They were ahead of everyone else on knowing what geeks needed, Saffo said. Reading through these comments Im left feeling like were really bad at adapting to change. Frys tries to quell rumors of its demise as customers worry about empty shelves, Frys to close its Palo Alto doors for good in January. I still have JK Electronics in Westminster, MarVac in Costa Mesa, and MicroCenter in Tustin. They were doing some classes on electronics before covid. Not only in store but online as well- stock not there. Hmmm they the same Active that were associated with Futureshop near the start of the century, when Futureshop still had a large range of PC components, a handful of in stock electrical/electronic and the Future-Active component catalog you could order from and pick up in store. You-Do-It definitely is: I drove past a few weeks back and they were open. Store will take you an hour or so to go through, stuff for the SO too, like a big liquidation store with hacky benefits. Necessity, poverty, eco-friendliness, thriftiness, all yes. I will miss Frys. That would be a lot fewer people collaborating. Please refresh the page and try again. The brick & mortar specialty stores that are still open are few & far between. And the place had an excellent cafe. 636 NW 27th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34475 Gave that to a WWOOFer who came through here who lost her camera. And now we got a guy running the show who doesnt know where he is when he wakes up each morning. So, if Fry's does close I'm not sure where I'll go for new electronics. Frys quirky themed stores, ranging from Western to Mayan, were stocked with just about anything electronic from routers and motherboards to coffeemakers and computers plus refrigerators, office furniture, perfume, candy bars, As Seen on TV merchandise and so much more. Besides. China suspends alcohol imports from Taiwan as tensions mount, Is California recession coming? That has left the older distributors playing a game of catch-up ever since. A fine night out in those days was Frys, Halted, Computer Literacy, Weird Stuff, followed by wings and drinks at St. James Infirmary. Very helpful & friendly. Erie had Warren Radio a couple of decades back. Were choosing winners and losers and feeling like our local millionaires are better than some other countrys millionaires. An era when you went to an Aztec temple to be yelled at by a man in a vest for not knowing enough about computer parts, picked up a motherboard . Its not necessarily obvious that you should go through certain doors. Dear Abby: I want her at the wedding but must I pay for four nights at a hotel? You absolutely wont regret it. 2020 and all its ills have claimed another stalwart among PC builders and electronics hobbyists: Frys announced yesterday that they have closed up shop for good after nearly 36 years in business both as a brick-and-mortar wonderland and an online mecca for all things electronic. On my first visit to their original Sunnyvale store in the 80s I felt like Id landed in Nirvana. Frys to close its Palo Alto doors for good in January Be careful with Jameco, they sell counterfeit ICs: https://northcoastsynthesis.com/news/beware-fake-parts/. (Kevin Kelly / Daily News), A view of a part of Fry's Electronics' parking lot in San Jose, Calif., on Sept. 26, 2019. Not bearly a half assed hacker in the store nevermind a qualified Sales associate. The electronics surplus store down the street closed years ago, but this place keeps chugging along. Still, I like going to stores. When will we mourn the loss of internet shops? Watched your video.. wish we had a place like that around here. Their stock on stereo equipment and large appliances was always top-notch: good place to compare for listening to speakers, amps, etc. There was a time when having your product on the shelf at Frys meant that you had arrived. Some of my most bargain basement PC builds were because of Fry's sales. :-). Some still aint there. I will miss Frys. As a visitor from the U.K. to BlackHat & DefCon in Las Vegas back in the early 2010s, a trip (or two, possibly more) down to Frys at the south end of Las Vegas Boulevard was an amazing experience. It was founded in 1985 by the three Fry brothers with the goal of being a "Silicon Valley retail electronics. In the almost-as-cheap-as-aliexpress-but-in-Canada mail order side, Universal Solder (Yorkton, SK: https://www.universal-solder.ca/) and Simcoe DIY (Barrie, ON: https://www.simcoe-diy.ca/) are worth a look. Nutron Computers and Electronics was located in nearby Lombard and was by far the best electronics Id ever encountered in the midwest. Why do chinese people who build our things for a cheap price matter less to us than some corporate asshole who charges more for the pleasure of having to drive hours away? What a shame. Frys, whose first store was in Sunnyvale, now has eight stores in Northern California and nine in Southern California, plus eight stores in Texas and two stores each in Arizona and Georgia, and one store each in Illinois, Indiana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. She has written or edited technology news since the first dot-com boom, and is a Good Morning Silicon Valley alum. If you have a free weekday in Kansas City, hit up Electronics Supply on Main Street in Westport. If you rooted around and avoided the stickers, their bargains were incredible. Sorry Frys fans. http://a1parts.com/. As of November 2020, 31.1% of all small businesses have been put out of business permanently. Theres a YT video about the architect that designed themed building like that. There is rarely a time which I needed something that I cannot afford to wait a week or even a month to get. 