Jaycar, formerly Jaycar Electronics, is an Australia-based retailer dealing in electronic components and related products for electronics enthusiasts. The company owns around 110 stores across Australia and New Zealand, and also sells its products online in the UK and US. It was founded in 1981 by Gary Johnston, who remained managing director until his death in 2021.
The company also has a wholesale arm, Electus Distribution.
History
Jaycar was founded when Gary Johnston, a former Dick Smith Electronics employee, purchased John Carr & Co. Pty Ltd. He became managing director of the company.[4]
In 2005, Jaycar received negative attention from its imported Taiwanese "Choke-A-Chicken" toy that squawked and flapped its wings when strangled around its neck,[5][6] described by the RSPCA Queensland as "grossly irresponsible".[7]
In October 2012, remarks made by Johnston on Sydney radio station 2GB, seen as providing justification for sexist behaviour by unidentified staff at the Canterbury-Bankstown NRL club (Bulldogs), of which Jaycar was a major sponsor at the time, caused controversy.[8][9] There were calls to boycott Jaycar stores.[10][11][12]
In October 2016, Freetronics owner Jonathan Oxer accused Jaycar of copying his business' open sourceArduino Experimenters kit in two videos posted to his YouTube channel.[13][14]
In September 2018 Johnston ended Jaycar's sponsorship of the Bulldogs, following questionable behaviour from players during Mad Monday celebrations.[15]
Johnston died on 10 March 2021, after being diagnosed with mesothelioma two weeks earlier.[3][16]
Description
As of 2011[update], Jaycar has over 110 stores across Australian and New Zealand, and more than 170 authorised stockists and agents that carry Jaycar products.[2] The group also owns a number of Road Tech Marine stores.[16]
Electus Distribution is Jaycar's wholesale arm, which operates as a separate company and provides products to independent and other retailers as well as and original equipment manufacturers in Australia and New Zealand.[17]
Community involvement
Jaycar became a major sponsor of NRL club Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in 2009,[18] but questionable behaviour from players led Johnston to end the partnership in September 2018.[15] Jaycar sponsors Warby Motorsport and a number of local sports teams.[citation needed] Jaycar has sponsored the Western Suburbs Magpies rugby league team, based in western Sydney, since 2019. Johnston had been a "lifelong supporter".[3]
^Dr Darryl Hodgkinson (6 June 2017). Thank you Jaycar Electronics - Operation Restore Hope (Video). Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2021. Thank you to Jaycar Electronics for their on going support over all the years.
^Team Exodus (2019). "New food van means even more meals". The Exodus Foundation. Retrieved 12 March 2021. The new food van was generously funded by Gary Johnson, founder of Jaycar Electronics.
