InterTAN
Corporate brand
UnclaimedInterTAN was a Canadian-centered consumer electronics retail company created by Tandy Corporation to manage its international RadioShack and Tandy store operations.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
InterTAN was an international consumer electronics retail company established by Tandy Corporation in 1986. Its name was derived from “International Tandy,” reflecting its original role as the corporate vehicle for Tandy’s retail operations outside the United States. The company was organized with Canadian and Australian subsidiaries and initially oversaw a large store network spanning Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and West Germany. At formation, InterTAN was a substantial retail operation, with hundreds of stores and estimated annual sales of approximately US$400 million according to historical company information summarized in the company’s Wikipedia article. InterTAN Canada Ltd. was responsible for Canadian operations and also initially administered stores in Europe, while InterTAN Australia Ltd. managed the Australian business. Its stores generally traded under RadioShack or Tandy names, depending on the market. The company sold consumer electronics, batteries, personal computers, accessories and related technology products, and sometimes carried products that differed from those offered by the U.S. RadioShack chain. InterTAN’s international footprint contracted considerably during the late 1980s and 1990s. It closed unprofitable outlets in several countries, including West Germany. Its French operations entered bankruptcy proceedings in 1993, and the French and Belgian stores and distribution facilities were subsequently shut down. In the United Kingdom, the company reduced the Tandy store base before selling the remaining British stores to Carphone Warehouse in 1999. Its Australian subsidiary, trading as Tandy Electronics, was sold to Woolworths in 2001 for A$112.6 million and included 222 stores. These disposals left the Canadian consumer electronics business as InterTAN’s principal operating asset. In Canada, InterTAN operated RadioShack stores under a trademark and licensing relationship with RadioShack Corporation. The Canadian assortment included Tandy-branded products as well as non-RadioShack merchandise. A 1989 decision to discontinue the Tandy Colour Computer in Canada illustrated the company’s ability to tailor its range locally, although the move generated a limited consumer backlash. InterTAN also expanded beyond its core electronics stores through arrangements with Rogers Communications, which used the Rogers Plus banner, and through businesses such as Battery Plus, UpClose, G-Wiz and THS Studio. The company’s ownership changed materially in 2004, when Circuit City Stores, Inc. acquired InterTAN and made it a wholly owned subsidiary. The acquisition triggered a dispute with RadioShack Corporation over the Canadian trademark and licensing arrangement. InterTAN and RadioShack reached a temporary agreement under which the Canadian stores stopped using the RadioShack name on July 1, 2005, and most locations were rebranded as The Source. The dispute was settled in 2006, although the settlement terms were not publicly disclosed. From 2006 into 2007, InterTAN concentrated its resources on The Source by Circuit City. It closed or converted most of its secondary-format stores, including UpClose and G-Wiz locations, all but one THS Studio location and nearly all Battery Plus stores. Further closures in early 2007 eliminated roughly 100 Canadian jobs. Circuit City explored selling InterTAN in 2007, retaining Goldman Sachs for that purpose, but the company remained tied to its Canadian retail operations. InterTAN sought protection under Canada’s Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act at the same time that Circuit City entered financial distress in late 2008. Circuit City announced liquidation proceedings in January 2009, but the Canadian business was not directly included in the initial U.S. liquidation process. Bell Canada Enterprises later agreed to purchase the bulk of InterTAN’s operating assets, principally The Source, as a going concern. InterTAN itself was not part of that asset sale and subsequently became defunct as a corporate entity.
History
InterTAN emerged from Tandy Corporation’s decision to separate its international retail operations from the U.S. business. InterTAN Inc. became a separate entity on June 20, 1986, with InterTAN Canada Ltd. and InterTAN Australia Ltd. as principal subsidiaries. The Canadian subsidiary was responsible for 873 Canadian stores and initially administered 894 European stores, while the Australian subsidiary oversaw approximately 350 Australian outlets. The business used the Tandy and RadioShack identities according to local market arrangements. The company soon began rationalizing its network. By 1988 it had closed unprofitable stores in several countries, including West Germany. Its French operations were bankrupt by the end of 1993, and the French stores, Belgian stores and Belgian distribution centre were closed. In the United Kingdom, InterTAN reduced the Tandy network and sold its remaining British stores to Carphone Warehouse in 1999. Australia followed in April 2001, when Woolworths acquired InterTAN Australia Limited, trading as Tandy Electronics, for A$112.6 million. The sale included 222 stores and left Canada as InterTAN’s main continuing business. The Canadian company operated RadioShack stores under a licensing relationship with the U.S. RadioShack Corporation. Its assortment was not identical to that of the U.S. chain: InterTAN sometimes sourced products independently and made local merchandising decisions. In 1989, for example, it dropped the Tandy Colour Computer from its Canadian range, a decision that attracted a limited consumer reaction. InterTAN also broadened its retail presence through Battery Plus assets acquired in 2002, the operation of Rogers Plus stores for Rogers Communications, and specialty formats including UpClose, G-Wiz and THS Studio. Circuit City acquired InterTAN in 2004. The change of ownership led to a legal conflict with RadioShack Corporation, which sought to terminate InterTAN’s Canadian use of the RadioShack name. Although a Texas ruling supported RadioShack’s position, InterTAN argued in Canada that the ownership transaction did not eliminate its right to operate under the existing arrangement. A temporary agreement took effect in 2005: InterTAN ceased using RadioShack branding from July 1 and converted its Canadian corporate stores and most dealer locations to The Source. The broader dispute was resolved in late 2006 without public disclosure of the settlement terms. InterTAN then pursued a narrower operating strategy. During 2006 and early 2007 it converted or closed nearly all UpClose and G-Wiz stores, all but one THS Studio location and all but one Battery Plus outlet. It continued closing underperforming locations through February 2007, resulting in roughly 100 job losses across retail, management and service roles. Circuit City explored selling the company in 2007 and retained Goldman Sachs for that purpose, but no separate sale of the corporate entity was completed at that stage. The financial problems of Circuit City and the wider consumer electronics retail sector affected InterTAN in late 2008. InterTAN sought protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act alongside its U.S. parent. Circuit City announced liquidation proceedings in January 2009, although the Canadian division was not directly included in the initial U.S. liquidation process. Bell Canada Enterprises subsequently agreed to buy the principal operating assets, especially The Source, as a going concern. Because InterTAN itself was not included in that sale and acted as the seller, the corporate entity is regarded as defunct.
