[NJARC] LAFAYETTE Radio L1

[peter markavage]

Ya had to be there to feel the pain of having to get rid of all those 23
channel rigs. All of them were being sold a few points above cost. As we
got closer to the end of the three months, they were going for pennies on
the dollar. Cash flow became more important than cost recovery. What
couldn't be sent back to Japan for conversion (cheaply) to 40 channels
was junked.

Pete, wa2cwa

On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 13:37:34 -0500 Fred Willow <fwillow at optonline.net>
writes:
> Win a new Icom IC-756PROIII and help QSL/QTH.net
> Details at: http://mailman.qth.net/index.html
> _______________________________________________
> Sorry, you have a better memory than I----23 channel not 19.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: njarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:njarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of peter markavage
> Sent: Sunday, January 16, 2005 8:34 PM
> To: njarc at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [NJARC] LAFAYETTE Radio L1
> 
> 
> Win a new Icom IC-756PROIII and help QSL/QTH.net
> Details at: http://mailman.qth.net/index.html
> _______________________________________________
> That was part of it but it was all the 23 channel rigs. We had 
> roughly a
> three month window to get rid of all the stock(millions of dollars 
> worth)
> plus they had bought a bunch more that were in the process of being 
> made.
> Also, the 4 channel craze never really materialized. Too many 
> decoding
> schemes plus TV shows were gathering more audience and people were 
> more
> on the go. Also, in the major metro areas, the "Crazy Eddie" 
> syndrome of
> selling was starting to take hold. That started to take a big chunk 
> of
> revenue away from the stores. The two Xmas seasons (which always 
> were big
> money makers), prior to the declaration of the first 60 store 
> closings,
> were far below expectations. Since financials were getting shaky, 
> two
> major banks called in two loans (approx. $22M). Not enough cash to 
> cover
> repayment, they had no choice but to liquidate 60 stores and file 
> under
> court protection. All creditors where put on hold, while court and 
> banks
> worked out a plan. 6 to 12 months later 63 more stores were closed,
> leaving only 5 five. Those 5 were bought by Wards (parent of 
> Circuit
> City) to ultimately test for a Northeast market presence. Roughly 
> around
> 1984 the 5 stores were closed, and several years later Circuit City
> stores started to pop up in the Northeast.
> 
> Pete, wa2cwa
> 
> On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 16:28:40 -0500 William Jones 
> <bjjones at optonline.net>
> writes:
> > Win a new Icom IC-756PROIII and help QSL/QTH.net
> > Details at: http://mailman.qth.net/index.html
> > _______________________________________________
> > I actually meta grand son of the family once.  He worked for me at 
> 
> > an
> > investment bank about 16 years ago.  He told me Lafayette went out 
> 
> > of
> > business because of the CB radio craze that was ripping across the 
> 
> > country
> > back then.  Lafayette made a huge investment in 19 channel radios 
> 
> > figuring
> > that the CB boon could be capitalized on for continuing their 
> > revenue
> > stream. Well, never trust the government for good timing.  The 
> Feds
> > announced expanding CB coverage to 40 channels and, all of a 
> sudden, 
> > those
> > 19 channel radios were worthless.  The grandchild didn't seem to 
> be 
> > hurting
> > for Trust fund money so I think the family was not destitute.  But 
> 
> > the
> > company never recovered.
> > 
> > Bill, WV2A
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: njarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> > [mailto:njarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of peter 
> markavage
> > Sent: Saturday, January 15, 2005 1:24 PM
> > To: njarc at mailman.qth.net
> > Subject: Re: [NJARC] LAFAYETTE Radio L1
> > 
> > 
> > Win a new Icom IC-756PROIII and help QSL/QTH.net
> > Details at: http://mailman.qth.net/index.html
> > _______________________________________________
> > Wholesale Radio >> Radio Wire Television Co. >> Lafayette Radio 
> > Wire
> > Television >> Lafayette Radio Corp >> Lafayette Radio Electronics 
> 
> > Corp.
> > I think I got them all. Early on, the name "Lafayette" was used as 
> 
> > the
> > "house" brand or tag brand for unnamed manufacturers similar to 
> > names
> > like Criterion, Guardian, etc. and Radio Shack's Realistic brand.
> > 
> > !00 6th Ave was the starting place; mail order, sales center, and
> > warehouse later developed in Jamaica, NY which in 1962 moved to 
> > Syosset,
> > NY. Had approx 128 stores at it's end and countless affiliate
> > stores(bought in the ability to sell Lafayette branded items).
> > 
> > Pete, wa2cwa
> > 
> > On Sat, 15 Jan 2005 10:59:43 -0500 (GMT-05:00) Nick Senker
> > <ns539 at earthlink.net> writes:
> > > Win a new Icom IC-756PROIII and help QSL/QTH.net
> > > Details at: http://mailman.qth.net/index.html
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > I would like to find out more about this radio in particular 
> and
> > > Lafayette Radio and Television Co in general.  Mod L1 to L4 is
> > > listed in Rider 5-9.  Lafayette Radio and Television Co is 
> listed 
> > on
> > > 6th Ave in New York City.  This is a early 1930's radio with an
> > > impressive chassis for it's time, with push pull output, a 
> signal
> > > strength meter, a noise supression circuit, and two speakers.  
> Is
> > > this a different company or a precursor of Lafayette Radio
> > > Electronics of Syosset, Long Island?  Riders only has a one 
> page
> > > schematic (5-9) or (3-1, Wholesale Radio Service)  Does anyone 
> > have
> > > more complete service information?  Nick Senker, NJARC