Oddly, there are still some independent places using the Radio Shack banner. Anyhoo, I used to hear good things about the brick and mortar side, but there was never one in range. 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? I live right off of Stevens Creek. I gave them a LOT of business, back when I had to drive right past them on the way to/from work as an engineer at Tektronix. You absolutely wont regret it. Renamed it Aint got it.. I keep imagining that Microcenter suddenly went out of business instead, and it makes me want to cry. That said, in todays business climate, it likely wont be long before the chain will have to surrender to market forces. Forums like TheLayoff.com describe ghost town images like these nationwide. Pricey thats the key its consumers like us that have driven this stae of affairs. And the place had an excellent cafe. When I was there a few years ago, they were still using green CRT monitors for checkout and customer service. Instead, in 1985, they joined together with a fourth partner, Kathryn Kolder (John's former girlfriend), to open the first Fry's Electronics store at a 20,000 sq ft (1,900 m2) site in Sunnyvale, California. Maker Faire is shutting down, he said. Another favourite mail order place is BG Micro Electronics. I once had a salesperson take me back deep into their stock shelves to show me what all they had of something. It was obvious that the store in Fishers, IN was on its last legs for some time. My heart has been broken since we lost weird stuff. You might say we could have collaborated online as we do now but bought our supplies local but that only really works for people who lived near something good like a Frys or a Dick Smith. Etco, Corenet, North American Electronics, Payette Radio, Cesco, they were all important parts places in the seventies, and all gone, starting about 1980. In Montreal, theres Abra Electronics. I will miss Frys. Reading through these comments Im left feeling like were really bad at adapting to change. Some of my most bargain basement PC builds were because of Fry's sales. Driving into the South Bay just isnt the same as it used to be. They did it with the hope that someday, when their building was paid off, their store would also still be afloat and they would have something to show at the end. The store's online presence appears largely to have been shut down. Another note is that some things, like electrical parts, really arent feasible to all sell locally. 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. When I was active duty my friends and I would drive from Fort Hood to Austin to visit Frys on the weekends. I went in once years ago, never bought anything, but I meant to. 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. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). https://youtu.be/1ERS111m89A. Inconsistent application of the price match policy. I think that local vs. mail-order debate really depends on what level of future life you are counting on. $269.99. And now we got a guy running the show who doesnt know where he is when he wakes up each morning. One is in a truckstop in Breezewood, MD. Everything I need, I have to order up from adafruit or newegg, servo city, sometimes resort to Amazon, etc. A fine night out in those days was Frys, Halted, Computer Literacy, Weird Stuff, followed by wings and drinks at St. James Infirmary. 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,. A statement posted on its website cited "changes in the retail industry and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic ". Id like to recommend Electronic Plus in San Rafael. There was a problem. You-Do-It Electronics in Needham, MA and Electronics Plus in Littleton, MA! haha right? Saunders said suppliers might not agree to such an arrangement because they assume all the risk. You could always find better deals online and didnt have to drive a long way. Not spectacular on electronics, but hey have interesting stuff and the basics. 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 . All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! But Saffo cautioned against counting out the Frys family. I mean, come on Look at china The horrible, unspeakable things that they do to their people en masse How could you ever be ok with funding this? any other places I should check out @rob? If anything ever happens to Central Computers, the world might as well end. And we sincerely thank all our customers for shopping local. That and Orvac were frequent stops on my way home from work until 2001. Havent been there in a long time as I moved out of state. Im sure the real estate alone will keep the Fry family happy (or at least their creditors). 2245 W. Fairbanks Ave I was juuuust getting enthusiastic about that and then poof, local-est branch closed, couple of years passed, futureshop decided to become a 100% clone of Bestbuy, opened a new more local store, no sign of the future-active thing, festered as a were the second best buy after bestbuy outfit, technically I guess Bestbuys actual second string, and died again 5 or 6 years ago. Would open source hardware be a thing like it is now? 