After Amateur Electronic Supply (AES) closes its doors on
July 28, its online and phone customers will be served by former competitor Ham
Radio Outlet (HRO), which is also taking over the AES flagship store in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and planning to turn it into "the largest amateur
radio retail showroom in North America." According to an HRO news release,
the Danville, California-based chain of 14 amateur radio stores has also
provided employment offers to "a number of soon to be former AES employees."
AES announced July 1 that it would be shutting down its operations by the end of the month.
Once the four current AES stores close on July 28, HRO says
the <www.aesham.com> website will be redirected to HRO's <www.hamradio.com>
website and that callers to each AES store's phone numbers and toll-free number
will be redirected to the closest HRO location "so as not to disrupt
providing service to the AES customer base."
In addition, HRO says it will begin "an extensive
remodeling project" at the AES Milwaukee location right after it closes on
July 28, with plans to reopen by the end of August as the newest and largest
HRO store. HRO President Robert Ferrero says the goal is to turn the Milwaukee
store into "the largest, most well-stocked amateur radio retail store in
North America and perhaps even the world."
