RIP Fry’s Electronics

[NW-Bound]

Fry's started as a grocery store, I think. And they still had a lot junk food and Jolt Cola even after they switched to computer stuff. It was the perfect mix.

Donald Fry started a grocery chain in California, and expanded to Arizona. In 1972, the chain was sold to Dillons, which later merged with Kroger.

Kroger still operates the Fry's chain under that name, at least in Arizona. The Fry family negotiated to keep their name for their new electronic store chain.

Nerds liked the Fry's electronic stores, because they were Radio Shack stores on steroid. They used to have really good stuff, such as HP and Tektronix equipment. Could one expect to see the same at Best Buy or Circuit City? Fry's had a different type of customers.

 

[ronin]

I could usually find the same things in multiple locations in the warehouse for some reason, but often couldn't find what I needed in the logical place to look first. And forget getting help from an employee, if you could find one.

 

[Retch The Grate]

Fry's started as a grocery store, I think. And they still had a lot junk food and Jolt Cola even after they switched to computer stuff. It was the perfect mix.

The way it was presented to me before I moved to the bay area in 1999 was that they had pallets of chips next to pallets of chips, so you could buy everything for your hardware project, including the jolt and doritos you'd consume while completing it.

The reality wasn't as cool but I bought computer equipment from them for two decades, last time was 2019 before the pandemic hit. They definitely had worsening stock over time, and the sales people were basically always surly and unhelpful (it was their reputation the entire time I've lived out here).

 

[braumeister]

There were plenty of stores where you could buy electronic "stuff", both new and used, back in the day. I was very active in ham radio in the 70s and I would hit the electronic junk shops almost every Saturday to get things I needed for whatever I was building.

And even earlier, there were dozens of military surplus stores along Canal Street in NYC where you could get the most amazing things.

The only thing different about places like Radio Shack or Fry's was that the prices were higher, the stores were nicer, most things were sold in packages, and all the bins were clearly labeled.

 

[Freedom56]

I'll miss the Burbank store with the alien invasion theme.

We used to go about once a week in the mid-90's but haven't been there for over a year. Many people stopped building their own computers and first to go were the computer swap meets and finally stores like Fry's. I buy all my electronic components on Ebay and other online outlets.

 

[cbo111]

I loved going to the Fry's in Roseville, CA. That was 10 years ago since I moved away and no longer had access to their stores. Fry's was truly the last store where I actually enjoyed just walking around each isle to see what they had. This often resulted in many spontaneous purchases of stuff I never thought I would need.

 

[mountainsoft]

The closest Fry's to me was over 90 minutes away. I only went there once about 15+ years ago. I remember it being a fun place to check out, but it was just too far away to do business regularly. Especially since it wasn't near anything else I wanted to do.

We had a smaller, but much closer (still 40 minutes away), computer parts store up until a few years ago (ENU computers in Portland). I bought quite a few parts from them over the years, but unless it was an emergency situation, it was usually easier to order parts online.

These days the only local brick and mortar outlet for parts I know of is Best Buy and their selection is very limited. It's mostly retail level stuff (i.e. no motherboards or computer cases), and tends to be pricey. They're still 30 minutes away, so I only go there if I need something simple in a hurry.

There aren't too many things I can't wait a few days to be delivered. If I'm in a rush, it's usually still cheaper to pay extra for two day shipping.

 

[ncbill]

To heck with Fry's, I miss Radio Shack!

 

[CRLLS]

Fry's was the last place I could go to get the odd electronic component off the shelf. It was about an 1/2 hour drive. But when you need a part, you need it. It seems that everything has moved to online. I don't do a lot of electronics hobby stuff anymore. TigerDirect was also near me for computer parts. It still is but the last time I was in there, the retail side was half the size it used to be. the other half increasing the warehouse. I have to wonder if BestBuy won't be the next to fall.

 

[dixonge]

I was into Fry's before there was a Fry's! At least before there was one in Texas.


