On 08/13/2012 04:11 PM, David Riley wrote:
I was
referring to the common ones, like Best Buy, that are
everywhere. Stores like the one you describe aren't exactly ubiquitous,
and as far as I'm aware, they never were.
They sure aren't. I've never seen anything else like Baynesville
on the east coast. It's a shame, because there's a market. I
don't know how they stay in business, but it's been the same guys
running it since I was a kid, so I assume there's a bit of "labor
of love" involved.
No doubt. And though big profits can be nice, what better reason to
run a company?
That said,
though, I lived just south of Baltimore for a decade, and I
really, really wish I'd known about that store!
I seem to recall you mentioned Laurel, which is on the other side
of the city (Baynesville was up in Towson). It's about a half
hour drive (45 minutes in medium traffic), but well worth it. I
only knew about it because I grew up in Towson. Most people don't
seem to know what it's there for (their sign is a giant 2D
rendition of an octal-base tube, which I suspect is lost on most
of the customers who come looking for replacement watch batteries),
so I hope it stays around for a while longer.
I didn't spot that sign the whole time I lived near Baltimore, but it
is a big area. I hung out with a large number of technical people
(people who would recognize an octal-base tube) who grew up in the
between-DC-Baltimore area and nobody ever mentioned it. (and these are
people who WOULD have) It's a shame they didn't get the word out more
effectively.
I'll make it a point to look for the place the next time I'm over that
way. I think I'm closer to your area now than I am Baltimore.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire, AK4HZ
New Kensington, PA