Fry’s, funky electronics chain that had locations across U.S., is no more
News| 30 minutes ago

Quote:Fry’s Electronics, the go-to chain for tech tinkerers looking for an obscure part, is closing for good

SAN FRANCISCO — Fry’s Electronics, the go-to chain for tech tinkerers looking for an obscure part, is closing for good.

The company, perhaps even more well known for outlandish themes at some of its stores, from Aztec to "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," said Wednesday in an online posting that the COVID-19 pandemic had made it impossible to continue.

Fans immediately took to Twitter to post images and memories (good and bad).

The chain was concentrated on the West Coast, but had 31 stores in nine states, including Georgia. It was founded 36 years ago.

Neil Saunders, managing director at GlobalData, called it “the end of an era, and a sad day” for an army of loyal customers.

The pandemic has done heavy damage to retailers, but Fry’s was already getting hammered by online competition and a battle between heavy-hitters Best Buy and Amazon.com.

The wild themes became more of a burden than an experience, Saunders said, and when the chain began to struggle, gaps began to appear on shelves in the the cavernous stores, making them a shell of what they once were.

“Fry’s was really a business build for the 1980s electronics boom. During that era, it was a gathering place for enthusiasts of an industry that was on fire," Saunders said. “However, those days have long since gone and now too has an icon that represented them.”

Fry's Electronics Inc. said its operations have ceased and the wind-down of locations will begin immediately. Customers with electronics being repaired in-store store are being asked to pick them up.

The chain’s online presence appears largely to have been shut down.

WELL, WHADDAYA KNOW...

Got a few great deals in store in Las Vegas. RIP.

Damn shame. I loved the Indy store. It was the only place I know of where you could walk in and buy every component you'd need to build a computer from the ground up and also pick up a machete while you're there.

It's unfortunate, too. I am old school, but I'd much rather walk into a store and see a product in-hand and buy it on-site rather than look at pictures and reviews off Amazon and then wait several days hoping it's what I wanted.

(02-24-2021 01:26 PM)No2rdame Wrote:  Damn shame. I loved the Indy store. It was the only place I know of where you could walk in and buy every component you'd need to build a computer from the ground up and also pick up a machete while you're there.

It's unfortunate, too. I am old school, but I'd much rather walk into a store and see a product in-hand and buy it on-site rather than look at pictures and reviews off Amazon and then wait several days hoping it's what I wanted.

I build a lot of PCs and I'm with you I do like the convenience of walking into a store and buying it then and there. The true plus side to buying online is the reviews. Even if its a company that has a history of quality components you can find out if they had a **** run on a particular component

RIP Fry's. One of the coolest stores I ever stumbled into on a business trip looking for a very rare part I needed ASAP

Good point on the reviews, but for my last PC I picked the parts I was interested in and then if Fry's had them I checked them out in person to make sure it's what I wanted. Got most of what I needed there save for two parts, one coming from a company in California and the other from sh*tty Amazon with a warehouse 10 miles from my house. The California company got my parts delivered right on time. Amazon kept delaying them because I wasn't a Prime member.

And yes, while buying my PC parts at Fry's I couldn't pass up the deal and walked out with a brand new machete as well.

(02-24-2021 01:19 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  WELL, WHADDAYA KNOW...(click logo link; radio shack's online now)

here's an in-person chain that's still in existence:



25 Locations Nationwide:

California Tustin
Colorado Denver
Georgia Duluth, Marietta
Illinois Chicago, Westmont
Kansas Overland Park
Massachusetts Cambridge
Maryland (don't go back to) Rockville, Parkville
Michigan Madison Heights
Minnesota St. Louis Park
Missouri Brentwood
New Jersey North Jersey
New York Westbury, Yonkers, Flushing, Brooklyn
Ohio Columbus, Mayfield Heights, Sharonville
Pennsylvania St. Davids
Texas Houston, Dallas
Virginia Fairfax

(02-24-2021 01:54 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  

(02-24-2021 01:19 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  WELL, WHADDAYA KNOW...(click logo link; radio shack's online now)

here's an in-person chain that's still in existence:



25 Locations Nationwide:

California Tustin
Colorado Denver
Georgia Duluth, Marietta
Illinois Chicago, Westmont
Kansas Overland Park
Massachusetts Cambridge
Maryland (don't go back to) Rockville, Parkville
Michigan Madison Heights
Minnesota St. Louis Park
Missouri Brentwood
New Jersey North Jersey
New York Westbury, Yonkers, Flushing, Brooklyn
Ohio Columbus, Mayfield Heights, Sharonville
Pennsylvania St. Davids
Texas Houston, Dallas
Virginia Fairfax

where are all the folks shopping for outdated commodities....

on the consumer side, eradicating b+m fagoos was easy long ago...

Never heard of it.

Quote:Fry’s was founded in the Bay Area in 1985 and currently has 14 stores in California, eight in Texas, two in Arizona, and single locations in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington state. Several other locations were closed over the past few years.

Explains why...

I had heard of it, but there was never one close to me. Sounds like the brick and mortar of Newegg.

There wasnt one close to me, and that was probably a good thing.

Radio Shack is a shadow of its former self. Have to go on the internet to get a lot of things these days.

Let's see... Fry's , Radio Shack, Egghead (didnt even know there was one near me until i heard it closed down).

MIcroCenter's about the only one left in terms of fun to shop electronic stores... and even they're going "mainstream" rather than pieces/parts. Their computer parts section was running bare in Brentwood last time I was there, due to Covid idiocy.

There's one not too far from me. I've been there a few times and in fact, bought the computer I still use 8 years later at a decent enough price. I don't think that one had many specialty parts - it's the same type of store as Best Buy really.

Amazon just adds another notch in its belt.

(02-24-2021 01:54 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  

(02-24-2021 01:19 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  WELL, WHADDAYA KNOW...(click logo link; radio shack's online now)

here's an in-person chain that's still in existence:



25 Locations Nationwide:

California Tustin
Colorado Denver
Georgia Duluth, Marietta
Illinois Chicago, Westmont
Kansas Overland Park
Massachusetts Cambridge
Maryland (don't go back to) Rockville, Parkville
Michigan Madison Heights
Minnesota St. Louis Park
Missouri Brentwood
New Jersey North Jersey
New York Westbury, Yonkers, Flushing, Brooklyn
Ohio Columbus, Mayfield Heights, Sharonville
Pennsylvania St. Davids
Texas Houston, Dallas
Virginia Fairfax

Too bad the closest to me is nearly 6 hours away and would involve driving through Atlanta.

(02-25-2021 11:12 AM)No2rdame Wrote:  

(02-24-2021 01:54 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  

(02-24-2021 01:19 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  WELL, WHADDAYA KNOW...(click logo link; radio shack's online now)

here's an in-person chain that's still in existence:



25 Locations Nationwide:

California Tustin
Colorado Denver
Georgia Duluth, Marietta
Illinois Chicago, Westmont
Kansas Overland Park
Massachusetts Cambridge
Maryland (don't go back to) Rockville, Parkville
Michigan Madison Heights
Minnesota St. Louis Park
Missouri Brentwood
New Jersey North Jersey
New York Westbury, Yonkers, Flushing, Brooklyn
Ohio Columbus, Mayfield Heights, Sharonville
Pennsylvania St. Davids
Texas Houston, Dallas
Virginia Fairfax

Too bad the closest to me is nearly 6 hours away and would involve driving through Atlanta.

is that akin to a TV repair shoppe....

Never even heard of themm.