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?). BuyAPi (Ottawa, ON: https://buyapi.ca/) also has some Adafruit and Sparkfun stuff, as well as Raspberry Pis. 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. See 120 photos and 66 tips from 4140 visitors to Fry's Electronics. https://www.murphyjunk.net. The second place for will-call or mail order is Alltronics, very near Anchor in Santa Clara. Its like a project idea factory. Unfortunately the small local store I used to visit in Indianapolis went out of business some time ago as well. The only Frys in the Chicago area was a 45-60 minute drive, so I only visited on rare occasions or if I had other business to be in that suburb, but it was always an adventure. Just like thousands of others in this state. China suspends alcohol imports from Taiwan as tensions mount, Is California recession coming? Miss Manners: She screamed at us for going ahead of her in line. Lets use this thread to recommend said old-school supply stores, maybe itll help keep them alive! '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. Based in San Jose, California, the privately held company was a family business. Why should local be held in high regard when mail order via internet is cheaper and usually just as corporate and impersonal? Umwhat? Murphys Surplus in San Diego / El Cajon is amazing! 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. Can verify that they used to sell Tamura linear transformers that were fake, and did not meet de-electric withstand. You will receive a verification email shortly. The cash from the sale was used to fund the . I was there last year and it was still selling mostly Radio Shack products. If you rooted around and avoided the stickers, their bargains were incredible. The burritos were great, but they only lasted a couple months. Aleksander Krupa liked 31 Segments RGB Cistercian Display. Theres a YT video about the architect that designed themed building like that. Frys Electronics still hanging on, but for how long? . Janice, Lawrence, and John are always a big help. Sorry to see them go. Found them online over a decade ago, possibly as long as two. North of Baltimore, and in Rockville outside Washington, DC. Fry's had 34 stores at its peak in 2019, half of them in California. Also dropped by HSC Electronics. has been swapped out several times. 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.. The company has said its shelves will soon be restocked and that it is preparing for the holiday season. You might have to go find them though. Frys to close its Palo Alto doors for good in January Mouser and Digi-Key were explicitly friendly to individuals from the start and actively courted ur-makers such as radio amateurs. Frys lost my interest some time back. It had a big pegboard full of Jameco products and a policy that if they didnt have what you were looking for they would order it. Miss Manners: Am I supposed to be charmed by a baby destroying a cake? It's a ghost town though with more employees than customers. Been ordering from them for many many years. I personally began shopping more online and by 2019 i stopped going to Frys completely. Well, thankfully we still have some MicroCenter goodness a few miles away in Westmont. Actually took the rest of online retail a half dozen years to match the Outpost experience. Fry's Electronics at 550 East Brokaw in San Jose, California on August 15, 1997. http://a1parts.com/. Of course theres the previously mentioned Microcenter, but you should also look for old-school supply stores in your area. If anyone knows of others, Id love to know, but my workshop has more and better selection of parts than Frys ever did. Fry's Electronics - Forever Open In Our Hearts 12707 N Mo Pac Expy. Because of that, they say many employees have left or are actively looking for other jobs. West Palm Beach, FL 33404 The brick & mortar specialty stores that are still open are few & far between. Very helpful & friendly. 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. Not only in store but online as well- stock not there. Its great for those of you that live in larger populated areas but what about those of us not in that class. 2300 W Baseline Rd, Alameda-Campus, Tempe (480) 659-8500: 3 Fry's Electronics. It was the Internet that turned things around. (Karen T. Borchers/Mercury News). Their surplus section has dwindled but you can still find interesting things. There is rarely a time which I needed something that I cannot afford to wait a week or even a month to get. A1 is pretty good, havent managed to get there in a while. Thy even have two working RCA tube test machines, mostly used by musicians and boat anchor ham radio owners. All I can say is I am surprised how much they mark-up their price and I am happy to see them gone. 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. 