First time in a Fry's Electronics

[W6GQ]

First time in a Fry's Electronics in Downers Grove IL today.

Very kewl store, their web page does them no justice.

http://www.frys.com/

[ky5u]

Sounds like a pain in the rear...to visit their site I mean.

[KI4PEQ]

I hear their store security treats everyone like thieves.

[ab9lz]

That's a pretty good store, I miss not living near there anymore. They almost had enough stuff on the shelf to build an entire qrp rig, one packet of T-50-2 toroids and you would have been good to go.

73 m/4

[AG3Y]

Oh, just another big electronics outlet store! I can remember when there used to be at least one electronics PARTS store in just about any major town. In the Chicago area, I can remember their being at least three that I could easily get to by public transportation, ( I was a very young teenager ! ) and of course, the Daddy of all the Electronics Emphoriums, Allied Radio™ at 100 North Western. That store spawned its own little neighborhood of other brand stores, including that young upstart, Radio Shack™ ! ! !

I used to spend hours after school perusing the counters at the local parts store in Berwyn, Il, and considered it a "trip to Mecca" when I actually got to go to Allied!

73 Jim

[ab9lz]

Quote[/b] (AG3Y @ Dec. 30 2007,07:25)]I used to spend hours after school perusing the counters at the local parts store in Berwyn, Il, and considered it a "trip to Mecca" when I actually got to go to Allied!
The store in Berwyn finally closed about 5 years ago. I rode my bike over there and bought a mess of tubes from them during their going out of business sale.

Fry's does have a good parts selection, and was a breath of fresh air after being stuck with the Rat Shack alternative.

73 m/4

[AG3Y]

At one time we had three parts stores here in Hagerstown, which served primarily the local TV and Radio stations needs. In fact, one of the stores was rather "stand-offish" if you did not present them with a Business Card bearing the logo of the station or network you were working for. ( It's out of business too, I wonder why ? ? ? ) http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

The other two stores just folded up, I am guessing when the owners got too old to carry on the business, or failed to sell it to someone younger.

Thank Goodness for Mouser™ and some few other mail-order places like that! It would be difficult to get parts in smaller quantities ( anybody want a reel of 10 thousand 10Kohm resistors ? . . . . just kidding, of course )

73, Jim

[n4cd]

Frye's has a fairly decent assortment of components. Radio Shack has gotten out of carrying most components at stores. Frye's has a good selection of transistors, ICs, resistors, capacitors, test equipment, soldering irons, power supplies, batteries - as good as many of the Radio Shack stores had. Plus all sorts of connectors.

Don't knock it till you have visited one! Prices are not cheap, but if you need something, and don't have a parts store nearby (which aren't cheap either!) for TV repair and the like, it's a good place to go and look.

We have one in the Dallas area (or more) and I always manage to wander through the electronics section.

It's a lot better than Circuit City and Best Buy which have NO components for sale. Frye's probably has 3000 separate components for sale.

Other than toroids, and maybe enamel wire in different gauges, you likely can find everything you need to build a QRP rig, including enclosures. Or even a higher power rig, as they have some 5 and 10w rf components.

[N2RJ]

Quote[/b] (KI4PEQ @ Dec. 30 2007,04:52)]I hear their store security treats everyone like thieves.
Most retail chain stores do.

[KA4DPO]

Quote[/b] (KI4PEQ @ Dec. 30 2007,04:52)]I hear their store security treats everyone like thieves.
It's true. They take them in the back and strip search them. Then they loose their, you know.........









Money.. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[K9STH]

There are several Fry's in the Dallas, Texas, area, including the one on Plano Parkway just east of Central Expressway. The first two were in Arlington and northeast Dallas where Fry's "took over" the Tandy owned (Tandy is the "parent" company of Radio Shack) Incredible Universe Stores.

