Frys Electronics will permanently close its online and storefront shops, a response partly due to the pandemic.
The company released an announcement early Wednesday on its website, citing “changes in the retail industry and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
No timetable was announced for the closure, but the company statement said it had ceased regular operations and began an orderly wind-down process Wednesday.
The company was founded in 1985 in Sunnyvale, according to its website. It has 31 stores in nine states, with several in the Bay Area including in Sunnyvale, Concord, Fremont and San Jose.
The announcement included some directions for customers:
For customers who have equipment currently being repaired, please email customerservice@frys.com, to arrange for return of your equipment.
For customers with items needing repair under a Performance Service Contract, please call (800) 811-1745.
For consignment vendors needing to pick up their consignment inventory at Fry’s locations, please email omnichannel@frys.com.
RELATED STORY: DEC.2019 – Fry’s Electronics – Shelves Empty, Employees Sparse, Very Few Customers After Christmas
They are blaming covid but long before then they became shadows of their former selves. They only stocked a fraction of the inventory, the deli was only open a couple days a week etc. Last few times I went in they were out of stock on what I needed. It wasn’t covid it was bad management.
100% agreed. Even in their hey day the customer service was trash and it was always a pain to do any return or exchange.I really hope Micro Center decides to give it a shot again in the Bay Area. They have the best prices and great selection. I’ve seen so many deals from them but only for local pickup.
Too bad I liked that place just didn’t go there often enough.
@Richard
I don’t think you knew what was actually going on. They were going through some changes in the company. Changing their business model and going in a different direction. They were looking at going completely lighter on all products as well as going to open a new business. The deil is open 6 days a week but with reduced hours. They were actually profitable as well.
we all have been waiting for this announcement. It was in the making for a long time.
sorry to see them go, I still miss Fry’s supermarket…
Sad news indeed, the last few times, I too, couldn’t find what I needed and did notice a change in inventory, sorry to see them go.
..surprising nobody.
In 1986, we were living in Virginia and decided to take a vacation trip to Northern California. Since I was heavily into “microcomputers”, I made a point to visit the Fry’s store in Sunnyvale that I’d read about in computer magazines. It was great to walk the aisles seeing so many interesting products. That fall, we relocated to Claycord and weekend trips to the growing number of Fry’s stores became a regular activity, stopping only when the Concord store opened. Now that computers have become appliances and few people buy computer parts anymore, there isn’t a place for the big box computer store. The disappearance of CompUSA was the warning that time was running out for places like Fry’s. It’s surprising that they didn’t close at least five years ago.
That is unfortunate. I really liked the place and they were very useful to me a couple of times when I needed some small motor or wires or something quickly for a school project. Not sure what “Me” means above but I’m guessing they were going to “Radio Shack” the place and eliminate most do-it-yourself electronics and turn it into a mall type shop for phone plans or some such thing.
They were still open???
I hope someone thinks to salvage all those large photos of old Concord they had posted above the registers and places them somewhere visible. Maybe in protected cases around Todos Santos Plaza.
Those were super cool to look at every time I was waiting in line to checkout
No big loss Hated that place and only went on there if I had to
I always knew that I would be lied to if I talked to a Fry’s employee. But it was helpful to be able to look at, and compare parts, in person. I have frequently wished we had one here when I needed components.
Another one bites the dust
I didn’t realize that Fry’s was still in business. In fact the last time I went in to buy something they looked like they were out of business. I think that they suffered from poor business practices and online competition. They were in a good position to compete online if they had better management.
It was my favorite place to shoplift.
Sticky; LOL ….. you, and lots of others I think!?
Fry’s suffered from their inability to adapt to online sales. They should have specialized and downsized their store, rather than carry a wide assortment of stuff of questionable quality. I’m sorry for the workers – their owners failed them.
Nice to know we have a retail expert on board. The owners may have had very different goals than you had at your store. How’s your store doing? Isn’t the internet great for hearing from keyboard experts? LOL
Pot, meet kettle.
Radio Shack is back: https://www.radioshack.com/
In 2019 I went to frys. I needed a laptop quick. It was a total joke! No product in stock, no help from knowledgeable staff. I went to best buy and an hour later I had what I needed.
Two months later I wanted a new tv… same story..
Too bad. In business its change or die. They chose death….
Weird, I just went in there recently and they had redesigned the whole store. They cut off huge areas of the sales floor and consolidated everything into a smaller space with full shelves. So they actually had inventory including a bunch of TVs. Like alot of TVs. It actually seemed kind of weird to have that many TVs in a store with like 3 (potential) customers in the whole place.