'Dragon Storm' set to roar in wicked weekend conditions with snowy Lake Tahoe and rainy Bay Area forecasts, Dear Abby: I'm ready to smack her down, and I need a plan, Ask Amy: I got a big surprise when I looked at their wedding website, Dear Abby: The cook's response to a compliment was deeply hurtful, 'Dragon Storm' barrels into Bay Area, triggering flood advisories, power outages, Gas prices continue to fall, with the national average now less than a year ago, Rogue iguana causes widespread power outage in Florida, Boy in the Box identified as 4-year-old by Philly police after 65 years, Laguna Niguels $70 million Ziggurat auction is wasted opportunity. That said, in todays business climate, it likely wont be long before the chain will have to surrender to market forces. The store's online presence appears largely to have been shut down. The company said it was meant to be a one-stop-shop and online resource for high-tech professionals across nine states. Now its likely to be another footnote left in the shift to online shopping that was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic forcing most people to stay home. The new show, called Harry and Meghan, has . I was very excited about this Best Buy opening, as it was literally just two blocks away from my old pad. I used to go into TO to do the rounds of all the decent stores, but since those have dwindled down to basically just this place I havent made a special trip. And we sincerely thank all our customers for shopping local. Saunders said suppliers might not agree to such an arrangement because they assume all the risk. People pat themselves on the back for buying cheap online while our local stores go out of business. WNBA star Brittney Griner freed in US-Russia prisoner swap. Thread Tools. You are going to drive prices up and selection and quality down. In Montreal, theres Abra Electronics. Fry's Electronics, one of the last big brick-and-mortar electronics store chains in the United States and a Silicon Valley institution in particular is permanently closing nationwide,. Id wager the number is now over 40%. Dont get me wrong, I understand that local stores serving local areas have a lot more overhead than a big warehouse serving the world but there are still limits of what is reasonable. With all the possibilities shrinking for all of us, it affects small towns first. Ive shopped at the Frys in Fountain Valley, CA since it opened 30 years ago. Oh, and all the 30-pin iPod docks anyone could have wanted in 2010. A large segment of the population has shifted, Gasse said. Sort of different, but that experience reminds me of a burrito place a couple blocks from where I used to live. There was most definitely a time when Mouser aint got it neither and they carried leftovers (surplus) and pulls. The electronics selection is hit or miss, but its truly an oddball place and the high school kids working there are usually crank 80s punk or new wave music over the store speakers. Anyhoo, I used to hear good things about the brick and mortar side, but there was never one in range. Dwindling component sections (Anaheim did have a great selection there for a while). Their specials are great. Not including sales gimmicks. Im not sure if parts can be had from the counter. Lets use this thread to recommend said old-school supply stores, maybe itll help keep them alive! 21300 Interstate 45, Spring (281) 557-8269: 2 Fry's Electronics. He added that some people still want to buyelectronic modules or appliances from Frys. I live in San Jose California and would shop at the San Jose (Mayan temple) Campbell (ancient Egypt) and Fremont (1893 Worlds Fair) Palo Alto (Wild West) themed stores. Ive been fortunate enough to be able to do will call pickups at CircuitSpecialists.com in Tempe, AZ in the past, but dont know if they allow that right now. However, at the locally owned parts store, or local farmers market, you wont just get better quality help (and food), youll actually make friends that matter, too Unlike online friends who can be deleted in an instant, and who would delete you in an instant, you will make connections to people close to you, which have a chance of tuning into lifelong, mutually-beneficial friendships. https://www.murphyjunk.net. Often if you wanted a specific item, it wasnt in stock. Would love to hear about others. Electronics Plus is small, but he packs a lot in there. Electronics Parts Outlet (EPO) is in the south and ACE Electronics on the northside. Im not so sad for Frys itself the world evolved and they died out, just as Frys killed off a lot of smaller local businesses. What's my next step? I wish there was a place to go around here (Radio Shack was the last in this area, and it was sorely lacking). Fry's is only the latest electronics chain to close in recent years. WE have chosen the route of lowest price and now we are paying the cost. I have known few store owners who were millionaires, unless you considered the value of their building to be cash which isnt the case. https://youtu.be/1ERS111m89A. According to Frys website (PDF copy for posterity), all 31 stores across nine states were suddenly and permanently shuttered on Wednesday the 24th, citing changes in the retail industry and the widespread difficulties wrought by the pandemic. Find out more about how we use your information in our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy and change your choices at any time by visiting Your Privacy Controls. You could always find better deals online and didnt have to drive a long way. I picked up at Sparkfun a few years ago and in addition to my purchase they gave me a free copy of Nuts & Volts. They sell new and used parts, kits, tools and electronics anything from Raspberry PI and Arduinos to PCs. They also had some sweet 12VDC 30A power supplies on special for $20 a while ago. Very sad to see Frys go! Information about your device and internet connection, like your IP address, Browsing and search activity while using Yahoo websites and apps. What a shame. The old school distributors really didnt like to sell to individuals. Its a nice complement when youre trying to check people out and they say Um yeah, I just wanna browse a bit longer; its a cool store. But the dimensions of the stores and the market need are probably out of sync, he