They do have a fairly good assortment of common parts and some reasonable prices on things like project boxes. As for their computers, appliances, etc., it is pretty much a "crap shoot" as to if you are going to get something that works or not. Unfortunately, most of those types of items that I have gotten at Fry's (the Plano store is less than 2 miles from my house) I have had to return. The "web cam" that I got there did work fine but virtually everything else did not work or else failed within the first 15 minutes of operation.

Now their "return" policy is great. Unfortunately, there is always a "line" at the return counters no matter what time of day or evening you go there.

Last week I needed some overhead transparencies and Fry's has packs of 25 that are about 1/3rd the cost of those at places like Office Max, Staples, etc. I got them home and opened the package. There were 17 in it! I went back and the customer service people told me to go get another package. I got 2 and brought them up to the counter and insisted that they be checked. Frankly, they had to combine my original package with both of the packages that I brought to the counter to get the 25 that are supposed to be in the package.

Since Fry's is so convenient to my house I still go there for certain things like computer paper, labels, etc. But, I have learned to have them verify that everything is in the package before I leave.

Glen, K9STH

[kd5kfl]

Books. Out of date books; if they have the third edition the fourth is on the printing press. But if you live way the heck out in the ginglyweeds, and its 75 miles to Borders underwhelming technical book selection...

Books. A glorious selection of books for people who don't need the dummies guides.

[N4PRT]

Repeat after me:

Books. Amazon.

[WB2WIK]

They don't treat everyone like thieves. Fry's started in Silicon Valley and spread from there; I've been going there since the first store opened a long time ago.

I'm now pleased to have two "local" Fry's, one in Canoga Park and one in Burbank, that I can get to in minutes.

Their liberal "returns" policy has bitten them in the butt on several occasions, which is why they're so careful now. Back when PC components were more expensive than they are today (hard drives, memory, CPUs) it was very common for thieves to buy a fully loaded PC then bring it back a day or two later for a refund...after removing all the valuable parts.

It was also common for thieves to buy a very high-end disk drive (some of the early 5.25" full height drives were well over $1000 each), remove it from the carton and swap it out for a dead one or one with much lower value and then "return" it. The "returns counter" employees would diligently offer store credits and refunds, costing the company probably millions of dollars.

Now they carefully check all that stuff, and I don't blame them.

They do have a great selection of electronics tools (like probably 50 different kinds of soldering iron tips), and even their clamp-on ferrite RFI choke filters are less than half the price of Radio Shack's, with a much larger variety to choose from.

I bought my daughter's laptop PC there recently...not only was it cheaper than any "on line" store anywhere (I checked diligently) but they offered "buy a laptop, get a free printer," and an "instant rebate" of $50, further reducing the cost.

WB2WIK/6

[WA6MHZ]

Frys must be doing very well. They now sponsor a group of planes that do aerobatics at Air Shows such as the Miramar Air show they have every October here in San Diego. Soon we can expect to see the FRYS BOWL game on New Years. Who will play? San Diego State vs Notre Dame?

[N7RJD]

Quote[/b] ]Lost my virginity today, WOW

Maybe you should head over to the beaver thread in rag chew. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[KI4ITV]

Quote[/b] (n7rjd @ Dec. 30 2007,08:47)]Quote[/b] ]Lost my virginity today, WOW

Maybe you should head over to the beaver thread in rag chew. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
Hehe,
I just noticed the title of the thread was changed to something less interesting.
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[W6GQ]

It is a better title, I should have thought it through before posting it, thanks Mod team

[N2RJ]

I just wish we had Fry's up East.

Hey, maybe they could buy out CompUSA!

[AE6IP]

Quote[/b] (AG3Y @ Dec. 30 2007,07:25)]Oh, just another big electronics outlet store!
Nah. Fry's is SomethingElse™.

The first Fry's Electronics store was opened by people whose family were founders and operators of the now defunct Fry's grocery stores. They started out in Sunnyvale, at a time where there were a dozen good electronic outlets, parts stores, and odd lots electronics outlets in the area, and they originally differentiated themselves by also carrying munchies -- a tradition that continues to this day.