Our big-box themed electronics store was Incredible Universe. One opened in Arlington, Texas in 1992. It was bigger and more themed than Fry's, but they didn't last and the remaining six stores were sold to Fry's in 1996.


RIP to both

 

[Ian S]

I was into Fry's before there was a Fry's! At least before there was one in Texas.


Our big-box themed electronics store was Incredible Universe. One opened in Arlington, Texas in 1992. It was bigger and more themed than Fry's, but they didn't last and the remaining six stores were sold to Fry's in 1996.


RIP to both

We had Incredible Universe in Tempe Arizona. I shopped for my first Windows 95 computer there in 1995. I ended up with an AT&T Globalyst Desktop with a pentium CPU and a whopping 1 GB hard drive! After Fry's took it over and built a new store in north Phoenix, I spent many hours shopping in both. Our Friday newspaper had the mutli-page Fry's weekly ad that was always the first thing read. Miss those days; end of an era.

 

[Lakewood90712]

Every store had a "theme"

San Jose was Mayan, Palo Alto was Gold Rush, Fremont was High Voltage with a huge Tesla coil, Jacobs ladder and gas discharge tubes. All were cool.

I'll miss 'em, end of an era.

The one near Los Angeles airport ( Manhattan Beach ) was south seas , Tiki , bamboo and fake lava walls. They are doing a store fixture sale as I enter this, but the Tiki's are NOT for sale. Already inquired.

 

[Lakewood90712]

If it wasn't family owned, it would have folded years ago.

 

[NW-Bound]

We had Incredible Universe in Tempe Arizona. I shopped for my first Windows 95 computer there in 1995....

After Fry's took it over and built a new store in north Phoenix, I spent many hours shopping in both. Our Friday newspaper had the mutli-page Fry's weekly ad that was always the first thing read. Miss those days; end of an era.

+1

The above Fry's store is not too far from my home, and I used to go there just to look around to see how cheap computer hardware was getting. I did not need anything, but just seeing how cheap things got told me how the state of the art was advancing.

And yes, I used to buy the newspaper just to look at the Fry's ad.

Since Covid time, I stopped going until recently. I was shocked to see empty shelves, lights turned off to save money, and the place deserted with just a few workers, and they still outnumbered customers. It was very sad.

I still remember the grand opening of the Incredible Universe. It was a really big deal. I still do not know how they folded and the place taken over by Fry's.

 

[triangle]

I did not realize they had closed doors. That explained this "Company Man" video that I saw in my youtube recommendations earlier this week. I have not watched the video, as I had found a few of their other videos a bit simplistic and thought this might be a clickbait title....but apparently not.

 

[Ready]

I did not realize they had closed doors. That explained this "Company Man" video that I saw in my youtube recommendations earlier this week. I have not watched the video, as I had found a few of their other videos a bit simplistic and thought this might be a clickbait title....but apparently not.

It’s actually a well done video and it gives a good overview of the company’s history. It reaches the same conclusion that I spoke about in my original post - that their failure to build an internet based business was their main downfall. They never adapted their business to establish an online presence, and eventually people stopped going to brick and mortar stores to buy many of the items they sold there.

There was one other issue that likely hurt them but was not mentioned in the video. This goes back to around 2005 when it was discovered that one of their VPs had embezzled $66M to feed his gambling addiction in Vegas. I’m not sure how much of that money was ever recovered.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ausaf_Umar_Siddiqui

 

[maxq]

I've watched the accelerating decline of Fry's for several years. The one on I-45S in Webster, TX was always eye-catching with it's Space Station designs and mockups. 3 or 4 years ago, all the CDs, DVDs and software disappeared; shortly after, the appliance section was removed; next, brand name big screen TVs disappeared, replaced by a slim assortment of no-name brands. Even before Covid, the largest displays were piles of mattresses, exercise bikes, and as-seen-on-TV merchandise. I built various computers out of stuff I bought at Fry's here and in southern California,but had rarely ventured in over the last couple of years.