said. Radio Shack wasnt afraid to try innovative product ideas a few were brilliant, a few were terrible and most were at least interesting. Late Tuesday night, news broke that the long running electronics chain would shut down all its stores. I feel like Central Computers is the last bastion. I was a teenager and still in High School back in the late 90s when i first heard about these magical stores. Its right there in the name, Industry Standard Architecture. On Twitter, Wario64 pointed out a tweet by a former employee and AV store owner noting that employees found out Tuesday night that it was the last night the stores would be open and that the. There are no long lines at the cash registers. @Chris. I used to live in a small town. If you've been inside a Fry's Electronics store lately-ANY Fry's, by the way-it looks like they are in the middle of a Going-Out-of-Business-Sale. See 120 photos and 66 tips from 4140 visitors to Fry's Electronics. The computers all use green screens and go bidibipbeep as they print to screen at 50 bits per second or slower. Electronics Recycling in Easton on YP.com. PGA Fry's Electronics Open Saturday's results In Scottsdale, Ariz. Third round Carl Pettersson 67-66-64197Mark Hensby 71-61-66198Mike Weir 69-64-65198Jarrod Lyle 69-67-64200Ryan Moore 66-63 . For Ohio, may I suggest: Find 125 listings related to Frys Electronics in Easton on YP.com. NY 10036. 2300 W Baseline Rd, Alameda-Campus, Tempe (480) 659-8500: 3 Fry's Electronics. Failing that you get to satisfy your making urge by inserting the same rivet over and over on a factory line day after day after day. And when will it stop? Here are some recent articles about the possible closing of Fry's: https://venturebeat.com/2019/09/10/frys-electronics-isnt-restocking-goods-in-multiple-stores/ In the 90s, locally we used to have some 5 Radio Shacks, and three independent electronics deals (Avec & Peoples were the two I visited the most). You might have to go find them though. I havent been there in years. I have known hundreds of small business (store) owners and I would say that they were poorer and worked far harder than most people Ive ever known in a corporate job. Theyll have most components in stock in the back, and out front there is an ever changing supply of junk, and we all know how much we love a good pile of junk. Its like a project idea factory. The Frys around here was starting to show signs this would happen for quite a while. Although I havent shopped there in a dozen years since moving to Canada, Ill miss simply knowing they were there, should I find myself going through Portland. Inconsistent application of the price match policy. Im looking at a monitor that I bought there. The stores quickly became a techie haven and hangout. Not what it used to be a couple of years ago. No Microcenters within hundreds of miles of me. A lot of things that were done by hardware modules that people assembled themselves are now integrated into smartphones.. BuyAPi (Ottawa, ON: https://buyapi.ca/) also has some Adafruit and Sparkfun stuff, as well as Raspberry Pis. https://www.mpja.com, Skycraft Parts & Surplus All I can say is I am surprised how much they mark-up their price and I am happy to see them gone. The cafes sit mostly empty, like the store shelves and parking lots. People are quick to blame cheap stuff on the internet for killing the retail stores but where would they be without it? While in Santa Clara, CA I recommend Anchor Electronics for a good selection of thru-hole and surface mount components, as well as PC supplies, wire, connectors. The computer I am using to type this was built from Frys parts. Who else sold electronics along side health and beauty aids? It was sad to see the Frys near my work (golf theme, meh) and then the one near my home (Mayan theme, cool) both close in the last year or so. Walking into a Frys Electronics nowadays is nothing like it was during its heyday in the 1980s and 90s. So what we are really seeing here is a trend of people being convinced not to care about the people they should care about (their local neighbors) and care only about themselves and how cheap they can get something. An employee of one company that has done business with Frys, who asked to remain anonymous, said that while some manufacturers might be willing to offer their products on consignment, it would depend on how confident they feel in that retailers business. Select 'Manage settings' to manage your choices. Little stock, no staff, shopping carts willed with trash bags to catch roof leaks and a mysteriously huge pile of mattresses in the middle of the sales floor. Havent visited there (yet). While most of his stock is gift oriented, he keeps his hand in the surplus market, and can source some remarkable equipment on request. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, Murphys Surplus in San Diego / El Cajon is amazing! lol. They still have a good range of electronic bits and bobs (including Arduino and the other microcontroller stuff) and various gadgets. I dont know where most audiophiles would go for listening anymore, thats a big loss (since Best Buys selection is pretty slim, do they even have those magnolia rooms anymore?). It was frequently not a smooth experience. Driving into the South Bay just isnt the same as it used to be. I would say greed might be on the side of a local retailer who thinks huge markups are ok due to monopoly like local markets. The company says its Palo Alto location will close in January because its lease is expiring. Forums like TheLayoff.com describe ghost town images like these nationwide. Too many bad experiences with items, especially computers or main boards having been returned by (on one occasion at least 6) people, and never properly checked before going onto the shelf. Now all are gone. I cannot agree more. There were some WWII war surplus places in Detroit that also sold auto plant surplus. Janice, Lawrence, and John are always a big help. Thread: there has to be some