The chain has morphed and now is heavily biased towards consumer electronics, but they still sell the munchies and most Fry's still have cafeterias.

Alas, however, the quality of the individual stores varies dramatically, and the Fry's that is directly across the street from Danger is one of the lesser children.

Sunnyvale Fry's still seems to be the best of the lot.

[ve2nsm]

Quote[/b] (KI4ITV @ Dec. 30 2007,16:55)]Quote[/b] (n7rjd @ Dec. 30 2007,08:47)]Quote[/b] ]Lost my virginity today, WOW

Maybe you should head over to the beaver thread in rag chew. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
Hehe,
I just noticed the title of the thread was changed to something less interesting.
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
Wow... "virginity" is now on the banned word list?

I hope some of the religion threads will get a good trimming.

[k4avl]

Looking at their site, there are 2 Frys near Atlanta, GA, probably about 200 miles from me. Will have to check one of them out some time.
When I was a teen in NJ, we had Lafayette Radio, there was one just about 20 mins away, in Paramus.
I guess their main HQ was on Long Island NY at the time.
In NC, there is still an old store called Electronics Supply in Winston-Salem, they have a lot of resistors & capacitors, but not near an exhaustive enough list for homebrewing.

[WA9SVD]

Quote[/b] (ab9lz @ Dec. 30 2007,08:00)]Quote[/b] (AG3Y @ Dec. 30 2007,07:25)]I used to spend hours after school perusing the counters at the local parts store in Berwyn, Il, and considered it a "trip to Mecca" when I actually got to go to Allied!
The store in Berwyn finally closed about 5 years ago. I rode my bike over there and bought a mess of tubes from them during their going out of business sale.

Fry's does have a good parts selection, and was a breath of fresh air after being stuck with the Rat Shack alternative.

73 m/4
Can't remember the NAME of the shop in Berwyn, but I remember spending a lot of allowance money there http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

But that neighborhood has changed a LOT over the last 30 years.
I wonder if Melvyn Electronics in Oak Park still exists. That was another "black hole" for spending money, and right across the street from my High School.

Fry's still can't beat the "old-tyme" parts shops, though. They only carry the most common parts and components, so you still pretty much have to rely on mail order for some items. But as far as computer supplies and components, they do have the best (or at least largest) selection, and prices.
Here on the Left Coast, CompUSA closed it's doors, so there's little competition for a store like F**'s; Circus City and BestBuy don't have nearly the selection of computer parts.
Now, if only Allied Electronics still had a store, and Newark still had an Amateur Radio Department, and So. Michigan Avenue still had "Radio Row"...

[ka0gkt]

Fry's...Costco and Basha's has better meat. Ever since Kroegers bought out Fry's it's little better than Safeway or Albertsons! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Actually, Fry's Electronics is the same family as used to own the Supermarket Chain in the Southwest. We don't have one in Tucson, but there is one in Phoenix. For some reason my car wants to drive there on its own every time I visit the Valley of the Smog...err...Sun!

I remember visiting Radio Row on Michigan Avenue in my youth. I think, somewhere in a box in the garage I still have a couple of "Command" receivers and a transmitter which I purchased in the Windy City.

73 DE KAØGKT/7

--Steve

[WB2WIK]

Quote[/b] (AE6IP @ Dec. 30 2007,14:16)]The first Fry's Electronics store was opened by people whose family were founders and operators of the now defunct Fry's grocery stores. #They started out in Sunnyvale, at a time where there were a dozen good electronic outlets, parts stores, and odd lots electronics outlets in the area, and they originally differentiated themselves by also carrying munchies -- a tradition that continues to this day.

.
They do still have munchies and stock them exactly where they'll sell best, along the exit line on the way to the cashiers. Along with books and magazines. And chatchkes (is that how you spell it) of all sorts, like little LED flashlight/keyrings, cutesy mousepads and stuff.

