Ex Laskys manager reminiscing

Hi everyone. Larry here from Romford, Dartford and Chatham Laskys! Anyone know me?

 

Hello Larry

When were you there ?
Have you seen my 1973 Lasky's catalogue ?
http://stereo2go.com/forums/threads/1973-laskys-audio-catalogue.5997/

My first Tape Recorder came from Lasky's in Bristol in 1976.
I could tell a couple of funny stories about that Lasky's although if you worked for them I'm sure you have hundreds.
Two years ago I had a really interesting chat with a man who used to be manager of a Tandy (Radio Shack) store.

 

Yes I worked for them first in 1975 as a salesman at Romford, and worked my way up. Not long out of the army.

 

It was that thread that made me surrender!

 

It took me a long time to find that catalogue. I would have preferred a newer one but that was the first one I came across on eBay.
It is strange that shops with such memories have so little physical evidence left.

In Bristol Lasky's were next to my favourite clothes shop C&A and opposite model shop Beatties so if I was in town I would visit all three. None of those shops exist in the U.K. these days. I recall that in that branch they always had the lighting in the HiFi section dim so you could appreciate all the dial lights etc on the equipment.
In the 1980s I liked the futuristic look of a lot of Akai equipment. I eventually got myself an Akai F3L but have to admit I got it from Richer Sounds, back when they only had two branches and sold mainly customer returns.

Lets hear some memories from you. I don't really recall when Lasky's disappeared. I moved house in 1989 and I there wasn't a branch near here.
There was a thread all about old retailers on the old forum.
http://www.stereo2go.com/topic/index.php?content_oid=494451095096640630&board_oid=193392314111653340
I don't think you can reply to that but it is interesting reading.

Nowadays people spend £hundreds on a mobile phone, £50 on a Bluetooth Speaker then think that is all they need.

 

Hahaha! They were glory days for me. I remember all those shops, as you say, alas gone. Laskys was the the first REAL, hifi shop I had worked in since being a civvy again. Prior to that, Rumbelows and Trident, selling white goods, yawn. And soppy low fi! Everyone of the staff at Laskys was a buff, a geek nowadays, read Practical Electronics cover to cover ! But they were great guys. Beware though, if you came in being a know all and quoting specs, ie. 01% harmonic distortion spoils his listening pleasure, or he wanted a Nakamichi with FERRET HEADS. piss take wasn't the word. We existed on Monty Python scenarios, we languished in a demo room packed with Altec Lancing, Boss, TEAC, and REVOX. Such days!

 

I lived in Kentucky during the 80s, working at Fort Knox. There were some great malls there, in Louisville, with some fantastic Stereo demo departments, Autozone was one such store,I recall. I had an 87 Pontiac Firebird at the time, and had it fitted with a Bose 10 cd changer in the trunk, wired remote, kicking out Tom petty like a 18 year old! (I was 44!)

 

Hello and welcome to the site!

I used to love Laskys back in the day, closest to me was the Crawley store, I'd spend ages in there looking at the hi-fi equipment until I was dragged out by my parents. Then it was straight round to Tescos to look at the Star Wars toys. Good memories!

 

Thank you. Our own guys would do our displays, using a photo from head office, Tottenham Ct Rd in those days. We loved our job and we liked to think it showed. Unlike today's limp staff

 

Agree on that one! They have taken a lot of fun out of hi-fi.

 

I've still got his greatest hits in my car, CD and USB, on a Pioneer car stereo cd. Last dance with Mary Jane is my fave, at the time, I was dating a girl from southside Indianapolis , and I changed the words to ' she grew up in an Indiana Town...'

 

Car CD changer in 1980s?

 

Yup. Late 80 mind

 

I stand corrected. I fitted the autochanger in 94 when I returned with the car to the UK. Before that it had a cassette player.

 

I have posted this before but I guess Larry will find it interesting.


I think the biggest problem was falling prices. i have commented before how the people I bought my first house from in 1986 had a £600 Panasonic HiFi VCR in their £24000 house. i don't remember what HiFi they had but I expect it was equally nice. It would be six years and a 50% price drop before I could justify the cost of a HiFi VCR. I would imagine half the price means half the profit for the retailer.

A few years ago I picked up what is a better specified SVHS Panasonic HiFi VCR for £12 in a Charity shop, while in contrast the £24000 house recently sold for £217000. No wonder there are still plenty of Estate Agents.

 

Yes agree. In the 80s in the US, Ky, we had Circuit City in Louisville, which was huge. In UK whilst with Laskys. I witnessed a lot of infighting with senior management and what we termed " keeping up with the pipe smokers". These junior directors wreaked havoc. But more later regarding this for legal reasons. Suffice to say, that Eagle Electronics, which was a product of Gerry Adler, the MD, did well as an own brand under the Audiotronic group, with some excellent amplifiers and cassette decks, speakers etc, with superb specifications and a visually nice presentation Jap style. However, the distribution lacked directio, and warehouses at the Hyde, North London, although well stocked, lacked a viable stock transfer system for customers
Special orders, being non computerised.

 

I love the channel and the music David is getting from Anders Enger Jensen!