[R-390] Edlie Electronics (was Incomplete IF module)

[Barry Hauser]

Hi Bruce & gang

Funny you should mention Edlie's -- you force me to reminisce ... 
involutarily .. and also provide an update.

The owner, Ed, inherited the business from his father.  not sure how long it 
was located on Courtland Street (part of Radio Row downtown).  It was there 
until the early 70's when the whole area was razed to make way for the World 
Trade Center.  Ed then moved to Levittown LI, NY where he bought a one-block 
section of a strip mall on Hempstead Tpke.  Rented out the stores but had 
one for Edlie Electronics and nearly the entire basement for surplus 
inventory.

I moonlighted there on and off on several "tours" in the 70's and early 
80's.  While I was there primarily at first to help computerize his mailing 
lists (converting to a Data General Novus from Address-o-Graph plates), I 
often pitched in behind the counter.  I recall the last days of domestic 
tube manufacturing.  One by one the major brands dropped out.  Every week we 
would get a new price list with higher prices.  Finally, only 
"International" was left.  I digress.

When I was there, both working or visiting to pick up something, Ed mostly 
had new merchandise and commercial surplus -- not much if any mil surplus at 
the time.  In the old days, he used to run ads in Radio Electronics, etc. 
listing lots of tested and untested tubes.  I don't think he had any tubes 
at all last time I saw him -- about 10 months ago.  The store was in 
operation until about two years ago and then he finally rented it out.  He 
moved the main operation to his home nearby, but still has the bulkier 
surplus stuff in the basement of the strip mall which, last time I checked, 
he still owns.  He continues to publish and mail a catalog and has a web 
site  http://www.edlieelectronics.com/

An interesting tid-bit:  His son Larry used to work there until.  He is 
married to Jerry Seinfeld's sister.  Jerry's father owned a sign-making 
business and built the "Edlie Electronics" sign that was on the storefront 
in Levittown for 30 years.  Some time after Seinfeld hit it big, he hired 
his sister, Larry's wife, as his business manager and Larry left the 
electronics biz.

Another tidbit -- I got my brother-in-law, Tom, a job there.  Later on, he 
started his own business with a partner -- electronics parts brokering --  
mostly chips.

I'll have to give Ed a call, see if all is well.

Barry

> Greeting all:
>
> I have no knowledge about military surplus stuff but in the 50's, 60's &
> 70's you could walk into places like Edlie Electronics in NYC (Radio Row
> before WTC) and  Midwest on S. Archer in Chicago as examples and buy all
> kinds of radio/tv parts, sub assy. etc. for pennies on the dollar. So I
> guess I'm not surprise about the 390 stuff.
>
> Bruce Hagen
>