But I'm surprised nobody mentioned one unique feature of Fry's is that each store has a theme, like a theme park. The one in Canoga Park is "Alice in Wonderland," and has all the characters throughout the store. The one in Burbank is "StarTrek" and has the Enterprise crashing into the building over the front door, along with all the space stuff throughout the store inside.

The Fry brothers are very shrewd and seem to find good deals on real estate. The Burbank store, which is enormous, used to be Lockheed's purchasing department, which at one time was staffed with almost a thousand buyers. When Lockheed pulled up stakes and left Burbank years ago, the buildings (which were mostly originally built and paid for by the government) were available very cheaply. The Frys jumped right on it.

WB2WIK/6

[KI4ITV]

Quote[/b] (ve2nsm @ Dec. 30 2007,10:34)]Quote[/b] (KI4ITV @ Dec. 30 2007,16:55)]Quote[/b] (n7rjd @ Dec. 30 2007,08:47)]Quote[/b] ]Lost my virginity today, WOW

Maybe you should head over to the beaver thread in rag chew. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
Hehe,
I just noticed the title of the thread was changed to something less interesting.
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
Wow... "virginity" is now on the banned word list?

I hope some of the religion threads will get a good trimming.
Yep.
It couldn't be too much longer before we can only buy Censored Olive Oil here in the states.
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[n5tjd]

The one on Executive Dr. in Dallas is western-themed. They have a bunch of cattle on the balcony above the entrance looking down at you. I live about 2hrs away from the nearest store and it is a special trip every time.

Growing up in the 90s me my cousins and uncle would always make it to the 1st Saturday Event in downtown Dallas around Ross Av. Anyone remember that? It was a big computer and electronics sidewalk sale. It also had some amateur radio stuff as well. It took place in an area covering several parking lots. It would start at around 12am and run to about 12pm. We'd hang out from about 6am to 11 and then go to Plano to eat lunch at Furr's and afterwards we'd go to Fry's, then on the two hour trip home we'd open up whatever we bought and look at each other's finds. I remember days were I had to make several trips to the truck several blocks away to unload my loot.

[AE6IP]

Quote[/b] (WB2WIK @ Dec. 30 2007,17:03)]But I'm surprised nobody mentioned one unique feature of Fry's is that each store has a theme, like a theme park. The one in Canoga Park is "Alice in Wonderland," and has all the characters throughout the store. The one in Burbank is "StarTrek" and has the Enterprise crashing into the building over the front door, along with all the space stuff throughout the store inside.
Not sure why I didn't think of that.

The original Fry's store was done up in an electronics theme of course. The building was painted to look like a DIP and they had some very cool nostalgia stuff inside, including things like early semiconductors and tubes.

The most popular theme around here is the Egyptian themed one, which isn't terribly far from the Rosicrucian Museum in San Jose.

[K0RGR]

How good is Fry's ?

In spite of my slowly-mending bum right leg, I walked all over the Sunnyvale store last week. I was tempted to take advantage of my handicapped parking spot to really load up the car, but I only bought a few big Christmas presents. The sales people in the camera department severely ticked me off, but I had great help elsewhere. It was Christmas week, after all.

The only other stores I visited that day were HRO and the former Halted's Surplus. HRO was giving away gel cell batteries, and Halted's had all kinds of useful goodies quite cheap - I think they're better now than they used to be, and they've always been Mecca for techno-junkies, including some well known Silicon Valley icons.

I've asked Fry's before if they would consider opening a store in Minnesota. It would be a hit here no matter where they built it! It's probably a good thing that there isn't one around here. I'd have to sign over one paycheck every month to them if there was.

I remember the original Fry's from back in the IMSAI 8080 era. I remember buying discrete memory and TTL chips there for some projects. As I recall, they sold early computer kits, too. The last time I looked, they still carry a small line of ham gear - Alinco, I think. I didn't go down that aisle on this trip, but the sign for "Worlwide Communications" is still there.

