In August of 2019, we did a story about the empty shelves at Fry’s Electronics on Willow Pass Rd. in Concord.
Fry’s claims they’re not going out of business, and in September, they told the website VentureBeat they planned to reorder new product and restock their shelves within a few weeks.
It’s now been almost 12 weeks, and the shelves are even emptier than the last time we talked about Fry’s.
Just two days after Christmas, they only had two checkers, and nobody was in line waiting to purchase any merchandise.
QUESTION: If you had to bet, do you think Fry’s Electronics in Concord will be closed within the next six months?
Good chances that Fry will get shut down.
since concord’s store isn’t the only one in bad shape, I bet a shinny penny that several if not all stores will close.
It would be a shame because that would leave Jo-Ann’s as the only anchor store left there after Burlington left- but yes its just a matter of months now. They are probably not announcing it because they know the remaining employees will jump ship.
Rick ~
Oh!,…..and there is 99 Ranch Market there too, plus a few restaurants which get a lot of foot traffic. Also a Beauty School, Church, and a Brazilian Steak House.
I’d hope this wouldn’t doom Park and Shop on it’s own. We haven’t shopped at Fry’s for a few years ever since the last time. We went to buy a clothes washer, they had quite a few in stock, but after looking and asking and waiting for a good twenty minutes we couldn’t find a soul who was willing to help facilitate it. We love the excellent food stores and Beverly’s!
The last time I went there that shopping center was a disaster. I wouldn’t go there for nothing. The Mexican market had a conditional food service badge. The front was full of vagrants.
Lets see……..Do you think it’s a coincidence they put off their announcement until (at least) after Chrsitmas? Never liked Fry’s. It was like buying from kiosk people at the mall. That, combined with no customer service, meant eventual dome. When are brick and mortors going to learn that the key to their survival is customer service? Without that, the customer may as well purchase online! The customer will come in for a knowledgable staff with a desire to help them.
They need to do something with Park and Shop. The few good places left, like the Brazilian Resturant and a few others, will suffer if they don’t. Catering to the immediate neighborhood has not been working. They need to attract people that are willing to spend money. As it stands now, those people avoid that center.
This store will close within the next six minutes.
To Park and Shop/Sun Valley Mall: Mixed use (retail, commercial, housing).
Fry’s in South Bay closed already. I went to the Concord Fry’s recently and everything is marked up ridiculously.
By South Bay do you mean Palo Alto, I mentioned it had close on another posting here. However Palo Alto is considered the Peninsula, so I’m wondering if another Fry’s closed, Fremont, San Jose, not sure.
@Hanne Jeppesen Since Palo Alto is in Santa Clara Count, it is South Bay, not Peninsula. East Palo Alto is Peninsula.
Palo Alto always has and always will be in the Peninsula.
I was at the Fry’s store in Campbell 12 weeks ago they also said they were waiting on inventory to come in when I mentioned how sparse there shelves were without product. Employees are just repeating what the higher ups are telling them (likely a lie).
6 Months? More like 6 weeks a better bet. Still, maybe not until the current lease is up no matter how empty.
To Concord ygnacio I guess technically you are right. However, I lived in Foster City for 16 years, and worked at that time in Palo Alto for 5 years, in everyday conversation Palo Alto was always considered the Peninsula.
What would happen if they threw a sale (with nothing on the shelves) and no-one came? I can’t figure out if this is a money-laundering operation or if the ownership hasn’t faced reality.
They could sell the shelves.
Judging from the photos, I think reality is pretty much slapping them in the face! Who would go in there with nothing (of the little that’s left) marked down.
Fry’s in Palo Alto recently closed https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2019/12/27/the-era-of-frys-electronics-comes-to-an-end-in-palo-alto
I had never been to Fry’s until about 3-4 years ago, I went to the one on Willow Pass road, I needed a portable radio, and they had what I was looking for Sangean, I was surprised how many different things Fry’s was selling, candy, eyeglasses etc. I bought a few other minor items. Unfortunately the radio I bought broke after 6 months or so (my fault) so I went back, but they no longer had it in stock, it was available for order online which I did, some time later I bought a computer from Fry’s, at that time I noticed shelves were somewhat empty (not like the pictures you show here) and frankly the 4 times or so I went to Fry’s I was not impressed, their merchandising, compared to Target or Best Buy, looked outdated, the store seemed dark and many items not displayed in favorable way, and their customer service, not so great either. I work retail and provide my customers with excellent service, help them find items, even if not my department, make sure they get all discount available, so I kind of expect the same when I’m a customer.