shady reason FRYS Electronics is still open right? If youre in southern Ontario, Canada, Sayal Electronics is a brick and mortar place you can get parts, and their stores are generally well stocked. If it didnt work, Id take it back and *they would re-wrap it with a blue and white sticker saying it had been opened and the warranty was still good*!!! Then I think they stopped shipping to Canada altogether, or the online site just sucked so bad I never returned. By clicking "Reject all" you reject all non-essential cookies and similar technologies, but Yahoo will continue to use essential cookies and similar technologies. It was the Internet that turned things around. If theyre looking to get rich on the backs of people doing what they love, I dont mind if they disappear. Miss Manners: She screamed at us for going ahead of her in line. United States Indiana Marion County Indianapolis Shop & Service . Fry's Electronics San Jose contains a mind-boggling array of computer and home entertainment products for aficionados or wireheads or just normal consumers who want a stereo receiver or big screen projection TV at an aggressive price. I used to work in Anaheim Hills and many of us were excited when that store opened. Ive even made sure make a pilgrimage there when I have visited since moving away. Get Directions >. Mouser is really amazing in that regard. Im also still using an ST-506 external disk drive case I got from them, although the disk itself (was probably a WHOPPING 1 GB when I bought it!) Interesting surplus/distress stuff. Today, Fry's Food and Drug stores are owned and operated by Kroger and are not affiliated with Fry's Electronics, although they share a . Yann Guidon / YGDES wrote a comment on project log #006 - Dice555-3: "End-game"?. Such a fun place to visit. Learn more, Frys Electronics Has Fizzled Out Completely, Frys announced yesterday that they have closed up shop for good, the company began shifting toward a consignment model, 3D Printering: To Print Stainless, You Do Half The Work, https://northcoastsynthesis.com/news/beware-fake-parts/, 60-year-old Lashers Electronics will close at the end of 2020, https://www.mv-voice.com/morgue/2000/2000_05_05.haltek05.html, https://thesixfifty.com/these-photos-of-weirdstuff-warehouse-will-make-you-sad-the-quirky-shop-is-gone-for-good-4eecb8308851. Haltek closed in 2000 (https://www.mv-voice.com/morgue/2000/2000_05_05.haltek05.html) and Weird Stuff in 2018 (https://thesixfifty.com/these-photos-of-weirdstuff-warehouse-will-make-you-sad-the-quirky-shop-is-gone-for-good-4eecb8308851), and without them, and now Frys, its just not the same. Every time I go to MC its packed, though its usually a Saturday morning. Janice, who runs the Scarborough one, is incredibly knowledgeable. For Adafruit and Sparkfun stuff, Elmwood Electronics (Toronto, ON: https://elmwoodelectronics.ca/) is also good. Greed is often the furthest thing from a makers mind. But they really became irrelevant in the Amazon age. Miss Manners: Am I supposed to be charmed by a baby destroying a cake? Heres a couple more walk-in plus online electronics fun spots in the beautiful State of Florida, one of the last States in America thats still American: Marlin P. Jones & Associates [MPJA] They may not have an Adafruit section and theyre probably not open after 5:00PM or on the weekends, but these stores are still kicking and they need us now more than ever. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! It was a beige box with some pictures of Downers Grove pioneers. 353 reviews of Best Buy SW Las Vegas "I try to be fair when judging a business based on shitty service. Fry's Electronics, Inc. was founded as a Silicon Valley retail electronics store to provide a one-stop-shopping environment for the hi-tech professional. Bummer. Crap I didnt realize theyd closed. I asked a couple of employees (pre-COVID, I believe) why the shelves were suddenly so barren and they repeatedly assured me that they were renegotiating supplier contracts. It seemed obvious that was not the case. Even computer parts is an on-line endeavor. Tom's Hardware is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. I ended up buying the same hub or modem (thats how long ago) several times until I kept better track of serial numbers. It is more common for retailers to try to help their cash flow by dragging out their payment periods to suppliers, he said. Ingram Micro, a known delivery partner of Frys, at least at one time, declined to comment, and efforts to reach other suppliers were unsuccessful. I live near Erie PA and like Kristina never been to a Frys since the closest was in Chicago. Its still there, and still pretty much the same place its always been. I built my first computers from their components, upgraded memory on my first video cards, even bought model rockets resulting in a visit from the police department on one occasion. Luckily we still have Orvac electronics. The first big change was toll-free telephone lines, making it easier and cheaper for people to place orders. Have tried to order off their website before, but got an order together, submitted, annnd got email back saying everything was out of stock, so not very trusting of it at all, especially since it does not look like it changed. New York, I liked Frys, but I like online shops too. Though the company is closing its Palo Alto store, it insists it has no plans to quit the business or close its remaining 33 stores in nine states. Another note is that some things, like electrical parts, really arent feasible to all sell locally. That is really disappointing to hear, their new PC stuff was often chintzy or pricey but they had stuff not available elsewhere locally. Its dishonorable to pick a local tech experts brain for all the details about an item and then buy it cheaper online. Harriette Cole: I find it creepy that a co-worker named her baby after me. