In article AIhxe.73521$wr.26445@clgrps12,
NSM wrote:
Actually the UK/Australia/Canada arm was Intertan, run from Canada and is
now "The Source" and owned by Circuit City. They're all dying - can Radio
Shack survive with no business plan that works?

Electronics just doesn't seem to be as common a hobby with kids as it once
was.

Maplin were originally mainly mail order suppliers of electronic
components. Then got themselves a high street presence country wide. Which
requires a constant reasonable turnover and profit to maintain. As the
demand for electronic components reduced, they diversified into things
like Hi-fi accessories, phones, ICE, computer bits and accessories etc.
The sort of things you won't find easily on the high street. And seem to
be doing reasonably well.

--
*Avoid clichés like the plague. (They're old hat.) *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.