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. It actually felt creepy and kind of wrong to be there, Im not kidding! "To our valued customers, our Campbell location is permanently closed as of . Wire, headers, connectors, hardware, enclosures, speakers, motors, tools, test equipment, radios, tubes, and tons of military surplus. 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. No retail presence, but you can pick up orders if youre in Toronto, and their shipping is quick otherwise. Nathaniel Mott is a freelance news and features writer for Tom's Hardware US, covering breaking news, security, and the silliest aspects of the tech industry. Nov. 15, 2020. There are no long lines at the cash registers. 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. Online stores like NewEgg and Amazon became the new norm for me. The Anaheim Frys closed last March. Harriette Cole: I find it creepy that a co-worker named her baby after me. 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. 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. They were ahead of everyone else on knowing what geeks needed, Saffo said. 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. 407-628-5634 Going, going, gone. I still have JK Electronics in Westminster, MarVac in Costa Mesa, and MicroCenter in Tustin. 636 NW 27th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34475 The electronics surplus store down the street closed years ago, but this place keeps chugging along. Fry's Electronics in Concord will begin closing procedures Feb. 24, 2021. 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. Im impressed its been able to survive so long. The company announced Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, that it is closing all of its remaining stores. 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. I have known few store owners who were millionaires, unless you considered the value of their building to be cash which isnt the case. Ive even made sure make a pilgrimage there when I have visited since moving away. I was a teenager and still in High School back in the late 90s when i first heard about these magical stores. In Frys case, he said, he would be worried that stores mightshut down one day and he wouldnt be able to reclaim hismerchandise. Customers who have equipment being repaired should . Otherwise, you were left with second-tier companies that mostly existed to sell parts to repair shops and a few retail stores like Radio Shack. See reviews, photos, directions, phone numbers and more for the best Computer & Electronics Recycling in Easton, MD. made with genuine ax-man parts is a badge of honor sticker. 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.allelectronics.com/ in Van Nuys, CA is always worth a visit when Im in the area. We reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. What I do need you aint got or on slim chance do have its outdated and/or overpriced. Often if you wanted a specific item, it wasnt in stock. Weve also got a major Amazon hub, so same-day delivery is possible. Free shipping, installation on many of our products. Dont forget Creatrons two stores in Toronto. Fry's Electronics today announced that after nearly 36 years it's going out of business "as a result of changes in the retail industry and the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.". 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. Is it still there? I used to frequent HSC in Sunnyvale, but the owner retired/sold the business to Excess Solutions on 7th St in San Jose. Their family had sold the grocery chain in the 1970s to Dillon's a regional grocer that would end up merging with Kroger who still runs the Fry's grocery chain. said: NiteFire electronic kits, Florida., NightFire Electronics, LLC Luckily we still have Orvac electronics. The Project guest star Jessie Stephens has leapt to the defense of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle following their newly released Netflix documentary. 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. Frys tries to quell rumors of its demise as customers worry about empty shelves I think they even still publish catalogs with random surplus parts. 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. Denver/Boulder used to have a bunch of good electronics stores. NY 10036. The sad thing is, like most everyone else out there, the initial disrespect often leads to my 86-ing the business from my credit-card statements permanently. None of them pay taxes and receive government welfare. Using the store locator I found three within an hour drive from my midwest US city. The web site has a useful price list for concise shopping. Eventually it began to fail and was no longer engaged, bummer. Learn how your comment data is processed. Volker of Universal Solder designs some neat projects. It is always sad to see a electronic distributor go out of business. Interesting surplus/distress stuff. Some of the 50,000-plus items you'll find at Fry's Electronics San Jose: Apple Computers Bluetooth Accessories Ive had good luck getting stuff from Micah at A2D Electronics (Ottawa, ON: https://a2delectronics.ca/) in the past. What angers me is theyd likely still be around if it werent for misguided lockdowns, thanks to Governor Hair Gel here in California. 