The once impressive collection of old transistors has been destroyed, but Blažo doesn't give up on the idea that one day Peyton will adorn a museum of old devices.
Blažo Janković inherited the craft from his father, who opened the first TV and radio repair shop almost 70 years ago.
"It used to be in Herzegovina and it was located in Njegoševo, that was Nikola Janković, my father, then after his death I inherited the profession, which is very precise, but also very interesting, because you come across various electronics, from devices that are 70 years old, to the most modern ones, which are now trendy," said repairman Blažo Janković.
Customers bring in various appliances for repair – old and new, says Janković. Turntables are particularly popular, he adds.
"These are actually antiques, people want them, some are tied to memories, and so on. In the last few years, they've even been asked for them, they're available, they're produced, they can be found in stores, but they're not the same quality as old gramophones, it's important because of the needle and head on the gramophone, that it gives that real sound of the record."
Janković explains that people keep old devices because of the memories, but also because of the value they have today.
"When this old cassette player from the 70s, 80s is fixed, it's worth two, three thousand euros, so everything has its price, these older devices. This device is probably 60, 70 years old. It's a bit difficult for parts, there's a scale involved, no one wants to do that, you need more patience. I saved a lot of it from my father's old shop, I have those parts, but a lot of it burned down in a fire yesterday," says Janković.
The material damage was extensive, says Janković – the fire destroyed materials, tools and a collection of old devices that he had been collecting for years. However, he believes that he will rebuild the collection. He says he would like children to see how much technology has advanced.
"For example, we used to listen to this kind of radio, now there are mobile phones, you have Bluetooth devices, now this is for music, technology is advancing. However, people know, they bring, the old things are of good quality, they are semi-manual work, now everything is done by robots, machines," he concluded.
In the fire, he says, he still managed to save the most important thing - his dog Loki, who cheerfully welcomes every customer and, together with Blaža, keeps the old craft from being forgotten.
