The Source: Let us be your source for what’s new and trending.
February 26, 2022
The Source is Canada’s largest tech retailer, with stores in every province across Canada and online.
Based in Barrie, Ontario, The Source is a Canadian retail chain offering a broad range of consumer electronics and cell phones. Going back almost 50 years, it was originally known as RadioShack and later as The Source by Circuit City. The Source is now owned by BCE Inc. (Bell Canada Enterprises), which purchased the assets of InterTAN from Circuit City, in 2009.
The chain was originally owned by Radio Shack’s American parent company Tandy Corporation. In June 1986, a licensing agreement with what became RadioShack Corporation allowed InterTAN to continue to use the chain’s name and logo. Between 1986 and 2002, InterTAN abandoned its stores in West Germany, Belgium, and France, and sold its stores in Britain and Australia. That left the company with just the Canadian Radio Shack, Battery Plus, and Rogers Plus stores.
In May 2004, InterTAN was acquired by Circuit City, and one week later, RadioShack Corporation filed a lawsuit that resulted in InterTAN being prohibited from using the brand name on its stores or in any of its products, packaging, and advertising after June 30, 2005.
In 2005, Circuit City announced that the stores would be renamed The Source by Circuit City. During the rebranding process, the chain introduced new house brands, including Nexxtech and Vital, in place of RadioShack store brands.
On July 1, 2009, Canadian telecommunications company, Bell Canada, acquired The Source for the price of $135 million and continued to operate it as an independent division. In January 2010, the stores stopped selling phones from Rogers and began selling only Bell-owned wireless, including Virgin Mobile, television, and internet services.
The Source continues to sell a full line-up of consumer electronics products.
Gloria Sauvé
Communications and Marketing