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. The stock is depleting without restocking and the parking lots are nearly empty. Not far from Boulder, Colorado is Sparkfun; while the walk-in ability is still not available due to COVID, once restrictions are lifted, hopefully? 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. The shelves in the Fry's in Downers Grove, IL have been more than 95% empty going back to autumn 2019 well, Radeon RX 7900 China Launch Reportedly Delayed Due to Taiwan Tensions, Grab a 32-Inch 4K LG Monitor for Under $300: Real Deals, TSMC Commits to $40 Billion Investment of Arizona Fab With 3nm by 2026, Noctua Launches $10 NM-SD1 and SD2 Screwdrivers, Raspberry Pi Pico Powers Armachat Touch Doomsday Computer. Business | Electronics Recycling in Easton on YP.com. There are far too many parts (i.e. Radio Shack wasnt afraid to try innovative product ideas a few were brilliant, a few were terrible and most were at least interesting. I live in an area that has very little to offer now that R.S. I agree with your basic idea but you cant just say shop local no matter what and expect good to come from it. The old school distributors really didnt like to sell to individuals. Near Baltimore, theres only MicroCenter that I know of. 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. Add to cart . Ill miss you Frys. 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 . the people who work there). Their online service isnt horrible. Hard to find decent help. Related Articles (Frys was also a source of things that Mouser and Digi-Key dont sell, like appliances and complete computers.). Still, I like going to stores. That would be a lot fewer people collaborating. 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. Plus its just 10 mins from me. The best thing is, you could often get them cheap on closeout if you waited long enough and went through every week (my favorite hobby!). Its hidden in a little office strip block on the corner, pay attention to the signs. Not bearly a half assed hacker in the store nevermind a qualified Sales associate. For Ohio, may I suggest: Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, Fry's Electronics at 550 East Brokaw in San Jose, California on August 15, 1997. 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. The birth of ubiquitous consumer credit cards (and small business cards shortly after) happened around the same time, making it easier to pay for orders and eliminating the delays and overhead of establishing an account. The IBM/PC bus connector used in millions of computers isnt standard? They did this with many, many items. Find 125 listings related to Frys Electronics in Easton on YP.com. It is more common for retailers to try to help their cash flow by dragging out their payment periods to suppliers, he said. If you have a free weekday in Kansas City, hit up Electronics Supply on Main Street in Westport. 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.. My business is now bankrupt. Several years ago, when I lived in that area, Id also buy components from Jameco Electronics. (Comment Policy). HOUSTON - Fry's Electronics is gone. No super-specials, but if you get on their email list, they often have blanket specials of as low as 35% off for a few days. 12 trouble spots to watch, Single family residence sells for $3.2 million in Los Gatos, The 10 most expensive homes reported sold in Fremont in the the week of Nov. 28, switching most of its suppliers to consignment. I think they do mailorder. Sadly the place closed in the early 2000s. To me your trying to compare DigiKey to Radioshack An Entire semiconductor and electronics supply warehouse to less than a quarter of retail store respective. What a shame. Thank you [Ryan], [John], and [Jack] for tipping us off. I got a microwave, refrigerator, and a unique LCD bathroom scale that was powered by a tiny generator that you tapped with your foot still using it to this day, although the plastic case broke, and its bare metal now. I remember (Netscape co-founder and venture capitalist) Marc Andreessen saying that software is eating the world. The hobby could have died completely and these stores might have gone out of business a lot sooner. 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. Mouser as in the electronics parts house located in Texas? 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. They were doing some classes on electronics before covid. Fail. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. If youve been inside a Frys Electronics store latelyANY Frys, by the wayit looks like they are in the middle of a Going-Out-of-Business-Sale. 