RadioShack Returns To U.S. As Product Brand

RadioShack, at one time the world’s most ubiquitous consumer electronics retail outlet, is back in the U.S. Sort of.

Last August, the brand was relaunched in the U.S. as a product rather than a retail brand. More than 400 RadioShack-branded products are now available not only on a new radioshack.com e-commerce site but through several dozen retailers across the country including Amazon and Walmart as well as five actual still operating RadioShack stores in Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

This new version of RadioShack (South Hall 1, booth 31118) is brought to you by the Unicomer Group, a San Salvador, El Salvador-based multinational retailer, product, and finance company founded in 2000 that owns and operates more than two dozen brands and more than 1,000 retail stores in 24 countries largely in the Southern Hemisphere.

Unicomer started managing RadioShack stores in 1998 in El Salvador, expanding over the years until it acquired the RadioShack franchising rights, intellectual property, and brand rights for Central America, South America, and the Caribbean in April 2015. In 2023, Unicomer acquired the RadioShack brand and intellectual property for the U.S., Canada, and more than 70 other countries. It relaunched the RadioShack brand in the U.S. last August.

“RadioShack has been a household name for decades, recognized for its deep connection to electronics enthusiasts, makers, and small businesses,” explained Rudy Siman, president of the new RadioShack International, headquartered in Miami, FL. “The brand’s rich heritage, customer loyalty, and market potential aligned perfectly with Unicomer’s vision of bringing accessible technology to people across diverse markets. The acquisition was a natural fit, allowing us to preserve the legacy of RadioShack while revitalizing its presence and adapting it to meet the needs of today’s consumers.”

RadioShack was originally founded in Boston in 1921 to capitalize on the new radio boom. By the early 1960s, however, after growing to nine stores, the business began to struggle. In November 1963, the chain was bought by Houston-based leather craft retailer Charles Tandy.

Tandy transformed RadioShack into first the U.S.’s then the world’s largest consumer technology retailer, at its peak operating more than 8,000 RadioShack and Tandy stores globally, selling a variety of largely budget electronics under a panoply of house brands including Realistic, Archer, Optimus, and Tandy, as well as electronic hobbyist parts via both retail and catalog. After years of overexpansion, increased big box competition, the growth of e-commerce, and other crises in the early 2000s, however, RadioShack floundered and declared bankruptcy in 2015. The brand has gone through a series of breakups and ownerships during the last decade.

The new RadioShack’s product mix currently consists of more than 400 products covering 17 product categories and around 30 subcategories including Bluetooth earbuds, headphones, portable speakers, batteries, and, of course, electronics accessories such as portable battery chargers, Wi-Fi extenders, adapters, outlet strips, remote controls, and even landline phones and backpacks. Over the next few months, the RadioShack product portfolio will grow to 600, and will gradually expand to around 1,000 over the next year. Also planned will be an expansion of its e-commerce platform to offer additional third-party brands alongside RadioShack products.

“This approach allows us to stay true to RadioShack’s heritage while meeting the evolving needs of today’s consumers,” Siman said.

While RadioShack shifts to a product- rather than a retail-first strategy, several aspects of the RadioShack heritage will be honored. For one thing, its familiar circled red R logo remains, as does its low product pricing strategy.

“We are focused on serving our loyal customers who already know the RadioShack brand, but we’re also targeting younger generations who will be drawn to us because of the innovation we’re bringing,” Siman noted. “[But] while we’re committed to affordability, we never compromise on quality. All of our products meet important certifications, ensuring that our customers can feel confident when purchasing and using them.”

As the company grows its product portfolio, it also is seeking retail partnership expansion not only in the U.S. but in Canada and other international markets; interested retailers can apply at https://www.radioshack.com/become-a-reseller. The company is also “currently in the process of inviting [existing RadioShack] stores to reapply for authorization as resellers under RadioShack USA,” Siman reported.

While Siman runs RadioShack International, his brother Felix will run the U.S. operation as managing director.

“We have built a strong and experienced team to support the operation, covering key areas such as product development, commercial strategy, logistics, and other critical functions,” Siman asserted. “This robust structure ensures that we are well-positioned to successfully manage and grow the brand in the United States and beyond.”

CES 2025 attendees can drop by and see what RadioShack has in store for 2025 and beyond at South Hall 1, booth 31118 in the LVCC.

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