This is part of the issue that America will face going forward. To re-industrialize, we will need to re-create the entire manufacturing ecosystem.
Used to be that one could drop by any reasonably stocked hardware store and get some brushes to rebuild that noisy electric motor.
Can’t happen today.
Don’t even ask someone under thirty what are brushes doing in a motor. You’ll just get zombie eyes.
Your story reminds me of Radio Shack.
When I was young (back in the 60s & 70s,) the guys at Radio Shack were electronic experts. I remember having one guy look over a schematic I was working with and helping me understand how the circuit worked, and explaining why the parts list I had was wrong. They could test and recommend replacement tubes. And if they didn’t have something, they could order it for you. Back then, their motto was well deserved, “You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers.”
In the 1990s, I remember needing a wire-wrap tool, and even back then, they carried them, something that was quite handy while working with system boards and hard drive controllers (if you were out of jumpers.)
Today, if you can even find a Radio Shack, they don’t even have electronic components in their catalog. I believe they’ve changed their motto to, “You’ve got questions, we’ve got blank stares.”
Mark