“Gentlemen, we can rebuild RadioShack. We have the technology. We have the capability to build the world's first bionic retailer. RadioShack will be that store. Better than she was before. Better, stronger, faster.”
The modern maker movement is not just about people who make things; it is about people who repurpose and remix objects using traditional and technological skills. Last year, 100,000 attended the seventh annual national maker event, Maker Faire, and at least that many are expected this year (looks like 120,000 attended). DIY culture is clearly alive and well, but it has shifted. Gone are the days where millions of Americans are focused on installing the perfect stereo, using RadioShack for their gold plated connectors and wiring. Now, tens of thousands of new technology enthusiasts are building their own 3D printers, multi-purpose robots and musical instruments.
RadioShack has never abandoned this group, as you can see at from Shack’s DIY tagged blog postings. It even has a DIY site. However, RadioShack must do much, MUCH more to become indispensible to this crowd. DIY items are seldom featured in weekly advertisements, nor is there much real infrastructure available to supporting that culture. Yes, RadioShack sponsors an annual create competition, but it is only in its second year, another piece of evidence of how much catching up is has to do. And only four of its blog posts feature ‘makerfaire’ as a tag. RadioShack needs its own maker blog, with prolific and charismatic Mr. Jalopy clones as writers...
http://beta.fool.com/kobalt/2012/06/15/radioshacks-fate-part-iii-radioshack-meets-makers-/5767/