shack dealer on the Island, is bracing for change but hoping for the best.
“We have been expecting this for some time,” owner Linda Sibley said Friday, adding that the store has already begun exploring other ways to stock its shelves.
“As of now we only know really what they are planning to do with their own corporate owners’ storefronts,” she said. “It does appear that the franchise division, which is what we buy through, may continue to exist as a supplier, which would be very nice for us.”
Owner Linda Sibley said RadioShack is major supplier for Vineyard Haven store.
Owner Linda Sibley said RadioShack is major supplier for Vineyard Haven store.
Radio Shack has struggled for years to compete in the digital era and the company had warned of the possibility of filing for bankruptcy in a December securities filing. The company plans to sell up to 2,400 of its stores nationwide.
As a licensed dealer, Vineyard Electronics is required to present itself as a Radio Shack and represent the company. It carries mostly small items and accessories, including DVD players, speakers, headphones and car stereos.
“We are not exclusively Radio Shack product but they are our major supplier,” Ms. Sibley said.
While it was too soon to know for sure how the changes would affect the Island business, Ms. Sibley said one possibility is that store may end up carrying fewer small items.
Ms. Sibley said she hopes to continue buying product from RadioShack franchise division.
Ms. Sibley said she hopes to continue buying product from RadioShack franchise division.
In a statement issued Thursday, Radio Shack said that its dealer-franchise stores were not included in the chapter 11 bankruptcy filing or in the sale agreements.
Radio Shack has about 4,000 company-owned stores across the U.S., and more than 1,000 dealer-franchise stores in 25 countries.
Vineyard Electronics started in 1981 and there are three full-time employees at the store on State Road in Vineyard Haven.
Ms. Sibley said the store does not carry computers, and if it happens to be out of computer-related items, customers can be referred to a number of other Island businesses. “But there is nobody else that has the variety that we have,” she said.
Comments
The list is out and they are
Nycport Ridgefield, CT and O.B.The list is out and they are NOT on the list of stores slated to close. Good news!
...probably because they are
Dennis Jackson Cape Coral, FL...probably because they are not company-owned.
Most helpful people you could
Ross Cowan Naples FLMost helpful people you could wish for....GO LINDA AND ASSOCIATES
I would be very, very sorry
Katherine Scott Vienyard HavenI would be very, very sorry if Vineyard Electronics were not there. It's the kind of store that, when you are a nontechie and suddenly you need something that, you find, is quite critical---it turns out that they know what you need, and they actually have it!
Vineyard Electronics is
Dean Rosenthal EdgartownVineyard Electronics is friendly, local business with knowledgeable employees and reasonable prices. I'm happy to hear they'll still be in business and look forward to continuing to shop there.
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