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. People are quick to blame cheap stuff on the internet for killing the retail stores but where would they be without it? The parking lot had maybe a dozen cars and whole depts with no one . Companies like Arrow, Avnet, and Newark have all had to move online, court makers and startups, and in general try to approach the kind of customer-friendly model that Mouser and Digi-Key have had for years. Frys has been dodgy? 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. SF does fill a pretty different need than Gateway2000/Fizells/JBSaunders used to; I miss being able to get an ADC locally. Shop hhgregg for Electronics, Cameras, Pro Video, Laptops, Headphones, Drones & more. 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. part numbers). 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. It has everything for a project except the ICs. Get Directions >. No single store could stock them, and a store that stocked even a fraction of them would be absolutely massive and having such a store even in every state would be a logistics and employment-cost nightmare. Bryan Boone, who left Frys a couple of years ago after nearly 20 years with the company, says he bets theyre going to go out of business. But the former facilities manager and construction supervisor thinks the owners of the secretive and privately owned company the Frys family are trying to keep the stores open as long as possible to avoid paying the costs associated with winding down the business. Not as much as I used to but I know I have spent gobs of money there. MarVac should have been in my route too, but I just never made it there. Weird Stuff in Sunnyvale was always fin to visit to, but I believe they too closed up for good a few years ago. 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. 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. WNBA star Brittney Griner freed in US-Russia prisoner swap. Stopped by the San Diego Fry's and it's still open. The new show, called Harry and Meghan, has . That has left the older distributors playing a game of catch-up ever since. Be careful with Jameco, they sell counterfeit ICs: https://northcoastsynthesis.com/news/beware-fake-parts/. Dear Abby: I have a new wife and a friend I sleep with. They also had some sweet 12VDC 30A power supplies on special for $20 a while ago. Some still aint there. In BC, RP Electronics just closed their Burnaby store (dammit). In 2009, Circuit City closed all its physical locations and was revived in 2016 as an online-only retailer. Frys advertised heavily with loss-leaders that sometimes brought in droves of buyers that would line up around the store. 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. 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. Not what it used to be a couple of years ago. And theyre open Saturdays. A lot of things that were done by hardware modules that people assembled themselves are now integrated into smartphones.. Ive been in several Frys but I like YDI better. Not surprised Frys shuttered. Build A Better Mousetrap But It Better Be Better! If you want to support your community, you will probably pay a little more. No Microcenters within hundreds of miles of me. As of November 2020, 31.1% of all small businesses have been put out of business permanently. Frys spokesman Manuel Valerio, who recently said the company is switching most of its suppliers to consignment but is not liquidating or closing stores, did not respond to repeated requests for comment. Frys would have celebrated its 36th anniversary on May 17. Thread Tools. Hours at first were theoretically 9-5 right, so one day I manage to get down there about 5 after 9.. not open yet.. hang around a bit, staring in windows at the rest of the plaza, 9:25, still no sign of life.. and I had an appointment, so Im gone.. okay, another day a wednesday, arrive at 3pm hours have changed now only open until 2pm weds.. ok whatever.. maybe a month passes.. see their ad in local rag Now open Saturdays great, thats a lot easier, 9-1pm, so this Sat is not good, next Saturday then, arrive around 11am Sorry, Family Emergency on the door, seriously?? Watched your video.. wish we had a place like that around here. Their stock may not be complete but it is usually a present trip visiting Frys. New York, Corporate cards are now the norm; nobody bothers to open a net-30 distributor account unless they are ordering parts for volume production. Next time Im in LA Im going to make my first visit to the store. Frys in San Diego took over the store previously occupied by Radio Shack-owned electronics retailer Incredible Universe. You can order at the counter and someone will pick it for you in ~15 mins, depending. I cannot agree more. 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. 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 currently have 1,000 10 amp mini-blade fuses on special for just ten bucks. Customers with electronics being repaired in-store are being asked to pick them up. Most popular Fry's Electronics locations: Map: Show Map: 1 Fry's Electronics. There isnt ANY place less than 50 miles away that has anything. 