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. By the early naughts I would say it was pretty near circling the drain. Maker Faire is shutting down, he said. And then the world changed in ways that were favorable for their business models, and their way of doing things eventually won. The tech retailer closed the doors of all 31 locations, including two in Houston, with no notice to customers. By clicking Accept all you agree that Yahoo and our partners will process your personal information, and use technologies such as cookies, to display personalised ads and content, for ad and content measurement, audience insights, and product development. If a retailer cannot afford to pay for product, then theres a real necessity to go on to a consignment model because it frees up capital.. Ive been in several Frys but I like YDI better. It's a ghost town though with more employees than customers. Related Articles You can order at the counter and someone will pick it for you in ~15 mins, depending. Help spread the word about your favorites that are still open in the comments below. You-Do-It Electronics in Needham, Massachusetts used to be really good. Homebrew 3D Printer Goop Promises Better Bed Adhesion. Whats saddest to me is that this was just about the last vestige of Silicon Valleys hardware heritage. I dont have any decent electronics stores near me after Radio Shack kicked the bucket. I was missing the Frys that died already few years ago. There was a big components store in Boise in the 90s that I went to a few times, but when I went looking for 62 pin card edge connectors for a IBM/PC project they didnt have any, claimed it was because they arent standard. We took over the local Active Tech Store in Calgary, Alberta. Most store designs are theme oriented and theme. Yeah, I went to the Fishers store late 2019, and it was a weird leaky ghost-town. I do make a yearly trek to a MicroCenter 80 miles away. Eventually it began to fail and was no longer engaged, bummer. Make sure you go in the back/warehouse area. Frys electronics actually have reasonably price components. Click here if youre unable to view the photo gallery on your mobile device. I was there last year and it was still selling mostly Radio Shack products. The shelves were 20-30% full and not a computer in the place, so I knew this day was coming. Umwhat? What I do need you aint got or on slim chance do have its outdated and/or overpriced. I made a tradition to go back every time I made it up that way. You-Do-It Electronics in Needham, MA and Electronics Plus in Littleton, MA! Sooner than we think, Im sure. My eyes have never tried to take in so much at once. I made the lunch trip a couple times, but it was hard to justify going 5.5 miles for a lunch burrito when there was a Chipotle less than half a mile from work. Where I live, Microcenter is king, and it has been truly awesome to watch the hobby electronics section expand from a single four-foot panel in a dark corner to the multi-aisle marketplace it is today. Theyre everything a Radio Shack should have been. When I lived in Minneapolis I loved going to Ax-Man surplus. Both were on the world wide web early, introducing a new way to order parts that is much easier and less error-prone than phone orders, provides real-time inventory information, and eventually eliminated the need for massive paper catalogs. . But they do have some overlap; they are all places where hobbyists might obtain electronic components. 14" IPS FHD Display, Intel Core i3-1115G4 Processor, 4GB DDR4, 128GB PCIe SSD, Fingerprint Reader, Windows 11 Home in S Mode, Slate Grey, F415EA-AS31. Several years ago, when I lived in that area, Id also buy components from Jameco Electronics. I was with a startup (Frecom, fax & fax/modems) that won about 10 feet of shelf space in about 1990. Agreed, online sales makes it nearly impossible to compete price wise as long as freight doesnt bite you, but time becomes the issue. Indiana-based HHGregg ceased operations in 2017. That location really could have used a giant squid crashing a UFO into a volcano or something. Im in the boondocks, and so am pretty limited to mail order. (Meri Simon/Bay Area News Group archive), Hundreds flock to the new Fry's Electronics Grand Opening sale located at 1695 Willow Pass Rd. Along with lower prices not being there and its almost a modern Radioshack. Thank you [Ryan], [John], and [Jack] for tipping us off. I am more than capable of ordering myself!. Minimum 25 minute drive for me to reach the closest one. Heres how it works. ." Electronics Store in Indianapolis, IN. 407-628-5634 So where can a person go to pick up some quick components now that Radio Shack and Frys are no more? My heart has been broken since we lost weird stuff. for awhile. If a store isnt open past 5 or on weekends they are doing well enough without me considering the luxury hours, A few years ago, store opened up that I wanted to like had the right stuff on the sign, peering through the windows looked intriguing. Frys could have been Newegg if theyd have taken what worked from Outpost and further refined it. 2. Its great for those of you that live in larger populated areas but what about those of us not in that class. My local Frys store in Downers Grove Illinois didnt really have a theme. Im glad Sparkfun exists, coz all the others have folded. Were working to push a lot of our web inventory to the brick-and-mortar (ha, almost spelled motor) store, and were attempting to bring back that old Radio-Shack vibe with modern equipment. Get instant access to breaking news, in-depth reviews and helpful tips. The component selection at the College Home Hardware isnt as broad as Id like, and most parts dont appear to be re-stocked anymore but theres something about shopping for components in an area in the basement, through a hole in the wall that makes it more fun. Sometimes their staff know their stuff, sometimes they dont speak English / French well. Burbank Frys electronics [Image source: Bryce Edwards CC-BY 2.0]Sadly, I never set foot inside of a Frys though I hear it was an experience beginning with the themed entrances found at many of the locations. Then also, hitting up the surplus aisles in Princess Auto is often worthwhile, some fans, actuators, heatsinks, random mechanical bits turn up in there. 