- 2009
The Source assets sold to Bell Canada
[1]Bell Canada Enterprises agreed to acquire the principal operating assets of InterTAN, chiefly The Source.
- 2008
Creditor protection filing
[1]InterTAN sought protection under Canada’s Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act during Circuit City’s financial crisis.
- 2007
Secondary retail formats consolidated
[1]InterTAN closed or converted most UpClose, G-Wiz, THS Studio and Battery Plus locations and concentrated on The Source.
- 2006
RadioShack dispute settled
[1]InterTAN and RadioShack resolved their Canadian branding dispute; settlement details were not made public.
- 2005
Canadian stores begin conversion to The Source
[1]InterTAN stopped using the RadioShack name in Canada and adopted The Source branding under a temporary settlement.
- 2004
Circuit City acquisition
[1]Circuit City Stores, Inc. acquired InterTAN and made it a wholly owned subsidiary.
- 2002
Battery Plus assets acquired
[1]InterTAN acquired selected Battery Plus assets and locations and integrated them into its retail operations.
- 2001
Australian subsidiary sold to Woolworths
[1]Woolworths acquired InterTAN Australia, trading as Tandy Electronics, for A$112.6 million.
- 1999
British Tandy stores sold
[1]Carphone Warehouse acquired InterTAN’s remaining British stores after earlier network reductions.
- 1993
French and Belgian operations shut down
[1]The French business entered bankruptcy, followed by closure of French and Belgian stores and the Belgian distribution centre.
Products and positioning
A mass-market consumer electronics retailer and international operating company built around Tandy and RadioShack retail formats, later focused primarily on the Canadian The Source chain.
Consumer electronics retail
RadioShack
InterTAN operated Canadian stores under the RadioShack banner until June 30, 2005. The stores sold consumer electronics, batteries, computers, accessories and related technology products. Canadian merchandise was not always identical to the U.S. RadioShack assortment, because InterTAN made local purchasing and product-range decisions.
Consumer electronics retail · 2005
The Source by Circuit City
The Source became the principal Canadian retail banner after InterTAN ended its use of the RadioShack name. The format represented the company’s effort to consolidate its Canadian operations around a single consumer electronics chain and was later sold to Bell Canada Enterprises as a going concern.
Consumer electronics retail
Tandy Electronics
Tandy Electronics was the trading name of InterTAN Australia Limited. It operated a substantial Australian store network before the subsidiary was sold to Woolworths in 2001.
Battery retail · 2002
Battery Plus
InterTAN acquired selected Battery Plus assets and locations in 2002. The format became part of the company’s Canadian retail portfolio, although most Battery Plus locations were subsequently closed during the 2006–2007 consolidation.
Telecommunications retail
Rogers Plus
InterTAN operated Rogers Plus stores on behalf of Rogers Communications, providing day-to-day retail management and using its retail systems and operating expertise. Rogers later assumed direct management of the chain.
Brand decisions
2009
Sale of core operating assets to Bell CanadaM&ABackground
InterTAN entered creditor protection amid the financial collapse of its parent, Circuit City.
Action taken
Bell Canada Enterprises agreed to purchase the bulk of InterTAN’s assets, principally The Source.
Aftermath
InterTAN itself was not included in the transaction and is regarded as defunct after the asset sale.
2007
Consolidation around The SourceStrategyBackground
InterTAN was reducing its Canadian store portfolio and concentrating on its principal consumer electronics business.
Action taken
The company closed or converted most UpClose and G-Wiz stores, all but one THS Studio location and all but one Battery Plus location.
Aftermath
Further closures through February 2007 resulted in approximately 100 Canadian job losses and left The Source as the central operating focus.
2005
Conversion from RadioShack to The SourceStrategyBackground
Circuit City’s acquisition of InterTAN led RadioShack Corporation to challenge InterTAN’s continued use of RadioShack trademarks in Canada.
Action taken
Under a temporary arrangement, InterTAN ended RadioShack branding in Canada and converted corporate stores and most dealer locations to The Source.
Aftermath
The parties settled the broader dispute in 2006, with the terms kept confidential. The Source became InterTAN’s core Canadian retail banner.
1989
Discontinuation of the Tandy Colour Computer in CanadaStrategyBackground
InterTAN adjusted its Canadian product assortment independently of the broader U.S. RadioShack range.
Action taken
The company dropped the Tandy Colour Computer from its Canadian offerings.
Aftermath
The decision prompted a limited consumer backlash, while InterTAN continued to tailor some products and merchandise to the Canadian market.
Sources1 sources
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