Fry's Electronics Closes All Stores

[rp2813]

Maybe it wasn't the long death spiral that Sears, the Generalissimo Francisco Franco of retailers, has been in for lo, these many years, but it was easy to see this coming way back when Jive 45 ground trade with China to a near halt.  The shelves at Fry's were suddenly empty, giving the look of the final phase of a liquidation sale.

 

How or why they hung on for so long may now become known, but figuratively speaking I would hold my nose every time I had to shop there.  Commission-based sales staff was entirely unfamiliar with the customer-focused approach to retailing.  You were generally on your own, or if you were interested in bigger ticket items, subjected to fast talking pitches for whatever best served the sales person's interests. 

 

The only redeeming quality was the architectural themes of their stores.   Wild West, Aztec, Egyptian (the closest one to me), Space Age, just to name a few.  I hope someone documents the interiors of these stores, which were far more elaborate than their exteriors only hinted at.  There haven't been exteriors like this since Best Products was still around.

 

Fry's was originally a local grocery chain.  Those stores all closed in the '80s, around the same time the electronics stores began popping up.  I was surprised to find Fry's still operated grocery stores in Tucson on my first visit to Nate after he moved back there.  I think they're owned by Kroger, so those stores will likely continue on.

 

Pictured top to bottom:  Burbank, Campbell.  The Campbell building had been a non-descript Apple facility for several years before Fry's moved in and reworked it.  For whatever reason, the pasted image of the Aztec themed San Jose store doesn't want to show up in preview mode.

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/frys-electronics-closes-nationwide-055027690.html

 

[sfh074]

No doubt .....

Last time I went was when I was confronted with their lowest price 6' HDMI cable .... was $29. PFFT!

See ya, wouldn't want to be ya.

 

[qsd-dan]

Another icon fades into the sunset.

I remember my first time walking through the store in Fremont back in the 90's as a youngster and nearly lost my mind at the wide selection they had. It was the Costco of electronics back then.

I also miss Best Products too but its just nostalgia. I still have a few "products" from there, one being my GE alarm clock radio cassette from 1992.

 

[revvinkevin]

Wow that's really a bummer! As Dan said above, another icon gone.

While I can't say I've bought much at Fry's in the last 15 years or more (prices weren't the best and had some questionable business practices) I have visited a few different stores in my area looking for something specific or to check prices. My inner child very much enjoys the different themes of each location that I have been to.

I especially loved the 50's alien invasion theme of the Burbank store! The first time I walked in the door I probably spent 30 minutes just walking around looking at ALL the different details within the store! Fun how the spaceship was sticking through the inside of the building too! (photos 1 thru 7)

The store in the City of Industry here in Los Angeles had an industrial / steam punk theme and it was really fun to walk through (pics 8 - 10).

The Manhattan Beach store had a "Tahiti" theme (pics 11 - 13).

The Fountain Valley store wasn't much to look at from the outside, but the inside was "ancient Rome" (pics 14 - 18).

 

[revvinkevin]

Ralph, here are a few pics of the Mayan themed San Jose store.

 

[48bencix]

All stores closed

I thought this was coming. It used to be fun to go there just to see all of the stuff they had. At some point they converted to all merchandise was on consignment, that way they did not have to pay for merchandise. So they just closed all of the stores. No going out of business sales. The consignment owners will have to go to th stores and pick everything up. I wanted to go and wander around and mourn the loss, just as I had done at out last Sears store at Arden Fair Mall which is in the process of closing. Nearest Sears store will now be in Stockton.

 

[rp2813]

Thanks for posting those pictures Kevin!  I tried to find some on line that showed the Egyptian interior of the Campbell store, but there were only a couple and they didn't capture the opulence.

 

[revvinkevin]

the Egyptian theme store in Campbell, CA

 

[vacerator]

Kroger owns Fry's

Some new Kroger stores have some apparel, household small electrics, and electronics.

 

[firedome]

Good Lord...

only in Kalifornia! LOL

 

[rp2813]

The requiems continue in the daily paper, both in the form of articles and letters to the editor.  The geek nation is in an indefinite state of mourning.  One letter suggested a Fry's museum with salvaged interior and exterior decor.  I doubt that will gain any traction.

 

Thanks for the Campbell interior shots Kevin.  That location, along with San Jose and Fremont are all being considered for hi tech facilities or office parks.   Selling those properties and others will easily add over $100M to the Fry family fortune.

 

[twintubdexter]

<span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #008000;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I remember that Egyptian-themed store in Campbell. I can easily understand how some stuffy </span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">foreigners<span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">might find it odd.</span></span>