No printers though, which is what I was looking for.
I’ve needed a few things recently that I would have originally run over to Fry’s for and that Amazon overnighted too me since I have Prime. These were IT things like cables that back in the day Radio Shack might have had on the wall. Those things are so inexpensive it wasn’t worth burning gas to run over to Fry’s.
Before Fry’s was in Concord I often got arcane computer building supplies at some of the “hole in the wall” computer shops around here.
That computer shop on main st in WC across from City Hall has helped me out several times. CCI computer jam. Good people.
Economic Darwinism in action.
Fry’s was so low on merchandise and ready to call it quits that they didn’t even have a “going out of business” sale as other retailers do.
The last time I was there was three, maybe four years ago. I stopped going there because the employees were dismissive, not the first time, so I chose going over to Best Buy instead. Fry’s prices were lower than Best Buy and had a bigger product selection. I guess that leaves Best Buy as the last man standing. Let’s see how long that last.
Olive Garden????
They are finally closing?!?!
Now Levitz can come back.
Good riddance.
.
How about a Goodwill Super Center at the Concord location? Ya know, Park N Shop needs an anchor store!
now that’s funny.
The building would make a great strip club. Got my pile of dollar bills ready.
That’s too bad, but would rather see them fold than limp along like they have been the past few years. It was a great place back in the early 2000s, but I guess management made the right decision to put the company out of its misery.
That’s too bad, but would rather see them fold than limp along like they have been the past few years. It was a great place back in the early 2000s, but I guess management made the right decision to put the company out of its misery.
How ’bout putting in an indoor shooting range??
… no loss – finally !!
Fry Way is a street named for Fry’s, will the city rename it now that they are closed?
Aahhhhh….. This were Steve Jobs got his provision! So now that RadioShack is gone too, where will our young ones find the stuff to satisfy their dreams!
Not a coincidenc claycord. Same family owned grocery store. Sons who went to Alhambra high school in Martinez started electronics superstore.
Unfortunately one can no longer take a drive to a local store to purchase their electronic needs, all online now in ths area.
turn it into a amazon warehouse location for lots of job oppurtunits or a indoor paintball field park
That building is large enough for a Red Lobster/Olive Garden combo. MAKE IT HAPPEN!!! Lol
Send an e-mail to their corporate headquarters explaining your idea to them and that the location is available. You should be able to find an e-mail address on Google. It’s even better if you can get the CEO’s e-mail address and e-mail them directly.
MAKE IT HAPPEN!!!
I purchased my 1st HP PC at the Fremont store in 1999…..I needed to get with the times as upcoming Class reunion was all RSVP by email and also jobs were only accepting resumes online.
What was up with their website…”outpost”?
Now that they’re closing, they are finally using Frys.com
Perfect question!!
I love it!! I just go to the store. Things will start opening up, people relaxing and believe Things are getting better, yay!!
History WILL REPEAT, after the Spanish flu, people relaxing, raorining 20s. Yay, the stock market is looking good. Yay!!
Then The Great Depression.
Good luck everyone!!
Find God
Nobody is surprised. I wish it would become a Texas Roadhouse.
Really nice of them to close without warning. My son had $75.00 worth of gift cards that now are worthless.
I heard the still have an on line present, I would try to use it ASAP.
Lets see, Radio Shack, Circuit City and Comp USA. May they all R.I.P.
Don’t forget the Good Guys. Although, their customer service was even worse than Fry’s so more like Bad Guys?
What will they rename Fry Way?
well since every word/name is offensive now. how about,,,,?
I echo many here. I only went there a few times, I bought a portable radio from them, one in the store and one from the on line when the other broke. I bought also bought a computer there. I thought the merchandising was bad, seem like the store was badly lit, and even 3-4 years ago seemed they had a lot of empty shelves. They also fixed a computer for me once, but I much prefer the Geek Squad and Best Buy, better customer service and more products to choose from.
I loved Fry’s back in their early days although I only purchased software or accessories for my computer. I would walk every foot of the store.
I think I see two reasons for sales declining: In large and small appliances there was two much other competition. Fry’s forte’ was audiophile type stereo systems and desktop computer systems where owners had some knowledge of their systems. Both are now passe’. Today’s music is all electronic and does not benefit from a high quality stereo system that acoustic instruments and voices require.
Millennials aren’t interested in doing anything for themselves, home maintenance, etc. They just go to the gym and pay somebody to exercise them.
People say Walmart not enough parking it’s bad parking now
It was a fun store back in the day, LOTS of PC stuff. That alone makes it better than any store I know of within 30 or 40 miles. Stereo and TV selection was great, too.