Maybe they can clear out the space and stock with it grocery and household items. Maybe turn it into a supermarket. Can even keep the same name and logo.
Back to the Future?
There already is a grocery store in Park n Shop: Ranch 99. Plus one across the street (Grocery Outlet).
That space was originally a large furniture store.
We bought an apartment full of furniture there in the 1980’s, including the desk I am sitting at this very moment. Levitz, I believe. Not sure they even exist anymore.
Levitz went under a long time ago. Too bad. I also bought a lot of my furniture there. Great prices and the only thing I could afford when I was starting out.
Great place for a Homeless Shelter, they can use the shelf’s to sleep on.
Stores in all states are just as empty as the Fry’s here. The Duluth, GA location was closed down.
Fry’s told the Dallas Morning News that they aren’t going out of business but are going to switch over to a consignment model in the coming weeks. It’s possible this is true, and they are waiting for the new calendar year to officially make the change.
It’s also possible of course that this won’t happen, and are going to close and declare bankruptcy. There is a rumor that Fry’s will padlock all their stores at the end of tomorrow (Dec 31), but it is just a rumor without any particular evidence.
Pretty big location for a consignment store!
They havnt closes yet so.
I stopped by the week before Christmas and, when I asked if they were closing, was told by an employee that Corporate was having a “dispute” with their distributors. My GUESS is that bills aren’t being paid so deliveries aren’t happening. Just a GUESS.
I think they were too stuck in the grocery business mindset so were slow in adopting to the times. It took years for them even when they finally had a website to post their weekly sale there. In fact a guy in the South Bay would scan the Friday flyer and post it on his site until Fry’s shut him down.
There is also an article online today about their Duluth, GA store being closed. To survive in retail this day in age takes quite a bit of creativity and innovation. And of course tariffs on Chinese goods didn’t help much either.
Funny. Since the story is that John (the son) had to add snacks to convince his dad (the grocer) to support the electronics business. I got the thing I needed (case fan) last time I was there, not available at best buy. It feels to me that the Fry’s have just lost interest. John’s got his personal golf course in coyote valley so I can’t blame him.
I believe Fry’s will close soon.
Another victim of the Amazon era.
It’s far easier to order online. Most of the time the prices are better and there are no lines, no store staff.
It used to be that if you couldn’t find something anywhere else you could find it at Fry’s. For several years now that’s simply no longer true.
For me, they told me I couldn’t bring my dog with me anymore.
I never went back.
A few months ago I spoke with an employee from there who told me they would be closing soon.
all that wonderful open floor space. You can align cots by the thousands…. even room for porta-potties and showers….. A high production kitchen too… Anyone see where I’m going with this???
Yes……….in amazement! Having a huge homeless emcampment would do SOOOOO much for the exisating business owners! Sure doom for the center!
It sure looks that way. No viable retail store allows their inventory to become that depleted.
I’ll place my bet on this .. one by one you’ll start seeing all park n shop businesses close. It will be slow and gradual until one day people are like .. huh? Then you’ll see it all bulldozed down and that stupid soccer stadium will be built. Then they’ll tear down Concord Pavilion, build houses and a huge part of Concord history will be forever f**ked up. This will happen, it’s way to obvious.
Payless Shoe Source has already closed.
I would say that fry’s will be closed within the next 30 days. Those pictures look like the tail end of a going out of business sale.
I have a video of me chasing down a sales rep, and he wanted nothing to do with me, he kept walking away and ducked into the bathrooms. He missed out on some commission hahaha
Probably because you were taking a video of him…
Fry’s signed their own death warrant with their idiocy, especially with their whole “We don’t answer the phone during the holiday season”.
I don’t go to Fry’s anymore.
Let them die.