3. Frys Electronics still hanging on, but for how, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window). While I'm extremely disappointed to see Fry's Electronics close, the writing was frighteningly on the wall. There are far too many parts (i.e. Closed on Sunday and Monday. We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. . But in recent postings on job sites like Glassdoor, dozens of Frys employees have been complaining about the company, with several saying their hours have been cut and that many are now working part time. Aint you never seen no sci-fi set 100s of years in the future? A1 is where active surplus would send you if they didnt have what you needed. The web site has a useful price list for concise shopping. What angers me is theyd likely still be around if it werent for misguided lockdowns, thanks to Governor Hair Gel here in California. The hobby could have died completely and these stores might have gone out of business a lot sooner. (Meri Simon/Bay Area News Group archive) Photo: Times/Herman Bustamante Jr. Staples (our computer/supply store) rarely has what I need. FulanoDetail has updated the log for DIY Human-sized Mech. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Glad someone else mentioned Creatron! is out. They had a quirky and unusual inventory at times, and they were the best place to get electronic components in-person. Not as much as I used to but I know I have spent gobs of money there. Any electronics store with a cafe/coffee shop at its centre where I could happily spend many hours browsing and purchasing Leathermans and Maglites for 1/4 of their price back home I had to be sensible with weight in the suitcase was something Ill miss. For really weird or just-looking-to-see-what-I-find stuff, I hit Apache Reclamation in Phoenix. By using our website and services, you expressly agree to the placement of our performance, functionality and advertising cookies. Their online service isnt horrible. The one in Anaheim was fun to browse. My local Frys in Concord had been a ghost town for more than a year so this isnt a surprise. If you wanted to make things you would have to get an engineering degree and then a related job for a large coorporation. After I left the military and I went on business trips to Cali I would always go out of my way to visit every Frys I could. After nearly 36 years in business, tech retailer Fry's Electronics is permanently shuttering all of its stores, including a pair of locations in San Diego County, citing the impact of the. Stuff hasnt been restocked for a while, but it looks like the business has changed hands and is being revived. One day in the not too distant future I fear we WILL pay the price. Were we in the wrong? If anyone knows of others, Id love to know, but my workshop has more and better selection of parts than Frys ever did. A place I like, though they could do more of the electronic, but have a bit of electromechanical, and other varieties of surplus junk and materials to get ideas from etc, is brantfordsurplus.com , dang, they dont really have a department, put electronic in the search and it starts to get interesting. Even though the San Marcos (CA) store was 20 minutes away, I only went in there three times since moving to the area in 2017. I think they even still publish catalogs with random surplus parts. Unfortunately the small local store I used to visit in Indianapolis went out of business some time ago as well. Sigh. Most popular Fry's Electronics locations: Map: Show Map: 1 Fry's Electronics. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. I think they do mailorder. Im clearly missing something in its comparison to a retail electronics outlet Frys. Signs of the retailers growing challenges were seen back in 2019 when the company began shifting toward a consignment model in an attempt to cut overhead and liability. Now (tech) is so mainstream. I have enjoyed some significant browsing at YDI, but they are more than an hour away so I dont get there often. I found the chemistry and other supplies to make for an excellent browsing experience. Easton, MD 21601. I still use an exchangeable-bit precision screwdriver that I got from them some 20 years ago high-quality German-made, not the crappy eyeglass tiny screwdrivers you get in the dollar store that break the first time you use them. [Main image source: San Jose Frys by Bryce Edwards; CC-BY 2.0]. Fry's Electronics - Forever Open In Our Hearts 12707 N Mo Pac Expy. She didnt care for it very much, but she did it and got the experience. Per a Twitter source, and the fact that everyone's like "Fry's is still open?", the chain will cease operations tonight. John Fry, co-founder and CEO of the company, did not return emails requesting comment. Hah, yeah, there was what was supposed to be the best seafood restaurant in town that used to be open for dinner more years back than anyone in my gen could remember, but in my memory was only open 11-3 for lunch I guess the two old folks homes nearby kinda kept it going, but it struggled on for years like that but they never did any maintenance to the building, paint was all peeling outside, and when the roof finally got a leak the health inspectors closed it. I dont think things would have turned around. Based in San Jose, California, the privately held company was a family business. A lot of local stores were always really unreasonably bad about price and selection *cough* Rat Shack *cough* or hours that dont serve working people almost every mom and pop store. Plus its just 10 mins from me. Retailers often try to sell as much of their stock as possible before shutting down, but if thats what the company is doing, its happening behind the scenes. The internet is a great thing in many ways however, we can clearly see what it is doing to local