[XCSSA] ATEX going out of business, electronics kits

[xcssa@xcssa.org]

On Jul 11, 2006, at 9:51 PM, xcssa-admin@xcssa.org wrote:

> Tweeks,
>
> A long. Long, long time ago (1981-82 +/-), way before I met you, I  
> stumbled on this tiny treasure trove of electronic wonder, ALTEX
> Electronics. It was a 15x40 foot space in the larger building at  
> the corner of Sunset Road & Jones Maltsberger. There I met Jeff
> (owners son) Roger (Jeff's boyhood friend), and Jack (Jeff's little  
> brother or cousin) and started a 25 year friendship with these
> guys. They didn't know boo about what they had or what they were  
> doing, but Jeff's dad had the inside connection to the bulk
> electronics / surplus market and they had stuff piled high;  
> everywhere.

I've known about them since they were on the "front" side of that  
strip mall.  (I seem to recall hearing that was their second  
location, the first being on the other side of the strip mall.)  And  
what made them so cool was all the surplus stuff.

> They soon outgrew that space and relocated to their long time home  
> on Gulfdale where they grew to be the dominant Electronics spot
> in San Antonio, putting a big dent in long time solo act Sherman  
> Electronics on San Pedro, and becoming the leader in the emerging
> market of personal computer (PC) parts for those folks brave enough  
> to "build" their own PC/XT "clone" complete with a 20MB hard
> drive, Hercules video card, and a huge 12" amber monochrome  
> monitor. They kept growing and where "the" spot for electronics,
> computer parts, and supplies (magnetic media in particular).

I'm sure it didn't hurt them to be two doors down from a ham store,  
either.

> Over they years the family grew to include Wayne (still there  
> today), Rheinert (the eccentric semi-conductor wizard from germany),
> Mike (Gonzales?, from the old TV repair shop on Commerce who was  
> always helpful with a schematic or a quick design for a deer
> feeder), Mike ? (from Mexico, great for international sales), Mario  
> (Mimi), and too many others to recall.

I had a, um, nice lecture from Rheinert about DIN connectors one  
time.  "You know zat stands for Deutsch Industrie Norm, zat means zat  
it comes from Germany..."

> Well, you know the rest. Wayne and Rheinert and others soldiered  
> on, outlasting San Antonio electronics legends Sherman Electronics
> who had moved in just a block away and Electrotex (Hildebrand &  
> IH-10). It was clear for years that business could be better, then
> they down-sized and moved to Broadway. It's sad to see them go. It  
> was a great ride, with a great bunch of folks, and I'll miss them
> all.

I'm surprised they lasted as long as they did.  The few times I got  
to go after moving to Austin (which were rare, since they were only  
open weekdays 8-5), they were never very busy.

> For components anymore, I rely on my Mouser catalog sitting on my  
> bench. If I need anything I just call, order, and they deliver in
> short order. Don't know if you're aware of it or not but Mouser won  
> my undying loyalty the first time I placed an order. I called
> them, placed an order for some stuff ($100 or so) and they just  
> shipped (WITHOUT PAYMENT) and billed me later. Yeah, old school;
> didn't know me from Adam, sent me stuff, then sent me a bill. In  
> the mail! Like it was 1954 all over again. For that alone I buy
> almost everything from them.

I just happen to prefer being able to buy things in person,  
especially when I might see some kind of useful surplus junk.  And  
not having to pay shipping and wait a week for stuff to arrive.

> Matt (not Firestorm; he's too young to remember all this crap) Grooms

  - Bruce -