Tandy Leather..!

[PoodlesAgain]

I claimed a CL posting about a leather toolset, thinking it would help me with a number of my old cameras cases in need of mending.

The item is actually a Tandy Leather set with leather, tools, templates, magazines/catalogs of the era, 1960s, stuff to make wallets, belt buckles, dog collars.
So, the Tandy corporation started out as this leather kit mail-order and retail, 150+ stores in the U.S. at one time. And it went on to buy Radio Schack!

So, no, the tools aren't what I need, but it is a piece of Americana. The calalogs are pure 1960s in look, quite charming.

Do any of you have any recollection of Tandy Leather's presence.

By the way, I did work for Computer City, a division of Tandy, when my 1990s freelance was not taking off, so I got to meet some Tandy management. Colorful. Some old Tandy dude could not get over the name of Apple's Cyberdog (early internet app suite). Fun times.

[tonebender]

I used to frequent their store in the Tampa area for leather all the time. I made knife cases, straps and such. I think they still have a store somewhere down near Brandon. I was scheming on something a couple of months back and looked to see if there was still as store around. I can't remember what it was now.

[BatUtilityBelt]

Huh. I had heard of Tandy Leather, but didn't know they were the same Tandy Corp as Radio Shack. But I do have a fun memory for the latter. I was a System Manager in the early 80's and we needed to make a few of our own peripherals. Having trouble sourcing parts, I went to the local Radio Shack and asked what they had for making our own RS232 cables. The guy says with all confidence "You came to the right place, because Radio Shack invented them!" Really? I asked in disbelief. "Oh yeah" the guy says: "That's why they're RS... 232. RS for Radio Shack". I laughed and never went back there.

[toomanycats]

[andrewsrea]

I knew about Tandy as a conglomerate company, but didn't know their connection with leather. That is cool!

As you can imagine, i was a big Radio Shack whore. Having a huge side business of repairs in the 90's and 2000's, the local manager knew my kids by name, I was there so often.

[PoodlesAgain]

Wikipedia has the blow-by-blow of the evolution of the company. If they had stayed on, and expanded a bit, they could now be an equivalent to Michael's.
Well, it is known that companies do not last long, typically.

[nomadh]

I knew Tandy name and RadioShack were connected. I think I recall something about tandy and leather but don't recall knowing they were the same Tandy.
I remember the rs newspaper flyer and the chatty intro column. And for some reason we had that guys book on marketing. "How to catch a mouse? Make a noise like cheese "