[Hallicrafters] Re Peter On Lafayette Radio

[Peter Markavage]

I believe you're referring to John Meshna Surplus in Lynn, MA. Last
Internet postings I could find on any reference to them is 1985. A search
of the area in MA on the Internet doesn't turn them up. Maybe they ran
out of surplus things to sell. I do remember years ago seeing their ads,
I believe, in QST.

As far as your statement, "Where did the term "Laughing Idiot" come from
that got tagged onto Lafayette anyhow?", I never heard this one. I've
heard them referred to as "Laugh-a-lot". I guess this is like the Radio
Shack tag, "you got questions", "we got more questions".

Well, I think it's time we got back to Hallicrafters. There is a
Lafayette reflector on QSL.net  where more reminiscing can be done.

Pete, WA2CWA
ps The spouse still thinks I'm full of useless information or something
like that.


On Fri, 13 Feb 2004 17:58:59 -0500 "Duane Fischer, W8DBF"
<dfischer at usol.com> writes:
> 
>         
> Peter,         
>         
> I know from prior discussions with you that you are afflicted with 
> the incurable
> disease known in the medical field of Psychology, as "Pack Ratitis". 
> If you ever
> organize that wealth of information you have stacked up there by the 
> tens of
> Kilos, a new museum will be born! What a treasure trove of data you 
> have there
> OM, a tremendous resource, indeed.         
>         
> While you are enlightening us Pete, before that stranger with the 
> shotgun
> blinded me in October 1964, I remember thumbing through a catalog 
> from Meshna in
> Malden, MA. I think that was the name and location. They carried a 
> lot of
> military surplus gear, if memory serves me correctly. Whatever 
> became of them?         
>         
> While we are discussing off topic items, (prepare for the deluge of 
> flames from
> Dan 'Hank' Arney who makes it a point to flame me if I am off topic, 
> but seems
> to miss the others! But who cares -) Where did the term "Laughing 
> Idiot" come
> from that got tagged onto Lafayette anyhow?                
>         
> Duane W8DBF        
> 
>   
> 
> -------
> From: Peter Markavage <manualman at juno.com>
> To: hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [Hallicrafters]  and Lafayette info
> Date: Friday, February 13, 2004 5:15 PM
> 
> 
> Some clarification here. The original Lafayette Radio Electronics 
> (LRE),
> a.k.a. Radio-Wire Television, does not exist anymore. In the late 
> 70's
> there were approx. 128 fully owned LRE stores. There were thousands 
> of
> "associate" Lafayette Radio stores whose only connection to the LRE
> parent  was the ability (they had to buy in) to sell Lafayette
> merchandise and house-brand Lafayette equipment. They could also 
> sell
> anything else they wanted. When bankruptcy proceedings started in 
> late
> 70's approx. 62 of the 128 stores closed immediately. After court
> restructuring, the remaining 66 stores were allowed to continue
> operations. The restructuring did not impact the "associate" stores
> directly unless the only products they sold were Lafayette house 
> brand
> equipment. Some of these stores might still be around today. In the 
> early
> 80's, further major financial problems forced the closing of 60 more 
> of
> the original 128 stores. The remaining 6 were located in the 
> Northeast.
> Again, because of financial problems, the remaining six stores were 
> put
> up for sale and bought by Ward's in Richmond, VA also in the early 
> 80's.
> Rumor has it that the only reason Ward's bought the stores was to 
> test
> the metropolitan New York area/Northeast area. Ward's had a strong
> presence in the Southern states and was looking to tap into this 
> area.
> The stores were all closed several years later (85 I think) and the
> original LRE disappeared. Several years later, the first Circuit 
> City
> store (owned by Ward's) appeared in the Northeast.
> 
> Lafayette Radio exists today but this not the Lafayette Radio
> Electronics, a.k.a. Radio-Wire Television, that existed many years 
> ago
> where we all went for radio and parts stuff. As a part-time sales
> employee (21 years) and a creditor, I did much of the service for 
> many of
> the NJ stores from the mid 70's through all the closings, I still 
> have
> all the court documents that were sent to me that detailed the 
> court
> restructuring during the various periods.
> 
> The original LRE products still exists in our hearts, minds, our 
> old
> catalogs, and web pages.
> 
> Pete, WA2CWA
> 
> 
> On Fri, 13 Feb 2004 19:56:13 GMT Jerry Forwood 
> <e.j.forwood at juno.com>
> writes:
> > 
> > Oh by the way, Lafayette Radio is still around,  Their name is now 
> 
> > Circuit City.  They too have moved on to selling products that 
> make 
> > a profit.  There used to be six stores like HRO in Cincinnati when 
> I 
> > first got my Novice Call, KN9AIB.  I used to save up my pennies 
> and 
> > beg my dad to let me drive the 75 miles to go "Radio Shopping".  
> > Don't go looking for them now, and don't be surprised if the only 
> 
> > place you will be able to shop for radios in the future will be on 
> 
> > the Internet,
> > or eBay.
> > 
> > 73 de Jerry, KXEJF
> > E.J.(Jerry) Forwood

________________________________________________________________
The best thing to hit the Internet in years - Juno SpeedBand!
Surf the Web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER!
Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!