Just thought I'd share this with everyone, just to offer hope that there ARE still some TV repair shops still in one piece which opened 50-plus years ago.
This shop is in a Los Angeles suburb, and has been there in the same place with same owner-operator since 1946. Just a hole in the wall, and hasn't really been "open to the public" for regular business in 15 years. The proprietor comes in every day, sneaks in the back door and fools with stuff. And WOW does he have STUFF! Basically, nobody's been through the front door in 25 years, according to the others who know this man. TV sets and HiFi consoles began to build up in packrat fashion, and totally filled the store. As time went on, the tech would move his work space to a new place farther to the rear, usually atop a large console TV. By now, he has a back yard that is piled 15 feet high with junk, except for one corner where he works on stuff... Yes; outdoors with an extension cord.
I did shove my way into the main store in the mid 80s, and I saw LOTS of 40s B&W sets, PLENTY of CTC-5ish color sets, tubes, chrome amplifiers, and all the goodies. And out back is mainly 1970s & newer stuff.... Luckily all the good stuff is indoors. But the scary thing is that in the '94 earthquake, I think that there must have been BIGTIME damage in there, because of the way he had all that stuff piled precariously to the ceiling. The front windows were all smashed out in '94, and it was MONTHS before he got them replaced. Presumably due to no access
The man is in his 80s, and is obviously excentric. Don't get me wrong; he's cool but has to be treated "just right" or I think I could annoy him pretty easy. He owns the property where the TV shop is, and a row of other stores. As far as I know, he has no family. He is a bit tricky to deal with, but I try to keep a dialogue with him and I try to stop in at least every few months. And, I happen to pass by there at least every two days and will notice if any drastic changes come. Some day, all that stuff will be free to haul away, I have the feeling!
The photo is a satellite shot of the store, viewed from the rear. Note the main building, and all the stuff piled out back with a satellite dish mounted ontop of tarp-covered shelving. And see the phone pole at the corner of that back area, next to a van? Just below that is where all the round CRTs are laid out!
Charles