retail sales. Wed go to Frys just to stare at it it felt like SUCH an an incredible achievement. I always prefer supporting my local stores over the internet market place to keep these local stores in business. Their hours were 9am-4pm; opening too late for breakfast for lots of people and closing too early for dinner for most. I do like Mouser and been with them since well nevermind. Mark Cohen, director of retail studies at Columbia University, said the consignment model has traditionally been used for high-margin, slow-turning merchandise like fine jewelry and furs. 3035 W Thunderbird Rd Phoenix , Arizona 85053. It is always sad to see a electronic distributor go out of business. "To our valued customers, our Campbell location is permanently closed as of . I also bought an Olympus E-10 fixed-lens digicam from them on a close-out deal. Frys Electronics today announced that after nearly 36 years its going out of business as a result of changes in the retail industry and the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. The company has already closed its 31 brick-and-mortar stores and replaced its online store with a letter to customers explaining how it plans to move forward. I bought 1,000 power MOSFETS for $35 a while back! Literally the same thing (and worse) as funding what the germans were doing in WWII. The Project guest star Jessie Stephens has leapt to the defense of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle following their newly released Netflix documentary. I agree micro center is the best alternative to radio shack or fryes. I agree with your basic idea but you cant just say shop local no matter what and expect good to come from it. (but Ive got Abts headquarters showroom practically around the corner). Ive only been to Electronics Plus once: I happened to park across the street from it when in Littleton for other reasons, was surprised such a store still existed in 2019 (and was open on Saturday, no less), and had to stop in and check it out while I was there. I was also very sad to see Radio Shack go, even though it was crappy in a lot of ways, but hey, Ive been going since I was a kid back in the 60s. The new owner of the Active-Tech chain has split up the stores to be localized under an umbrella arrangement\. I rarely went to the Frys in Houston. Fry's Electronics is a chain of a big-box stores specialized in electronics goods, computer hardware and software as well as home appliances. Too much unused space in the two stores Ive been at, and it was never a better store than Microcenter who carries most of the things Frys did. Mail order or a chance that you find him with a stall at a Ham flea or similar, this guy is alright, doesnt quite have range a hacker would desire, but reasonable pricing for things already in Canada https://www.pcboard.ca/. Said as Id love to support local businesses and a bit quicker turn-around when all your need is this one part to finish off a project. Singapore Branches Out Into Internet Of Trees, Review: Inkplate 2 Shrinks Down, Adds Color, Asbestos: The Miracle Mineral Of Our Worst Nightmares, Hackaday Podcast 196: Flexing Hard PCBs, Dangers Of White Filament, And The Jetsons Kitchen Computer, This Week In Security: Rackspace Falls Over, Poison Ping, And The WordPress Race. The stock is depleting without restocking and the parking lots are nearly empty. Fry's Electronics in Concord will begin closing procedures Feb. 24, 2021. Volker of Universal Solder designs some neat projects. So, as far as these millionaires, I think you have two choices, the evil USA corporate millionaires who will tell you how to think and collect all of your private information and sell it whether you like it or not, or the communists, who do unspeakable things to people who dont think the way they are told to. Were probably talking about a hobby when we talk about buying small part quantities online. Havent been there in a long time as I moved out of state. It closed four stores between December 2019 and November 2020, including its Anaheim location last March. Levi Sumagaysay is a tech reporter and editor for the Mercury News. :). https://www.allelectronics.com/ in Van Nuys, CA is always worth a visit when Im in the area. Honestly there is nothing on the island like it. If you have a few hours free, its worth wandering around there. Items might be hung on the wrong shelves, and paying the sales droids on commission meant they werent very helpful finding electronics since they wouldnt be making anything on the sale. The stores began selling (As Seen On TV) products, educational toys, solar powered projects, arduino and raspberry Pi projects as a way to atract more customers. badwolfdemon liked Micro Stereo BT add-on hack. A statement posted on its website cited "changes in the retail industry and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic ". Winter Park, FL 32789 I will miss Frys. I am surprised they made it this far. Dont forget Creatrons two stores in Toronto. Its a truly sad state of affairs. Can verify that they used to sell Tamura linear transformers that were fake, and did not meet de-electric withstand. I built many PC computers with Frys purchased components for my family and friends at incredibbly low prices compared to prebuilt PCs. 8380 Resource Drive Also dropped by HSC Electronics. Thats with the full expectation of paying more for product on hand in store. Renamed it Aint got it.. Etco, Corenet, North American Electronics, Payette Radio, Cesco, they were all important parts places in the seventies, and all gone, starting about 1980. the people who work there). Well crap happens I guess another week or two slips by, I find myself in the area at 2pm on a Friday, sweet, swing by Back in 5 minutes is on the door, I go across to the coffee shop, grab a coffee, sit and read on my phone for 40 mins not back, screw it, gotta go a week or two more and I try on a Saturday again, this time on the door is Closed permanently, out of business, thanks to my actually