The news that there were numerous bidders for the remnants of Radio Shack includes the fact of a joint Sprint/Radio Shack deal that came to the press in February. The bid aims to keep a half-skeleton of the stores alive, and use them as a place to promote Sprint wireless.MORE HERE
As the U.S. retires the last C-141 StarLifter, Lockheed-Martin issued a press release, the sure sign of a company that values its history, as it is currently making the C-130J modernizing the C-5 Galaxy. The aircraft, used from Vietnam to Iraq as a transport, debuted in 1967; the retired HanoiMORE HERE
LONDON – How about a rerun or a revival for Digital.com? A firm in the U.K. entitled Quality Nonsense purchased the digital.com domain and hopes to redevelop it. Or not. As they say in their website: We bought the domain to develop, rather than to speculate, and have declined several substantial offers.MORE HERE
NEW YORK – In an ever saturated market, with companies jostling to differentiate, the appeal to associate brand with ‘heritage’ continues to increase. Virtues of timeless legacy, quality & tradition become lighthouses of authenticity in ever volatile, albeit, undifferentiated waters. That said, when companies artificially manufacture such authenticity, do consumersMORE HERE
CANAJOHARIE, N.Y. – Classic kitchen staples that have not changed over the years are getting rarer and rarer. One of those mostly unchanged brands is Gravy Master, made by Richardson Brands. Richardson makes other classic niche brands, including Beechies, Dryden & Palmer Rock Candy and Richardson Mints, those tiny mint-candyMORE HERE
NASHVILLE – RCA’s Studio A, an important legacy in American country music history, is under the threat of demolition for a condo project. However, the music industry (and the National Trust) is taking note, hoping this great artifact can be saved, and in turn becoming a keystone in the musicMORE HERE
WATERFORD, IRELAND – When I converse with anyone about an old, deceased brand, the conversation often comes to the point where we wonder about the brand’s value, especially if I am the only person who knows of the brand name. I came across a perfect situation while reviewing a MarchMORE HERE
MARINA DEL REY – There are thousands of family businesses in the U.S. that were once considerable enterprises, so it is refreshing to see some of them come back, even if they are but modest start-ups. To wit, Cohen & Sons Apparel. I don’t know much about the original, butMORE HERE
LOS ANGELES – For fans of cars and Formula One, the Ron Howard film Rush is a feast. The film details the epic rivalry between the 1976 Formula One racers James Hunt of the U.K. and Austrian Niki Lauda. Released last fall, it is just out on DVD. Sports withMORE HERE
PETERSBURG, Va. – For those who love writing instruments, the restoration of the identity of a pen company is welcome. In Petersburg, Virginia, right on the main drag, the Remmie Arnold pen sign has been a key landmark in that historic Virginia city. I have a personal interest in it,MORE HERE