Fry's Electronics -- empty shelves ?

[Drbraunsr]

Drove down to my local Fry's Electronics store, walked inside and to my shock and dismay --- where's all the stuff ?
No customers, no workers (3 or 4), no inventory.
Read on line it's everywhere - no stock. No Black Friday ads.

Damn. I loved that store. Been going there for 35+ years. Built several computers in the early days. I'm old enough to pre-date personal computers.
It was a cult type store. A geek's paradise. Sad....

[GH85Carrera]

Like the "good ol days" when Radio Shack had cool gizmos and employees that knew electronics.

[Brando]

I heard a rumor from a friend, they're winding down their stores in CA. Not sure if it's everywhere.

[pmax]

Never been in one for years.

[Jim Richards]

My experience was similar at Fry's in the Costa Mesa area,

Some electronics retailers, who tend to order electronic components on a JIT basis so they don't have to carry them, are experiencing acute shortages of supply from Chinese suppliers. Fry's may be among them.

[stomachmonkey]

They are still a big deal in TX but honestly I've stopped going.

The staff are no longer knowledgeable and less helpful than your average Worst Buy employee.

[john70t]

The local Fry's on the south side of Ann Arbor town has apparently closed.
Only Best Buy remains around there.

Radio Shack in Briarwood Mall also closed years ago.
They did not stock...anything....
What a let-down after a long difficult drive.

Just like the local Lowes.

I liked that store, despite it's difficult location, but the feeling of 'too cheap' was actually a turn-off without me understanding why.
(Ironically)
I wanted a feeling of quality and dependability and would pay a bit more.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by john70t

Radio Shack in Briarwood Mall also closed years ago.
They did not stock...anything....
What a let-down after a long difficult drive.

Even my independent go-to electronics store in Akron shut down. They had everything. E.g., Tools to release the connectors from wiring plugs.

[sugarwood]

LOL, who goes to an electronics store like it's 1954 ?
It's called internet shopping, 20 year old concept!

Here is a global cult type store. A geek's paradise
https://pcpartpicker.com/

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

LOL, who goes to an electronics store like it's 1954 ?
It's called internet shopping, 20 year old concept!

Turnaround time.

However, it's clear the point is nearly moot.

[Drbraunsr]

Who can't like shopping at a store like mine - in Burbank, CA ?

Internet ? you're kidding right ? Get off your couch and enjoy life.

[eastbay]

For a few years now they have had instore retail msrp pricing, no deals at all. But if you get on their Daily Deals email list they have some good deals.

[look 171]

I go to that one at Burbank also. Yep, last I was there mover then about a year ago, shelves were empty. Soon, we all will have to shop by reading text and pics no longer will we be able to touch and feel anything

[Rick Lee]

Our local one looked like a Soviet-era grocery store a few mos. ago. One staffer told me the tariffs on Chinese goods were killing their supply chain. I've given up on them. I have to order caps, resistors and fuses online now.

[RWebb]

online is killing local retail - way too much mall & city real estate nowadays

if you aren't walmart or Target or a very local specialty place... watch out

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

Even my independent go-to electronics store in Akron shut down. They had everything. E.g., Tools to release the connectors from wiring plugs.

Some of my earliest memories are of going with my Dad, who was an EE and ham operator, to "radio stores." They were always kind of dark and smelled like wires and solder and probably PCBs and such. Dad liked oscilloscopes, power generators, and anything with tubes he could harvest for his projects. It seemed like there were about five different stores in the Detroit area, and we'd hit them all in a Saturday. There are probably places just like that today in the outskirts of Beijing. With all the same stuff.

[smadsen]

Even in the good times, way too much floor space. Real estate & debt are the two big killers.