From Main Line Today May 2006: |
Times are tough for the old-fashioned TV repairman. The dominance of forced obsolescence in today's televisions means that the cost of a repairing one that's broken might very well exceed the price of a new one. But there are still stalwarts like Steve Plasmeier of Conard TV Service (Newton Square, 610-356-4066 or 610-449-5447) out there going strong. Conard's history goes back to just after World War II, when it was primarily a radio repair business. When Plasmeier's father, Gerald, took it over from the original owner, he began taking on TV work. Steve has been in the business for 20 years and has thrived by providing customers with at-home service and straight talk-especially when repairing a TV doesn't make economic sense. Because of modern modular design, repair is often a matter of replacing one malfunctioning component. Charges for service calls run between S30 and $40, depending on the item and a customer's location. As an electronics enthusiast and consumer himself, Plasmeier enjoys the high-tech part of his job. But he also knows high-tech eludes many. "Sometimes they just need their hand held," he says. "It may be something simple-they pushed the wrong button or something."