RadioShack

Closed, sadly. I really liked Radio Shack and this was the one I remember most from my childhood. The one in Porter Square is closed as well. I wish they had formed partnerships with Chinese eBay sellers of electronics and Arduino/​Raspberry Pi Items. If you want to get what you need for electronics hobby/​builder/​maker stuff, go to:
Micro Center — 730 Memorial Dr, Cambridge, MA
Cambridge Hackerspace — 440b Somerville Avenue, Cambridge, MA
Make sure you check these links:
«Getting Started In Electronics» (PDF Book):

This is definitely the best RadioShack. I just left there today, and I said to myself. «Why haven’t I plugged these guys?»
Tommy is so personable, he patiently answered questions to a burnout like myself and I ended up buying not only what I came in for, but a product that I always wanted but felt too stupid to ask about.
BTW– the asshole in the Central Square store has got to go! He radiates hostility…

I haven’t been in a radio shack in a long time, so I just think of it as a place to buy cell phone and remote controlled cars. This radio shack feels reinvented in order to how consumer needs have changed. When you walk in, there are a bunch of phones but there’s a huge sign that says «Makers» or something. The makers area has all sorts of DIY kits (robotics, remote controlled cars, Little Bits) and also circuit boards, bread board kits, and programable mini computers (Rasberry Pi and Arduino) They also have tons of components to build your own stuff like led lights, power sources, resistors, etc. I just started learning about DIY electronics and was looking for small components that are a pain to find/​just get one on the internet so I’m glad they have them here. They also have a big section devoted to creating a «Smart Home» with those expected products like Nest.
I’m not really sure how knowlegable the staff are about the new «maker products» because they seemed more like computer sales guys and less like they could answer a question about making something (maybe that’s because they couldn’t answer my question :) But at least I know I can come here to get stuff after I learn about it myself on the internet.

OK, I already reviewed this place but apparently Unilocal thinks I was too gushing — but I had great reason to be. I was in town on a business trip when my phone bit the dust and these folks were life savers.
I rushed into RadioShack on a short lunch and, even though the woman behind the counter was going to lunch, she put that off in order to make sure I was in and out of the store quickly.
Not only did they act fast, but they went above and beyond: Instead of upselling me the way most stores do, they actually tried to save me money.
Fast, friendly, bend over backwards customer service.

These people were life savers! I am usually loath to go to RadioShack as a technologist that knows market prices and hates being up sold.
My phone had broken and I was on a short lunch break in the middle of marathon meetings. Poor lady was about to go on lunch but I shared my dilemma and got star treatment.
I was in and out within 15 minutes with a slick new device. And — here’s the kicker, they didn’t up sell me, they actually tried to save me several hundred dollars!
A great experience, so much better than carrier mobile phone stores & a notch above most RadioShacks.
Thank you thank you thank you!

Walked in Radio Shack lots of neat toys to distract you. Ask Josh (who was standing near checkout talking to other employees he immediately focused on me as I approached) for a antennae for TV, tired of paying for an extra cable box. Josh actual listened to me when I said that I didn’t want to pay much. Showed me the old fashion ears and the new digital ones. Well got the ears and if I don’t like it will be able to return. Cashier didn’t have name tag but just as efficient and didn’t tease me when I had to be shown the card pad right next to me (mental note to self look before trying to passing your card to cashier next time). I like that they also take PayPal (which I noticed when eyes were open and turned to card reader).

This place is AWESOME!
I went in to sign up for a new cell phone plan and the manager, whose name I wish I could remember because he was so incredibly nice and helpful, was just amazing at helping me pick the right carrier and plan. He was even nice enough to allow me to bring my puppy in (we’d come straight from Petsmart) and was pretty quick (but thorough) with setting me up with my phone.
I went back a couple of years later and had another great experience with switching carriers.
Their staff is always friendly and helpful. I’d recommend them this location to anyone, if you can withstand the hellacious parking lot.

I’ve never really been much of a Radio Shack shopper. I only got into tinkering with electronics stuff during my college years when I started putting hard drives and other random computer stuff together. Anyway, the only reason we came in here is because my husband wanted a spudger. Like one of those plastic tool thingies you use to pry apart your smartphones when the parts are too delicate to handle with a philips screwdriver. Well we came into the store, Radio Shack employee greeted us, and we asked if they had a spudger.
«A spudger? Nah, we don’t have those»
We ask if we could look in the back anyway (my husband and I are always a bit wary of when people know what their talking about), and (not) to our surprise, we found the spudger in an electronics toolkit. Sorry, but if you work at the store, and you DON’T know what a spudger is, don’t write us off and say you don’t have it, we really won’t judge you if you don’t know what we’re talking about. But yeah, in terms of employee knowledge at this place, I wouldn’t think highly of it. In terms of products — I guess it has what most electronic tinkerers need?

Nerds, REJOICE! Radioshack is being rebranded as «The Shack»! Now it will be cool to shop there again! :P