Frys going out of Business

MavericK

MavericK

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BB Gun said:
won't post the big pics, but yeah - Renton, WA is just like the above when I went there this afternoon...... I hadn't seen this thread and was unprepared for the empty walls and shelves.... Rarely go because its 35+ miles away, and in Seattle traffic that's an hour and not worth the trip, usually.

There were doors open to the stockrooms in the back, and they were bare-shelved as well. The place is not long for this world.
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Wow...I haven't been there in a long time since I live north of Seattle and as you said, it's generally not worth the traffic. But that's sad to see. The times I had been there years ago it was pretty cool.
 
Armenius

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Reading between the lines, I think Fry's has been trying and failing at quietly transitioning to a strictly online retailer. Stock probably isn't being replenished at all these stores as they are simply riding out the rest of their leases.
 
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Dan_D

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Armenius said:
Reading between the lines, I think Fry's has been trying and failing at quietly transitioning to a strictly online retailer. Stock probably isn't being replenished at all these stores as they are simply riding out the rest of their leases.
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There is no real evidence of Fry's shifting into an online retailer. If you got to their website, its clear that they intend it to be store focused.
 
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BlueLineSwinger

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Yeah, Sunnyvale was the original. They're currently on their third store there, however, which is how Palo Alto was the "oldest operating" location.
 
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xorbe

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Wrt computer parts, seemed like Fry's tried to move parts to people that weren't savvy enough to have a look online. 99% of their usb thumb drives were old and slow, and the couple models that were recent cost twice what they did online and were locked in a plastic cabinet by the rep's PC. Best Buy does the same thing ... I went in to get a particular GPS unit. Only the old model was on the shelf. When I asked the rep ... he got me the new model from their stock room, same price.
 
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Silentbob343

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The Duluth GA location is closed, they have a sign on the front doors directing customers to the Milton GA location.

The mall that is next door is also a ghost town, it was used for stranger things filming and the parking lot is full of car dealer inventory.
 
cjcox

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Decisions, decisions.... do I look for tech at Fry's or Kroger? I'm thinking Kroger is a better bet.
 
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Dan_D

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TheSandman21 said:
I've been rooting for Microcenter to buy out Frys.
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They have no reason to do so. Fry's likely carries a ton of debt with it and given how they are doing, it would require major course correction and a huge cash infusion to turn Fry's around. I'm not sure its even possible in the current market. Microcenter probably doesn't have the cash to buy out Fry's anyway, and even if it did, I think it would be a mistake that could even cause them to go under as well.
 
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Ripskin

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Was in the Plano location a few days ago and it looked like they had received some additional items for a few sections (not many) compared to the pictures above but most of the crap was over priced compared to competitors and listed as clearance or still picked over. Seems like more cost to keep it limping along in the current state.
 
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Dan_D

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cjcox said:
Why not? You have a company that is very visibly dying but officially stating they are not dying. Sounds like there could be a story.
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Which has been reported on. Frankly, even if someone wanted to pursue this, it would be hard to get the real info on the matter. No one there is likely to tell some stranger what's going on. That's also assuming anyone you found would know anything.
 
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TheSandman21

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Dan_D said:
They have no reason to do so. Fry's likely carries a ton of debt with it and given how they are doing, it would require major course correction and a huge cash infusion to turn Fry's around. I'm not sure its even possible in the current market. Microcenter probably doesn't have the cash to buy out Fry's anyway, and even if it did, I think it would be a mistake that could even cause them to go under as well.
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Yeah, buy out was probably the wrong term. I should have said "looking to expand into certain markets where they do not already have a presence".... because between the imminent demise of Frys and losing NewEgg Will Call pickup in the last year... I'm not looking to go back to Best Buy for component shopping, and a 4 hour trip to the nearest MC isn't exactly doable on a regular basis. :D
 
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Chimpee

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TheSandman21 said:
Yeah, buy out was probably the wrong term. I should have said "looking to expand into certain markets where they do not already have a presence".... because between the imminent demise of Frys and losing NewEgg Will Call pickup in the last year... I'm not looking to go back to Best Buy for component shopping, and a 4 hour trip to the nearest MC isn't exactly doable on a regular basis. :D
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I think the issue with that is cashflow, even if they want to expand into a market they don't have a presence, I really doubt they have the cash to do it.
 
JosiahBradley

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The Sunnyvale location seems dead when I visit. No more movies, cpus almost dry. Tons of the same PC case littered everywhere to fill shelves. Last time I went I just got a drink cause that's all that was in stock.
 
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BlueLineSwinger

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Looks like Fry's is starting to consider redeveloping and/or selling off their properties:
https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/01/10/industrial-mega-developer-eyes-frys-north-san-jose-site/

Not the first Bay Area site I'd of thought to go this way. Campbell is a small POS store in a high-traffic location that should go for a high price (assuming they actually own it, I'm not sure). Sunnyvale also has a large lot with room to add a couple stripmall-type buildings for smaller stores/restaurants/etc.
 
wra18th

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I've never been to a Fry's because there aren't any in my neck of the woods. But Microcenter is my Disneyland. Just one in NJ and I'm 10 miles away. I spent $8K in one day there.
 