Answering the phone in a retail is always a bit tricky. As I have mentioned before I work at Macy’s, I was at the Stanford Mall store and recently transferred to a Macy’s in this area. For some reason the phone rang a lot more at the Palo Alto store than the one in this area. We are suppose to pick up the phone, but often the person calling is looking for 1 item (I was in dresses) often on the sale rack or worse the “Last Act” section, there is only one left. If you have a line of 4 or more people it is hard to pick up the phone, because the people in line expect to be served. Having said that I picked up the phone whenever I could and did my best to fine the item and often did, usually the customer wanted it put on hold, or they would buy over the phone, we take all the information, there Macy’s or another Credit card number, and then take it too shipping. The Palo Alto store did over the phone purchases with any credit card, the store here only do it if the customer has a Macy’s card. Here is a little tip for any of you calling stores and wanting the sales associate to find the merchandise and do a charge send, don’t call in the middle of the day when there is a big sale, changes of someone picking up the phone is slim. Call either right when the store opens in the morning or at night after dinner time, also when you call in the morning the store is more organized, thus more likely to find the item you want. On week ends and busy sales day, many items are in dressing rooms, that is if you are looking for women’s clothing.
As long as Joanne’s and Starbucks stay, nothing else of value.
I just spend almost $40.00 at the 99cent only store. I go every few months, that or Dollar Tree, both are great for tissues, stuff for keeping your car clean inside out, little tea candles, which I light 3 or 4 every night during the winter, at 99 Cent you get 6 paper towels for $3.49, they also have some espresso hard candy that I like, so I buy 3 or 4 bags when I go, dishwashing soap and brushes, tissues, lot’s of other stuff that cost much more other places, and the quality is fine for those things.
@JzzMan order from the lunch special menu at Shan Shan Low.
Don’t forget, inventory for tax purposes is likely to begin next week. Many stores try to get by with as little stock on the shelves as possible until inventory is complete.
Not that empty. You still have to have something to sell, in this competitive atmosphere you cannot afford to loose customers.
They may be waiting the lease to be up – like the Palo Alto store which announced it’s closing on Dec. 27th. That’s why they are not restocking.??
Fry’s has been garbage since about 6 months after the opened. Occasional decent prices, but always grossly understaffed, and who you can find doesn’t know much about their products. The shelves have always been grossly understocked. Good riddance. Imo turn the place into a homeless shelter.
I remember having to drive to Fremont to buy there. They had prices so great there was a very very long line to pay for the items. Once they put the small shops out of business the prices rose and the lines ceased. I miss you Comp USA but not you Egghead with your smug employees.
I went there last week looking for a new mouse. When I asked an employee where the mice are, he directed me to an empty isle with only two keyboards and no mice. Why he couldn’t have told me they are all out, I will never know.
I asked another employee why the store is so empty, he said they sold a bunch of stuff and are waiting for a new shipment.
How can decent people live with themselves after telling such a blatant lie?
Probably because the need a job, and although the might have their own suspicion’s, they might just repeat what they have been told. It is really not up to employee’s to tell the customers everything that is going on in a company, It is up to the owners or higher ups to it.
Is secret Soviet marketing scheme. … empty shelves without the long lines!
Excellent place for Wal-Mart
Reports of Fry’s survival have been greatly exaggerated!
I suspect Fry’s will be closing soon, if the shelves and store are that empty. Otherwise, it’s only a matter of time. We’ve all long suspected Fry’s would close, and it seems inevitable.
That particular location is a little goofy. It’s tucked in the back of the center. When Fry’s came in, they redid the pavement to a white that reflects back into your eyes. I’ve never seen anything like it anywhere else. It’s kind of blinding.
That center is really in need of a remodel. There’s businesses in the back that you have no idea are there. Quite frankly bulldozing it down and starting over wouldn’t be a bad idea.
The whole shopping center is a vermin infested fire hazard. It could definitely use a rebuild with modern parking and amenities/layout. It would bring a ton of hardship on the businesses there for a while, though, as they’d have to figure out how they would operate until they could move into a new unit.
Now the only good thing left in Park N Shop is CHICKS DONUTS! Yummmmm! Best donuts in the area for like 50 years now!