[K9STH]

TJD:

The "sidewalk sale" in Dallas actually started at the old Electronics Center building at the corner of Haskell and Blackburn in the late 1960s. Electronics Center, Inc. was an amateur radio store that was owned by Wholesale Electronics and the manager of ECI was Walt Jackson (I have gone "blank" on his call - now deceased) who was also one of the owners of Wholesale Electronics. Walt decided to have a "tailgate" sale on the first Saturday of each month to increase the "traffic" into Electronics Center with the hopes of selling more equipment and accessory items.

There was a vacant lot on the southside of the building that had a lot of trees which provided shade (very important in the Dallas area during warmer weather) and the monthly sale very soon outgrew the parking lot and "overflowed" into the vacant lot. When the "new" Wholesale Electronics building was completed (Ross Avenue at Central Expressway) the Electronics Center building on Haskell Avenue was closed and the operation was moved into the basement of the new building. There was an outside stairway at the front of the building down to the Electronics Center operation.

At that time the "sidewalk sale" moved to the Wholesale Electronics location. Soon the larger parking lot again filled up and sellers began setting up across the Central Expressway access road under the viaduct where Central goes over Ross Avenue. At that time the sale started converting over to computer equipment much more than amateur radio equipment. Several years ago the City of Dallas started banning sellers from being located under the viaduct and the sale eventually moved to a large vacant lot on the other side of Ross Avenue from Wholesale Electronics.

I have not been down there for years and I understand that the location has been moved several times since the last time I was there.

Glen, K9STH

[ne6ao]

Here in manhattan bch calif frys helpers all have thick accents India and other places Im not putting them down but it really is hard to find some one who really knows the stock,example there are 4 places in the store where they have european power translaters adapters and 6 places to get an antenna connector be it pl259 in one place another for type N another for tv cable conn.,etc but they do have a lot of stock.I asked 1 guy who seemed to know where most stuff was and why do they have it scatterd he said he's never gotten a real answer from management

[k6crc]

The original Fry's was in a small building right off of Lawrence Expressway. It was great... all kinds of parts, a section of soft drink cases, another with the best selection of magazines in the area. It was the only store around where you could buy Playboy, DRAMs, and something to drink. It moved across Lawrence to a big old warehouse, as they ran out of room quickly. Then it moved to an old factory, a disc drive company if I remember correctly, where it is now.

The consumer electronics is usually cheaper at Fry's. But, all the local stores will match Fry's price if you push a little. Fry's is still squeezing the competition, as only Best Buy seems to be able to compete.

The reason Fry's won is that the owners are from the supermarket business, and know where the profit is - in the LONG aisle going to the checkout; with junk food, games, and knicknacks that kids will have a fit over. You can watch the parents walk to the checkout with one item, and by the time they reach a cashier, they have five. The margins on a candy bar are much better than a flat panel TV.

I noticed a comment about the death of the small parts shop. I use to ride the bus to downtown to get stuff for my High School electronics shop projects from a shop in Long Beach. The place I had to go to was generally disorganize and and service was awful, especially if you were a kid. I remember being yelled at when I got too close to a new Hammarlund radio. I was glad to see Radio Shack and mail order bury them.

K6CRC

[KG6YTZ]

Quote[/b] (WB2WIK @ Dec. 30 2007,11:29)]I'm now pleased to have two "local" Fry's, one in Canoga Park and one in Burbank, that I can get to in minutes.
http://members.aol.com/xfire905/bin/gallery/frysbbk1.jpg

http://members.aol.com/xfire905/bin/gallery/frysbbk3.jpg

[Old shots. Cheapo KLH digital camera. I don't use it any more.]