21300 I Hwy 45, League City (281) 332-2942 . Brothers John, Randy and David Fry, the sons of Frys Food Stores founder Charles Fry, founded the electronics chain along with Kathy Kolder. Staples (our computer/supply store) rarely has what I need. I havent been there in years. Fry's continues to keep hi-tech professionals supplied with products representing the latest technological trends and advances in the personal.. Not including sales gimmicks. They still have a good range of electronic bits and bobs (including Arduino and the other microcontroller stuff) and various gadgets. I was with a startup (Frecom, fax & fax/modems) that won about 10 feet of shelf space in about 1990. selena1995 has added a new project titled Arduino Toy Truck. I also bought an Olympus E-10 fixed-lens digicam from them on a close-out deal. Whats saddest to me is that this was just about the last vestige of Silicon Valleys hardware heritage. Last I checked there were numerous surviving independent RS stores. The new owner of the Active-Tech chain has split up the stores to be localized under an umbrella arrangement\. Ive only been in one Frys store, and that was the one in Las Vegas. By using our website and services, you expressly agree to the placement of our performance, functionality and advertising cookies. Could those maker oases survived by themselves? shoutout to Santa Cruz Electronics. Make sure you go in the back/warehouse area. To honor their memory, please stand in line while waiting for someone to check your receipt for the chewing gum you bought when you couldn't find any games or movies from the current decade in the store to purchase. 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). By clicking "Reject all" you reject all non-essential cookies and similar technologies, but Yahoo will continue to use essential cookies and similar technologies. So, if Fry's does close I'm not sure where I'll go for new electronics. I feel like Central Computers is the last bastion. 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. 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. Consumer electronics is a thin-margin business but is risky, he said. Switching to a consignment model means suppliers would get paid for their goods only after Frys sells them at its stores. They all growed up now. 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. I used to live in a small town. A couple of them like Lafayette (RIP) and Allied would begrudgingly accept mail orders and payment by check, and you could even buy from them with cash if you visited their headquarters. I know one of my earlier purchases was a whole stack of batteries to keep my Nokia 5190s going so that has to be a while back. Glad someone else mentioned Creatron! As far as millionaires, I am not sure what you are talking about there. https://skycraftsurplus.com, In Charlotte, NC Goodwill (the charity shop) has a store called The Grid. 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 . As someone who shopped at Frys since the beginning (when they sold hard drives & video cards in the corner of their Santa Clara grocery store), Ill say that it is sad to see the end of an era. . Most required customers to establish an account before they would sell you anything, which wrote off individuals. I used to work in Anaheim Hills and many of us were excited when that store opened. 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. 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. 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. Would love to hear about others. The answer is well, we can order it for you Yeah but that isnt why I am here! Sorry Frys fans. 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. A1 ended up with most of Actives stock when the family decided to retire. My first Android tablet was purchased at Frys as was a lot of my electronics. Its kinda hard to sell your stuff if closing all your stores was the first step in your orderly wind down process.. RIP active! I was missing the Frys that died already few years ago. For a store with a lot of weird and much more knowledgeable staff, try A1 Surplus, on Queen West. Thread: there has to be some shady reason FRYS Electronics is still open right? 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. Dwindling component sections (Anaheim did have a great selection there for a while). 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. For the last ten years I have been living on the island of Oahu after spending most of my cilivian life in CA/NV. Fry's Electronics was founded by the sons of grocery magnate Charles Fry, who's family founded the Fry's Food and Drug chain. Honestly there is nothing on the island like it. Bummer. I ended up buying the same hub or modem (thats how long ago) several times until I kept better track of serial numbers. Very sad to see Frys go! 