Lost Liverpool shop that sold Pinball Wizards and remote control buggies

It was a big name on UK high streets Tandy electrical store in Liverpool. July 13, 1984 Tandy electrical store welcomed thousands through its doors(Image: Mirrorpix)

It’s now been decades since generations of Scousers headed to one well known shop to buy everything from their first computer to Pinball Wizards and remote control buggies. Back in the 70s, 80s and 90s, many will remember there being a Tandy store on numerous high streets across the UK.

Selling an array of electronics products and components, Tandy had a handful of branches across our region, including sites on Lord Street and in St John’s Precinct in Liverpool city centre. A one-stop shop for electronics enthusiasts and gadget lovers, shoppers could get their hands on everything from computers to radios, computer games, kids electronic games, calculators and more.

So many Scousers will remember buying their first computer there, or may even still own a Tandy branded electronic item. According to the Home Computer Museum, based in Helmond, Netherlands, Tandy was “one of the most important players in the early days of the home computer” and was founded in 1919.

The US company, later known as Tandy Corporation, was originally a leather company. But in the 60s, it bought company Radio Shack and saw the brand change, before going on to open Radio Shack stores under the name of Tandy in Europe and Australia in the 1970s.

One photo, recently unearthed by our archive, Mirrorpix, shows outside the former Tandy site on Lord Street in Liverpool city centre. Unseen for years, the photos shows the bold Tandy Plus Computer Centre, with “summer saver” items and their prices on display in the shop window.

Tandy electrical store in Liverpool city centre. July 13, 1984(Image: Mirrorpix)

If you look closely to the right, you will also see a sandwich board near the entrance promoting a HI-FI and electronics sale with credit available. In the reflection of the shop window, you can see the businesses that were found opposite at the time, including Liptons and K Shoe Shop.

This photo is bound to stir some memories for anyone who remembers visiting a Tandy branch. The image was taken in 1984 for a Liverpool ECHO article regarding the company’s new computer courses.

On July 13 that year, the ECHO reported: “Tandy Corporation looks to be doing the right thing with a series of four one-week computer courses to be held next month at its 23 training centres across the country. Baffled adults, however, will have to stay baffled for a while longer, as Tandy is aiming squarely for the juvenile market.

“The five half day sessions will cover the history of computers, the use of word processors by writing letters to relatives and friends and the concepts of an electronic spreadsheet, showing how to budget pocket money. There will also be an introduction to the BASIC computer language and the whole package, which includes all workbooks, stationery and a free t-shirt costs just £15.95.”

At the time Tandy had training centres across the north west in Liverpool, St Helens and Manchester. Many will remember heading to Tandy to buy the latest electronics, or also to buy their first radios or computers.

An advertisement, printed in the Liverpool ECHO ahead of Christmas 1990, shows just a number of Tandy electronics on offer at the time and their prices. With a sale ending on Christmas Eve, December 24, Liverpool shoppers could get their hands on everything from a Tandy 12 Arcade Game for £12.95 to a Pinball Wizard for £19.95 and a Radio Controlled Dinosaur for £19.95.

An advertisement in the Liverpool ECHO for Tandy on December 13, 1990(Image: BRITISH NEWSPAPER ARCHIVE/LIVERPOOL ECHO)

Tandy also offered deals on a number of remote-controlled buggies and racers, as well as an Atari Discovery Pack Plus for £399.99. In 1990, Tandy had Merseyside branches in Lord Street, Allerton Road, Old Swan, St John’s Precinct, as well as Wallasey, Birkenhead, Prenton, Bootle, Huyton, Kirkby, Southport and St Helens.

But after decades in Liverpool and beyond, Tandy’s life on the UK high streets began to change before the turn of the millennium. On January 26, 199, PA reported how Carphone Warehouse had bought out the Tandy chain of electrical stores.

At the time, PA said: “The value of the deal was not revealed, but will give Carphone Warehouse 270 Tandy stores around the UK and create a merged group with sales of more than £350m a year. The 1,500 staff employed by Walsall-based Tandy will be retained, Carphone Warehouse said.”

The article continues: “In the first ten years of its business, Carphone Warehouse has taken a 12% share of the retail market for mobile phones. Tandy has seen its mobile phone business boom over the last year and handsets now account for 35% of its business and the chain has a 4% share of the mobile phone retail market.” At the time, Charles Dunstone, founder and managing director of Carphone Warehouse, said his company needed to extend its presence across the UK and Tandy was the best route for its ambitions.

He previously said: “Tandy is a good business with an excellent infrastructure and a great deal of untapped potential. Following a major rationalisation programme, the stores have been gaining market share steadily for the last 16 months and have just enjoyed a very successful Christmas with like-for-like sales up 17% on last year.”

The Tandy name was discontinued in May 2000 and later became RadioShack Corporation. By the following year, almost all former Tandy stores are said to have been been converted or closed.

It’s now been 25 years since many of us said goodbye to Tandy in Liverpool and elsewhere. But many will still remember the days heading to their local Tandy branch and how different technology use to be when they operated.

Lost Liverpool shop that sold Pinball Wizards and remote control buggies

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