Surplus electronics shops

It is truly awesome : ) It is like the corner store concept, sell everything, but multiplied 50 times in size : )

I've never heard of Clas Ohlson before now (or at least it hasn't registered on my radar), just checked their site . . . . . . . . .

It's almost as if they were discussing what they should stock and someone suggested 'erm, everything?'

Weird range (but some good stuff in there), kinda B&Q meets Maplin, Halfords and IKEA for a drink and it goes from there!!

Maybe The Range should change their advertising tag line from "If we don't stock it, you don't need it"  to a more accurate "If we don't stock it, try Clas Ohlson"!

Whilst I understand that they aren't able to compete on an even footing with online sellers, and I only occasionally shop at Maplin (because I can get it cheaper elsewhere), it IS still sad to see someone like Maplin finally fold.

That said, silver lining and all . . . . waiting for the bargains to roll in!!

I won a voucher for Clas and had to travel to Ealing Broadway to redeam it. Got a DAB radio for the kitchen, some thermal socks and some storage boxes.

We had a big Clas Ohlson in Watford shabaz but it closed down about a year ago.  It was very handy to get your hands on all sorts of bits and bobs.

Also i see Maplin has gone into Administration today. While the store was "Handy" if you needed something _now_ some of the prices did keep me away.

Maybe keep an eye out for the reduced to clear sales!

I started to learn electronics from those old catalogues before following an academic+career route. They used to print schematics for some of the ICs prompting you to want to build it - remember this was the days before you could just Google how to wire something up/have instant access to schematics for every new and obsolete IC/forums and newsgroups providing help. The content in those catalogues was invaluable + also unreachable (for a teenager with little spare cash). The artwork was icing on the cake !

Also we have sad news today regarding Maplin collapses as rescue talks fail - BBC News

Rod

That's a shame : ( Getting really awkward finding stuff locally. There's a (small) chain in the UK called Clas Ohlson (huge in Sweden), that sells some electronics stuff, like Arduino bits and pieces, and tools. Worth visiting if there is one nearby, they kind of have something for everyone!

And just like that, Maplins (and toys R us in the UK) have gone into administration this morning.  At least Maplins is carrying on trading and attempting to be sold off as a going concern.

I wonder if it's be better a bit out of town like a screw fix or a tool station?

That could be a London thing. I think of our number as being in that format. There's 0208, 0207 and 0203 for London.

It's funny, it's been decades as you say, and yet the phone company still didn't succeed in making people understand the numbering format. That Orbit number ought to have been written as 020 8892... but is written as 0208 892..

The ads were great : )