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Comment by coffee-- | Hacker News Reader

Step in and replace the loss of our Frys Electronics stores[0], yay!

[0] https://www.kjzz.org/business/2025-08-27/fans-of-phoenix-fry...

The death of Frys was one of those that took so much longer than it should. The last time I went into a Frys was a fluke as I had thought it was already out of business. Walking around inside was surreal as the inventory was sad with the vast majority of shelves empty. I remember taking pics at the time of just how much a shadow itself it really was. I just couldn't fathom why someone had allowed the stores to stay open that long.

Because it wasn't private equity and leveraged to the moon, it was able to shamble into bankruptcy, inlike say circuit city that had a step change bankruptcy.

I went to the Renton, WA one during the death days. It was so odd. Mostly empty shelves and what few products were there had the famous Fry's return labels on them. I'm assuming Amazon killed them.

The store I was in had a lot of open box appliances all lined up like a close out store. The products that were new had the famous layer of Frys dust covering them.

Huh. I've never been in a Frys before, but boy is that a strange decor choice. Aztec stylings to sell brand new tech? I guess I see the juxtaposition, but still...

They tend to be themed. The store in Cambridge/Boston area is probably more to your expectations.

The one in Fremont had a bunch of Tesla coils, Jacob's ladders, and other high-voltage amusements. As a kid, it was the coolest thing.

I thought all the ones I got to visit were cool as an adult, fascinating combination of stuff for sale.

Huh. If the Indianapolis Frys had a theme, it completely escaped my notice.

> With the opening of the Fishers, Indiana, store, Fry's made a "race track" theme with various hanging displays, including "stop" and "go" signs.

https://www.liquisearch.com/frys_electronics/history/store_t...

The Burbank Fry's UFO was definitely noticable.

https://www.pcmag.com/opinions/to-all-the-frys-i-loved-befor...

The Frys in San Diego was done with lots of aquariums, the one in Burbank was done with 50s sci-fi movie tropes, one of them in DFW was done all cowboy themed another had a different theme that escapes me.

It's possible, albeit very unlikely, that we had a theme. My observational skills have been found wanting before.

Sadly the only theme I remember from its waning days were the many buckets to capture rainwater; clearly they were struggling to afford to stay open.

Honestly, I'd not be surprised if that store had a racecar theme.

That I would have noticed. I think. Maybe.

The one in Burbank was Area 51 themed. Huge UFO crashed into the front, aliens everywhere, etc. It was great and is sorely missed.

I miss Frys...

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