Re: [tlug] ... Rant about Akihabara

[Lyle H Saxon <llletters@example.com>]

On Fri, Jun 15, 2012 at 3:26 PM, Raymond Wan <rwan.kyoto@example.com> wrote:
> So, not sure if you remember, but was there a very big T-Zone in
> Akihabara in the 1990s?  In the same building that AKB48's theatre is
> in (among other things...)?  Is that correct?  I bought my first
> laptop there and that was the first time I had so much cash on
> me...scary for someone who wasn't raised in Japan.  :-D  Anyway, the
> building looks right but can't be too sure.

Yeah, in spite of my ranting about Akihabara, once I got going with
computers (a late start in 1995-96), I also bought my first new laptop
at that large T-Zone store (after going through a few used laptops).
In fact, in 1996, just about everything new I bought was from that
T-Zone.  That shop closed (as a T-Zone - I only entered the building
once after that and didn't like it, so I don't remember what it became
or what it is now), but they still had a two-floor shop in that other
location on that backstreet with a lot of used equipment shops.  And
now even that shop isn't T-Zone any more.  The last time I went in,
they had done away with the display of hard drives and now it's like
at Yodobashi Camera or any other store where there's just a chart and
you look up what you want on the chart.  Otto (the great used
equipment shop) closed (although they are still on-line - selling
overpriced used equipment the last time I checked).  That T-Zone shop
was the last place I regularly went to in Akihabara.  I haven't
completely given up on the area for computer parts, but it's starting
to feel like there isn't anything worth going there for.  There's even
a used equipment place in Shinjuku now (with overpriced stuff...).

Lyle