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. I dont have any decent electronics stores near me after Radio Shack kicked the bucket. Im glad Sparkfun exists, coz all the others have folded. Our hobby was in decline through the 80s and 90s. Greed is the plague of our times. "After nearly 36 years in business as the . Declining sales staff. Visited Frys once when visiting the Bay area in 2007. I wish there was a place to go around here (Radio Shack was the last in this area, and it was sorely lacking). https://www.mpja.com, Skycraft Parts & Surplus I will miss Frys. Agreed, online sales makes it nearly impossible to compete price wise as long as freight doesnt bite you, but time becomes the issue. Havent visited there (yet). 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. Declining badly over last six years. 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/ I do make a yearly trek to a MicroCenter 80 miles away. 800-652-6733 Easton, MD 21601. Of course Ill go back as long as its there. See reviews, photos, directions, phone numbers and more for Frys Electronics locations in Easton, MD. 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*!!! :-). And, in fact, I think they lost their way when they started selling kitchen appliances. 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 one in Anaheim was fun to browse. 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. By the early naughts I would say it was pretty near circling the drain. They usually have it and you can be pretty sure if they dont their lead time is fairly accurate. Who else sold electronics along side health and beauty aids? in Concord California Friday, March 19, 2004. Ingram Micro, a known delivery partner of Frys, at least at one time, declined to comment, and efforts to reach other suppliers were unsuccessful. Totally agree. Oh, and all the 30-pin iPod docks anyone could have wanted in 2010. Were we in the wrong? Ask Hackaday: Will Your 2030 Car Have AM Radio? Electronics has an obsolescence factor, Cohen said. Fond memories of browsing the cramped spaces of Al Lashers in Berkeley, California. Frys mostly a consumer appliance and electronic store that carried some replacement components, kits, basic electronics supplies, and Personal Computer build and supplies. And then the world changed in ways that were favorable for their business models, and their way of doing things eventually won. You-Do-It Electronics in Needham, Massachusetts used to be really good. Indiana-based HHGregg ceased operations in 2017. for awhile. Both models are victims of their own success.. It was founded in 1985 by the three Fry brothers with the goal of being a "Silicon Valley retail electronics. We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. Vendors are probably loath to supply (Frys) with goods because theyre worried about the chains future, he added. 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. On February 24, 2021, Fry's announced the immediate and permanent closure of all of its stores. That was a sad day indeed when they closed. The Frys around here was starting to show signs this would happen for quite a while. :). comments Winter Park, FL 32789 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. I bought 1,000 power MOSFETS for $35 a while back! I have dearly missed Fry's Electronics. Their stock on stereo equipment and large appliances was always top-notch: good place to compare for listening to speakers, amps, etc. Show Printable Version; 09-29-2020, 11:19 PM #1. highwhey. 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. This news truly saddens me. Yann Guidon / YGDES wrote a comment on project log #006 - Dice555-3: "End-game"?. Fry's Electronics Inc. says it has ceased regular operations and will immediately begin the wind-down of locations. Ill stop there, but im sure you all know where im going with this. The Fry's Electronics store at 6100 Canoga Ave. in Woodland Hills is seen on Aug. 19, 2019. They were walking-dead long before Covid. The Fremont location had a huge room sized faraday cage with a tesla coil that would be engaded on a schedule every day. 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!) A1 is super rad, I was in Toronto for a business trip around a decade ago (maybe longer) and stumbled into it. Literally the same thing (and worse) as funding what the germans were doing in WWII. Atlantic Metals & Recycling. Radioshack.com. [Main image source: San Jose Frys by Bryce Edwards; CC-BY 2.0]. My local Frys store in Downers Grove Illinois didnt really have a theme. But they really became irrelevant in the Amazon age. It was fun to to see all the stuff they carried. Their specials are great. John Fry, co-founder and CEO of the company, did not return emails requesting comment. Were choosing winners and losers and feeling like our local millionaires are better than some other countrys millionaires. Im clearly missing something in its comparison to a retail electronics outlet Frys. Web site is https://anatekinstruments.com/ . Its often a sign of difficulty, said Neil Saunders, managing director ofanalytics companyGlobalDatas retail division. If you have a few hours free, its worth wandering around there. There are also fewer employees to serve people who still patronize the iconic electronics chain, which was born in Silicon Valley in 1985. UFO crashing into the building? Frys could have been Newegg if theyd have taken what worked from Outpost and further refined it. Crap I didnt realize theyd closed. And when will it stop? But the dimensions of the stores and the market need are probably out of sync, he said. 