Admiral sign - TV shop open
 

Here is a shop in York PA that is still in business. I like to pop in every once n'while and buy odd tubes, antennas, etc. The father and son are not very talkative and prefer not to reminisce but did say Admiral treated their dealers like family.

Admiral sets are not visible but tubes remain for sale along with Antennacraft antennas and full installations. Kay-Townes antennas and American towers still up in this area were installed by these guys.

Much of the stuff of interest seems gone and they don't like you wandering too far back into the shop.....gotta respect that. :sigh:They promised to call me if there is ever an estate sale.
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Neat place.

If one looks around there are still some out there. A few towns over from me there is an old shop like that still in business. The fellow that runs it says that some local hotels do a good job of keeping him in business.

Great time capsule! Someday they'll all be gone. I'm glad you've taken the time to stop by there and chat; too many folks drive right by. At the place I helped clean out over the last couple years, the owners started out pretty quiet and stand-offish but they are now good friends. I was able to save a ton (probably several tons!) of good stuff from the landfill.

This family had a good plan that is key to staying in business;

1. Sell antenna installations - this area has about 7 local stations, upgrades get you Baltimore and even Philly, if you're on top of the gently rolling terrain. Cable TV coverage was never very complete due to large rural patches in the county.
2. Sell tubes (odd brands also) and parts at wholesale cost to DIY. There are still three tube testers in the shop. Lots of thrifty Germans here, not afraid of a small challenge. There were no big supply houses in York, like in other nearby small cities.
3. Sell TV brands not common here but whose performance spoke for itself.