[W1GUH]

Quote[/b] (ne6ao @ Dec. 29 2007,21:08)]Here in manhattan bch calif frys helpers all have thick accents India and other places Im not putting them down but it really is hard to find some one who really knows the stock,example there are 4 places in the store where they have european power translaters adapters and 6 places to get an antenna connector be it pl259 in one place another for type N another for tv cable conn.,etc but they do have a lot of stock.I asked 1 guy who seemed to know where most stuff was and why do they have it scatterd he said he's never gotten a real answer from management
That's the one Fry's I've been in, and I love the stock of antenna connectors and adapters. They had just what I needed.

That Fry's theme seems to be caves? That particular store has some walls that look like a cave, complete with waterfall, and an outside courtyard, which I have yet to figure out why it's there! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[N5RLR]

Knock on wood, I've gotten decent service at the Fry's on Executive Drive [off Northwest Highway] in Dallas. Thus far, I've bought two printers, a monitor, various bits 'n' pieces, and a [don't laugh] CB mobile there.

Quote[/b] (K9STH @ Dec. 30 2007)]<span style='color:darkred'>At that time the "sidewalk sale" moved to the Wholesale Electronics location. Soon the larger parking lot again filled up and sellers began setting up across the Central Expressway access road under the viaduct where Central goes over Ross Avenue. At that time the sale started converting over to computer equipment much more than amateur radio equipment. Several years ago the City of Dallas started banning sellers from being located under the viaduct and the sale eventually moved to a large vacant lot on the other side of Ross Avenue from Wholesale Electronics.

I have not been down there for years and I understand that the location has been moved several times since the last time I was there.</span>
The last time I visited the place [February 1998] there were several police cars around. My then-girlfriend and I were having dinner that evening and overheard a couple of other sidewalk-sale browsers talking about a raid that had gone down there, early that morning. Seems that a few vendors were nabbed with bootleg software and CD/DVDs, and stolen computer hardware.

Ouch. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

[KG6YTZ]

May 2002: Fry's in City of Industry, CA., where the architectual theme seems to be... uh... industry. #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif #[Much better camera, much better shot, some manipulation for color and perspective in Picture Window Pro.]

http://members.aol.com/kg6ytz/bin/webpost/fryscoi.jpg

Edited to add: No, the gears aren't animated. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[K6BTM]

Quote[/b] (WB2WIK @ Dec. 30 2007,17:03)]But I'm surprised nobody mentioned one unique feature of Fry's is that each store has a theme, like a theme park. The one in Canoga Park is "Alice in Wonderland," and has all the characters throughout the store. The one in Burbank is "StarTrek" and has the Enterprise crashing into the building over the front door, along with all the space stuff throughout the store inside.


WB2WIK/6
I agree the theme of each store has been fun. Do they still do that with the newer stores? I ask because the closest to me now is the newer Oxnard Ca. store and NO theme. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif Unless Greek style panel pictures on the perimeter walls count?.. Just wondering.

[KG6YTZ]

Well, the one in Las Vegas seems to have a "casino" theme. #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif #I haven't been inside - I've just seen it from the 15 - but it looks like you're entering a giant slot machine.

Another shot of the City of Industry store:

http://members.aol.com/kg6ytz/bin/webpost/fryscoi2.jpg

[N8CPA]

Quote[/b] (KG6YTZ @ Dec. 31 2007,05:53)]Well, the one in Las Vegas seems to have a "casino" theme. #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif #I haven't been inside - I've just seen it from the 15 - but it looks like you're entering a giant slot machine.

Another shot of the City of Industry store:

http://members.aol.com/kg6ytz/bin/webpost/fryscoi2.jpg
That looks like clockworks to me.