My thoughts exactly! A great place to get a inexpensive but good breakfast, aside from the great donuts! 😁👍🏻🍩
Previously, that location was a Furnishings 2000 and a Levitz before that? I think my mother bought a chair there in 1982 or so.
I hope they don’t close. For an electronics hard part guy, they are the only game in town. -sort of like Jo-Anne Fabrics is for the seamstress.
I miss Radio Shack too.
Haven’t been to Fry’s in a few years myself. Went to buy a computer that was on sale in the newspaper ad. several people told me that they had it in stock but nobody could find where it was. Had to talk to three people then a manager finally found it for me. I did by it. It was a good deal. Haven’t been back since though. Sad. Used to be my go-to stop for any computer needs.
Closing for sure, great spot for an IKEA!!
That would work for me, there is no Ikea between Emeryville and Sacramento. Since I’m Scandinavian I like several of the foods they sell, but don’t drive to Emeryville for just a few items. I don’t need much furniture anymore. And since I work at Macy’s I usually buy linens, towels, cookware there since I get an employee discount. However, if Ikea was close by I might buy some there, since there prices are really good. I have been shopping in Ikea since the late sixties, first when I visited my girlfriend in Gothenburg, a few years later the moved to a suburb of Copenhagen, close to where my cousin lives, so we would go whenever I visited her.
Edi will propose to use the space for an homeless shelter and garage for stolen bikes and parts.
I asked when I walked through last week, and one of the employees said they are “remerchandising”, but it’s pretty obvious they are closing. It’s looked that way for almost 6 months.
Please put in a super Walmart or a Kart racing track.
This area is already a dump, so in this instance Walmart may increase value of the surrounding area.
Well I grew up on the pennisula and the first time was at the fry’s in mountain view I spent at least 4 hrs. Walking around just blown away on what they had for sale that was early 80’s and you needed it they had it. Now I live in the north bay and when I need a simple dip switch or a diode or anything to fix anything electronics your screwed.
Now that radio shack has shut down there’s not many places for simple electronic needs and yeah Amazon has many items but you have to put that little project on hold while you go in spend several minutes online and wait for the item and slowly giving us more e waste because of the hassle it is to get those little items that you use to go to local mall and find at radio shack.
up here in Sonoma area or Napa or Petaluma we need a fry’s up in this area that most people who have never heard of fry’s if they went in they to would be like i was the first time i went into one.
Does anyone know what a thrill it was the first time anyone went into a COSTCO? Or a walmart it is something that i wish would happen while i can still fix things without a 2 hrs drive to get something from fry’s and what a disappointment it would be to see the shelves as they are in this picture.
It was I lost one of my dogs when radio shac,k closed and it still saddens me that there’s that much greed from the ceo’s they would rather liquidate these icons that we grew up with. Sorry but i was a victim of 5000 mechanics that got screwed at northwest airlines with one mans mission was to bust the unions and get his golden parachute so he can get his 13 million a year when he retires while myself I am currently in a skilled nursing facility because of having my leg amputated because of lack of medical insurance and failed companies i have worked for that have failed and I lost everything and been trying to survive
Another day above ground and thankful that the doctor didn’t take both legs like he wanted to do. Everyday I wake up and see that I’m alive I thank the Lord well let’s see what can I do to get myself a prosthetic leg and how I’m going to pay for all the expenses that are ahead without being negative with all the craziness that’s around us everyday. The best way I would get me in a positive mood would always be my motorcycle rides but that on hold right now I’m in the process of converting my bike to a 3 wheeler and the little things electronic are a hassle to get but that’s when friends help us get through these curves that life give us.
I’m sorry for rambling on but please don’t close fry’s instead open one up here where with all the fires and growth up here it will be something I would love to see before I die.
It’s something we need.
So I hope someone from fry’s will expand up her where all there supporters have moved to from the 80’s I know I will be there first in line waiting for the door to open with prosthetic leg or wheelchair.