LOYAL customers. and by then Im not thinking what a shame Im thinking Good freaking riddance then you incompetent clown.. Outpost had their schitt together, orders I made in 99 came smooth, cheap and troublefree, then I maybe made one purchase after the Frys buyout and was underimpressed. Frys stores were a huge step ahead of Radio Shack, The Good Guys, CompUSA, Circuit City and even Best Buy. Both models are victims of their own success.. I am nowhere near Van Nuys, but I do order from All Electronics. While they are primarily a mail-order house, they had a will call that would have the order ready the same day it was placed. Most of us never did have very many local stores to chose from and certainly dont have many now. The second place for will-call or mail order is Alltronics, very near Anchor in Santa Clara. Consumer electronics is a thin-margin business but is risky, he said. Declining sales staff. Coincidentally enough, while driving near a Frys on Sunday I commented that I should go in there and buy some components to help keep them going. Now it seems I never will. Earlier this month, Jean-Louis Gasse wrote in his popular blog Monday Note that Frys stores have become sad, pale shadows of their glorious past.. Fry's Electronics was founded by the sons of grocery magnate Charles Fry, who's family founded the Fry's Food and Drug chain. In 2009, Circuit City closed all its physical locations and was revived in 2016 as an online-only retailer. Mouser as in the electronics parts house located in Texas? Free shipping, installation on many of our products. Excess Solutions in San Jose is supposed to be similar to HSC, nothing will replace Weird Stuff tho , Excess Solutions bought the HSC inventory and some folks from HSC work at Excess Solutions now. UFO crashing into the building? Both of these places started as surplus sellers way back when and continue to sell surplus, but have kept up with newer merchandise for both hobbyists and professionals. Most required customers to establish an account before they would sell you anything, which wrote off individuals. haha right? Denver/Boulder used to have a bunch of good electronics stores. Everything from vacuum tubes to chips. You have to be careful when you go there because you might just go in with one project you are working on and walk out with three more. Declining badly over last six years. Frys tries to quell rumors of its demise as customers worry about empty shelves Atlantic Metals & Recycling. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, Fry's Electronics at 550 East Brokaw in San Jose, California on August 15, 1997. Ive only been in one Frys store, and that was the one in Las Vegas. It has everything for a project except the ICs. When I freelance in Chicago/Downers Grove, I always make it a point to stay in a hotel down the street from that Frys and bring an extra suitcase. Its no surprise that an electronics retailer might have a hard time competing with online retailers like Amazon and NewEgg and direct computer sellers like Dell, HP, and Lenovo. Been ordering from them for many many years. Bay Area institution Fry's Electronics closed another location, leaving just four open in the region. selena1995 has added a new project titled Arduino Toy Truck. Corporate cards are now the norm; nobody bothers to open a net-30 distributor account unless they are ordering parts for volume production. Ill stop there, but im sure you all know where im going with this. Why should local be held in high regard when mail order via internet is cheaper and usually just as corporate and impersonal? Of course theres the previously mentioned Microcenter, but you should also look for old-school supply stores in your area. any other places I should check out @rob? Living in the Eastern US, I wasnt near one but went whenever I could visited the Downers Grove, IL store around Christmas 2019. Not spectacular on electronics, but hey have interesting stuff and the basics. Customers with electronics being repaired in-store are being asked to pick them up. 800-652-6733 Recycling Centers Scrap Metals Scrap Metals-Wholesale (410) 690-1247. Learn how your comment data is processed. Its not clear what Frys plans to do with its remaining inventory. Their surplus section has dwindled but you can still find interesting things. Shop hhgregg for Electronics, Cameras, Pro Video, Laptops, Headphones, Drones & more. The former Apple executive, who worked briefly at Frys as a cashier after being forced out of Apple, said in a phone interview from France that there seem to be fewer people who want to build their own computers in the age of smartphones. Hard to find decent help. $269.99. Ive had good luck getting stuff from Micah at A2D Electronics (Ottawa, ON: https://a2delectronics.ca/) in the past. The company announced Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, that it is closing all of its remaining stores. Fry's continues to keep hi-tech professionals supplied with products representing the latest technological trends and advances in the personal.. made with genuine ax-man parts is a badge of honor sticker. https://www.vakits.com. Electronics has an obsolescence factor, Cohen said. As the 70s progressed into the 80s, the new-school companies thrived because the people who started out in those 70s startups continued to order from their familiar sources rather than switching over to the old school distributors. Frys has been dodgy? Hundreds flock to the new. SkyCraft is about five miles from my house so I am there all the time. It actually felt creepy and kind of wrong to be there, Im not kidding! Last time I was in no Arduino, no Pi, very little left of the vintage gaming gear . Brothers John, Randy and David Fry, the sons of Frys Food Stores founder Charles Fry, founded the electronics chain along with Kathy Kolder. Fry's Electronics' closing is the end of an era. Fry's had 34 stores at its peak in 2019, half of them in California. 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