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Flogger23m

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BlueLineSwinger said:
Looks like Fry's is starting to consider redeveloping and/or selling off their properties:
https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/01/10/industrial-mega-developer-eyes-frys-north-san-jose-site/

Not the first Bay Area site I'd of thought to go this way. Campbell is a small POS store in a high-traffic location that should go for a high price (assuming they actually own it, I'm not sure). Sunnyvale also has a large lot with room to add a couple stripmall-type buildings for smaller stores/restaurants/etc.
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Seemed cleaner than one of the other bay area ones. If I recall, Campbell was in that out dated shopping center that would probably be rebuilt from the ground up. Seems like that would've been the one to go first.
 
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xorbe

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BlueLineSwinger said:
Sunnyvale also has a large lot with room to add a couple stripmall-type buildings for smaller stores/restaurants/etc.
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The old AMD building was demolished to make way for another round of condos I believe. Sunnyvale Fry's would make a great location for a grocery store. In fact, I'm gonna call that in as my wager right now.
 
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Just to add fuel here. Fishers, IN store. This is the Motherboard, CPU, and RAM wall. Empty.

They also either turned off the heat, or set it so low, that the remaining employees are wearing jackets, and using space heaters at their stations. The roof is leaking. They do have some new products, some Zalman cases, and a lot of Gamdias stuff. But nothing worth a damn.
IMG_20200122_125049.jpg
 
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The Cobra

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I was out in Seattle over the MLK Holiday weekend and visited the Renton store location. The shelves were basically empty except for the junk they xurrently sell. They had a few low-end video cards and some low-end CPUs, but most of those areas were cleared out. I have spent a ton of money at both the Renton and Palo Alto locations in the years I lived in the SF Bay area and Seattle metro areas. Just another big box location that will eventually bite the dust.
 
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capnstabn

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Dan_D said:
The Fry's off Jupiter and i635 was the one I frequented the most and mostly because it was close. It was also nice for things other than computer hardware but I came to hate them really quick due to poor organization, high prices and constantly repacked returned inventory that was often missing accessories. The one in Plano is closer to me now, but I often go to Microcenter due to much better prices, better organization etc.
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Yeah that Fry's feels a million years old. The one in Irving is a little better, but I'd rather just go to Microcenter.
 
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Comixbooks

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Derangel said:
Bitwit's Kyle and Wifeysauce visited the Fry's in their local area (as well as the Vegas store) and this is what they found

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Wow that is sad it's like Amazon is the Vendor in charge feel the same way about Walmart lots of stuff that doesnt sell very well. Usually goes to the clearance section and I'm just a number there anyway.
 
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Dan_D

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capnstabn said:
Yeah that Fry's feels a million years old. The one in Irving is a little better, but I'd rather just go to Microcenter.
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I was in the Dallas location four or five years ago when it was raining. They had shopping carts filled with plastic as well as plastic buckets all over the store to catch the water from dozens of holes in the roof. The building was so badly maintained it was almost comical.
 
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agjr85

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In Houston, there are 3 locations. I guess in it's prime when they were "NEW" and competing for TV's, Appliances, PC, Printers, and all the other electronics it was good.
They must of rushed on that spike...

Microcenter is strong and only 1 store services the Houston area.
Should of kept it at 1 and kept the demand strong.
 
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TheSandman21

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THUMPer said:
Just to add fuel here. Fishers, IN store. This is the Motherboard, CPU, and RAM wall. Empty.

They also either turned off the heat, or set it so low, that the remaining employees are wearing jackets, and using space heaters at their stations. The roof is leaking. They do have some new products, some Zalman cases, and a lot of Gamdias stuff. But nothing worth a damn.
View attachment 218019
Click to expand...
To be honest, that particular store's roof has been leaking for literally years, even when they actually had stock.
 
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IndyColtsFan

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THUMPer said:
Just to add fuel here. Fishers, IN store. This is the Motherboard, CPU, and RAM wall. Empty.

They also either turned off the heat, or set it so low, that the remaining employees are wearing jackets, and using space heaters at their stations. The roof is leaking. They do have some new products, some Zalman cases, and a lot of Gamdias stuff. But nothing worth a damn.
View attachment 218019
Click to expand...

That's my local store too. I remember when that aisle was jam packed and overflowing with product and people, and I remember when a trip to Fry's was a happy occasion. I am not sure how they stay open at all.

I remember when it was the Incredible Universe too - I think I got my first Voodoo I card there.
 
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Armenius

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Derangel said:
Bitwit's Kyle and Wifeysauce visited the Fry's in their local area (as well as the Vegas store) and this is what they found

Click to expand...

Birthday Masscre vinyl spotted at 1:18. Automatically makes the Burbank location the best.
 
Armenius

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