They are bleeding cash big time just on the leases. The $$ has to be coming from another source to keep them open. Hell, the whole reason for the empty shelves is because they didn’t pay their vendors. It isn’t rocket science. The way it is now, they are open because they have leases they can not walk from…BK really the only answer to stop the bleeding and get out of the leases…
Been going downhill for years. Used to be one of my favorite stores.
Bernie Sanders would like the current selection at Frys. I know he was a fan of the bread lines in the (former) Soviet Union.
I was in the Concord Fry’s about a month or two ago and found that some isles are a trip down nostalgia lane.
It used to be that the components that went into your average appliance or device were made so that anyone armed with a screwdriver, diagonal cutters, and a soldering iron could take the thing apart to replace components. You could buy many of the common vacuum tubes at the local grocery store or general supplies store with many of them also having a tube tester. Electronics parts stores were everywhere and had all the vacuum tubes, resisters, capacitors, breadboards, transistors, integrated circuits, etc. that a person could use.
Radio Shack came along and became the big bully on the block in that they sold components at prices usually lower than the independently owned electronics shops. While many of the shops closed consumers benefited as the Radio Shack stores had the most common components and nearly every town had a Radio Shack.
Fry’s Electronics came along and was much like the old electronics stores but much larger.
The nostalgia lane parts of my recent visit to Fry’s is that the shelves with basic components still have inventory. It also made me sad as I realized that the reason the those shelves were not also bare is that people can’t and don’t buy components these days. Appliances and devices are not made to be repaired.
I was in Fry’s as the fuse in a refrigerator had failed. From what I could see, the fuse had not blown but instead a poor internal connection that finally gave out after 13 years with the failure likely aggravated by the recent PG&E public safety power outages. The fuse was soldered onto the motherboard with the manufacturer (Sears/Kenmore) intending that you replace the entire motherboard for $500. I found that Fry’s did not carry the soldered in style of fuse I needed. Fortunately, I had an in-line fuse holder in my scrap pile and so I soldered that onto the motherboard and bought a fuse from Fry’s. The refrigerator is happy.
More recently, a friend had an “experience” at Fry’s. A while ago she had bought an electric scooter at Fry’s for her child. She wanted a new battery as the existing one was no longer holding a charge well. Fry’s web site showed that the Concord store had two batteries in stock. She wanders the bare isles for a while without success but then is able to get one of the employees help. The employee takes her to the battery isle. My friend comments that it’s bare/empty. The employee helpfully locates the tag for the exact battery on the shelf and indicates the battery will be there, pointing at the apparently invisible battery. According to the employee, you can’t order the battery from Fry’s web site and instead keeps pointing at the tag on the shelf but would not acknowledge that there are no batteries there. I told the friend that she was lucky the battery was not there as the odds are high that it would be defective and Fry’s does not accept returns.
I found Fry’s to be good for just one thing. When you need that doodad thingumajig adapter, part, accessory, etc that same day and can’t wait for Amazon, you go to Fry’s. Now that the shelves are bare, is there any other reason to go?
I used to love Fry’s when I lived in Texas. The shelves were always stocked and the employees incredibly helpful. That was about ten years ago though and it may be a completely different culture down there for customer service. It’s unfortunate that Concord Fry’s is so close to closing. It’s a convenient location and when the shelves were stocked it was great to run in there to pick up spare parts for your computer. I’m pretty sad the store is very obviously closing, but not super surprised.
That Park and Shop is still going to be busy. It’s so hard to find parking there! With 99 Ranch, Goodwill, Joannes, and all the restaurants there (Rockin Crawfish is my favorite), I think anything moving into the Fry’s location would be a great addition. I like the idea of an IKEA.
I haven’t been in Fry’s lately but if the dwindling stock of merchandise is as described, yes that store is going out of business. Just like the Kmart on Clayton Road, their stock was dwindling down. Last Summer I actually asked one of the clerks if the store was going to close, they claimed there was not notice of that. Even when Kmart”s closing was announced on Claycord, the store personnel were not aware of that plan before the “Store Closing” banner was placed on the front of the building.
FRY’s is still playing’ the ALL is Well Game. Yet… More and more articles; another today, that Fry’s is making that final swirl down the commode.
FYI, Fry’s is now filling their shelfs, went yesterday and was impressed to find out they had merchandise again