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. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. They were fun, they were interesting, theyll be missed. Besides. Lees might be the only bricks n mortar left. (but Ive got Abts headquarters showroom practically around the corner). They dont appear to have a retail outlet, though. Ive shopped at the Frys in Fountain Valley, CA since it opened 30 years ago. 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. 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. Sooner than we think, Im sure. I will miss Frys. We still have American Science and Surplus in Geneva, Evanston, and Milwaukee. I am surprised they made it this far. 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. My local Frys in Concord had been a ghost town for more than a year so this isnt a surprise. Fry's Electronics' closing is the end of an era. As customers, employees and fans of Frys lament the chains current state, many areblaming the rise of online retail giant Amazon and changing times. I always prefer supporting my local stores over the internet market place to keep these local stores in business. They were staying ahead of the game LOL. Sort of different, but that experience reminds me of a burrito place a couple blocks from where I used to live. If you buy car parts online or at the big box store instead of from the locally owned long-standing parts company, you are contributing to the demise of that local company and likely many of the families associated with it (i.e. For Adafruit and Sparkfun stuff, Elmwood Electronics (Toronto, ON: https://elmwoodelectronics.ca/) is also good. badwolfdemon liked Micro Stereo BT add-on hack. For months, customers have been questioning the future of Frys, posting photos of empty shelves on social media as employees and experts chime in, blaming everything from the rise of smartphones and competition from Amazon to changing customer demand. Recycling Centers Scrap Metals Scrap Metals-Wholesale (410) 690-1247. I do like Mouser and been with them since well nevermind. Addison was such a great place when we found it about 1974, when I went about 2012, I was surprised to find the aisles of parts were no longer, consumer electronics replacing it. But they do have some overlap; they are all places where hobbyists might obtain electronic components. It was frequently not a smooth experience. Business | It was truly a hackers emporium. 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. I shopped at several Frys and liked the experience. While most of his stock is gift oriented, he keeps his hand in the surplus market, and can source some remarkable equipment on request. The first big change was toll-free telephone lines, making it easier and cheaper for people to place orders. Frys was great if you needed something Right Now; Mouser has better prices and selection, though you have to buy enough to overcome the cost of shipping. The cafes sit mostly empty, like the store shelves and parking lots. Was this a good trade for the U.S.. Nutron Computers and Electronics was located in nearby Lombard and was by far the best electronics Id ever encountered in the midwest. Took my daughter to YDI maybe three years ago when they were running a class on soldering. It would scare some of the custumers with its odd cracking and rummbling cage sounds. Even computer parts is an on-line endeavor. Bay Area weather: How much did it rain? Yeah, I went to the Fishers store late 2019, and it was a weird leaky ghost-town. I found the chemistry and other supplies to make for an excellent browsing experience. And they will sell you individual parts. . Aint you never seen no sci-fi set 100s of years in the future? The san Jose location was the largest of the four locations that i would shop at. I use to love to stroll down the aisles looking for sweet deals I couldn't pass up. >A1 Surplus, on Queen West. Janice, who runs the Scarborough one, is incredibly knowledgeable. Im looking at a monitor that I bought there. Levi Sumagaysay is a tech reporter and editor for the Mercury News. Its right there in the name, Industry Standard Architecture. WE have chosen the route of lowest price and now we are paying the cost. Click here if youre unable to view the photo gallery on your mobile device. "Great service. If you are ever in Orlando, skip the park for half a day and go to SkyCraft electronics. Yah, I like ordering from there too actually need a sealed lead acid I should check them out for I didnt realise they had a physical store until a few months ago when mentioned on here derp. 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