Went to an old TV shop tonight...
 

Tonight I had a few minutes to kill waiting for a friend to meet me for dinner. I had passed an old TV shop (complete with some 70s vintage consoles/table models in the window). It was open, and next door to the restaurant, so I decided to stroll inside.

Of course "customer" service has never been the hallmark of TV repairmen, so I wasn't surprised at the blank stares I received from the crew of 50-65 year old guys turning screws in the backs of flatscreens dumped around the shop like expensive black pizza boxes. When the lead tech, looking the oldest of the bunch finally looked up to ask "Whadda you need?" (Perhaps I would say "How about a cold beer and nachos? I'm here to watch the Superbowl on your flatscreens... What? This isn't a bar?)

I cautiously told him that I had an 1967 model Zenith TV, which worked, but I would like to have some of the old capacitors replaced for reliability... (Knowing I'LL never have the time.) I made sure to state it had a furniture-quality cabinet, and that was why I wanted it gone through... So as not to appear like some kind of nutcase who actually might enjoy an occasional Barney Miller episode on such an obsolete beast.

You would have thought I'd offered this guy terminal brain cancer! I mean the look of horror that came over his face was that shocking... He could barely speak. How dare I ask about getting a TV fixed at a shop which brags it has been in the same location since 1955, and has a sign that says "we fix them all, old and new". It wasn't like I propositioned his wife.

I even tried to get in a few "I don't expect you to get this done as a top priority" and "I understand you can't warranty anything this old". No dice. Someday I'd like to go back with a shoebox full of cash, just for laughs.

Oh well.

...An' they wonder why they don't have much business anymore..Sheesh..

That sounds familiar. Those guys were probably miserable, trying to make a living by chasing the "present market" for repairs. Quite a moving target these days, I'd rather be like Emmett on Andy Griffith and fix any damned thing that came in the door. Just a variac, meter and light bulbs for equipment testing.

If they were younger, they might have really thought you were joking, wanting to put any effort into a CRT set. I remember asking the owner of a Zenith Shop for a job in College about 1984. He was miserable too and said no. It wasn't the 70s anymore:sigh:

This seems to be the attitude of most TV shops, new and old. The newer ones don't know how to work on the old stuff and the old ones have the "I had to work on that junk when it was new and I'm not fooling with it now" attitude. They may advertise that they'll fix the old and the new; but, by "old" they probably mean something from the '90's. A while back, I fixed an '80's 19" Emerson for a guy who had taken it to a real shop, only to be told to throw that piece of junk in the creek and buy a new TV. Well, the guy didn't want a new TV and the only thing that shop did was lose a customer. Around here, most shops had stopped taking in tube TV's by the late '80's, early '90's at the very latest.

Here's a crummy cell phone shot of the "old and new" sign... Old sets below in the window...

In the Phila suburbs I did find a vintage shop via an article about them in the Phila Inq last fall. Went there and the shop and the owner were for real. He did do vintage stuff and the shop was full of sets...mostly radio...from the article. But leaning up on benches were all kinds of flat-screens that were the bread and butter of this shop.

I did not join the que but got a few VHS belts from him and was treated kindly.

There is hope.

About ten years ago, in the town next to my town in NJ, there was an old TV repair shop. But another business in the same building had some plumbing work done, the plumber using a blow torch on the pipes. Seems he got some of the building wood frame smoldering, and the place burned to the ground that night. The TV shop owner must have called it quits, as he didn't reopen.

The shop had a Zenith sign outside, and a few 80's sets in the window.

Wow that's terrible.

Maybe he sued the plumber and retired?

i have met many shop owners and techs through the years.most have no people skills.married to the machine.due to the "disposible society",many have become bitter and depressed.rarely do they ever smile or have anything positive to say.most dont live long lives,smokers and coffee drinkers with type A personalities.a few are gracious and accommodating.we had a couple here in columbus.tom dixon was a very fine man as was george seberig and bill brewer.the latter two were good to talk with but i wouldnt do any business with them!good stories though.tom was an all around fine gentleman.there were some others but these three were the most memorable

A good percentage of the TV repairmen I've met were, at first handshake, a grouchy bunch. But they all, every one of them, came around after talking for a while. Stuff wears you down after a while (true with most small businesses these days.)

Wow, they're still in business..I recall them from years ago and they were always advertizing antenna specials before cable came around.

Every day, & in every way, I'm SO glad I live only 75 miles away from Terry..Terry's the whole package-FORGOT more than I'll ever know about this stuff..Is a gracious host..LOVES to talk...You tell him "Bye" & 2 hours later, you're STILL tryin' to leave..You get to drool over his IMMACULATE 1935 Ford Woody wagon...

So what was his actual reply???

In the next town to ours there was a brilliant TV repair shop. The guy that had it was called Ian Craven and he was a genius. He was always friendly and would help you out the best way he could and I found him fascinating to talk to. His shop is now a barbers.

Good TV repair people are getting thin on the ground!

"Depart, I say; and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!"

:D