[WA9SVD]

I've been to all the So. Cal Fry's except the City of Industry and San Diego proper. The newer the store, the better the service and general cleanliness and orderliness, although the San Marcos store is finally fitting into the mold of personnel of the other stores.
The Anaheim Hills Store still seems the best.
While Glen is correct about Fry's being "Buy once, return twice," they have gotten better than they were. They DO have a liberal return policy, that I sometimes have to
use, but only because an item is defective, or does not perform as advertised. Shrink wrap new items are usually safe to purchase, and if defective, it's not really Fry's fault. And they do have lower prices than other dealers. IF you know what you want, it is not a bad place to shop. But I don't rely upon the personnel for technical information or advice; for the wages they pay, I don't expect a salesperson to know about 20 different soldering devices, or much else. But I do expect them to know where items are located in the store (at least in THEIR department.) As stated before, the stores are often disorganized and they have the same, or similar items in more than one place in the store, so it's difficult to find what you need. Worse yet,they seem to re-organize the store and aisles every few weeks, so it's difficult to find items from one visit to another.

So yes, many of us have a "love/hate" relationship with the "Four letter word" for computer store.

[ka5piu]

Hello.

The theme in Dallas is "Cowboy" complete with plasic longhorns.
I thought that this stuff was only in Ft Worth?!
What is a fort worth?
But, in Dallas, Tanners Electronics is THE local electronics store.
Houston is oil country, so the theme of that Fry's is oil, no not uptight oil execs in 3 piece suits, but fake-o-rama oil "workers"
Now, to be PC, the oil workers should be a herd of Mexicans eating tacos while they work, as that is what it really is like now. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
In Houston, Electronics Parts Outlet is where it is at, a mom and pop operation.
As far as chain stores for geeks go, CompUSA is going out of business, replaced by who knows what?!
Texas is a lot of fun, a world of of redneck and Mexican culture, as well as German and Arab, so I fit in just fine. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

[KD6NIG]

They used to be a lot better. The need to compete with the standard "Electronics" stores like Best Buy today is showing. They still sell stuff you can use to build stuff yourself, but that part of it is rapidly shrinking. At the one in Sacramento, Computer stuff, DVDs, and appliances dominate. The component section is wedged in the middle of the computer department now.

I'm glad they sell hard disks now boxed in stuff instead of bare like they do memory still. It used to be you'd have to wait till one of the 2 people in the entire department could put it into the computer for you.

But if you're looking for builder type stuff and you've been in there before, you'll be dissapointed in what they have now.

Not that they still aren't good if you want stuff for your computer, or DVDs and stuff, but the component selection is way down. They don't have as many gadgets as they used to.

But you can still grab a soda and a snack on the way out http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[n9lya]

Quote[/b] (KI4PEQ @ Dec. 29 2007,21:52)]I hear their store security treats everyone like thieves.
Yes... they do... Everyone... Every time...

I had to wait 10 minutes at the exit once because the new employee did not understand my receipt and was checking each and every item...

When teh Store manager arrived.. I handed him my bag and asked him is everything in order or what... he said yes.. I said good now you can have it all BACK I am returning it and I am not waiting over 5 minutes for my refund... he looked shocked..

I suggested they try another approch as this one sucks...And just cost them $590.00 I am sure they could care less..


73 jerry n9lya

[ab9lz]

Quote[/b] (wa9svd @ Dec. 30 2007,16:04)]Can't remember the NAME of the shop in Berwyn, but I remember spending a lot of allowance money there http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

But that neighborhood has changed a LOT over the last 30 years.
I wonder if Melvyn Electronics in Oak Park still exists. That was another "black hole" for spending money, and right across the street from my High School.
Oddly, neither can I, and I was only 2 short miles away in Riverside.

In a cool sort of way, triode (http://store.triodestore.com) rose from the ashes to fill the now growing vacuum tube audio craze, at times they carry boat anchor related stuff as well. Fun place to visit.

Charlotte is the edge of the planet when it comes to finding stuff, we don't even have a decent computer parts store, the only hope is mailorder and the occasional hamfest.

73 m/4

[WB2WIK]

Quote[/b] (n9lya @ Dec. 31 2007,12:09)]Quote[/b] (KI4PEQ @ Dec. 29 2007,21:52)]I hear their store security treats everyone like thieves.
Yes... they do... #Everyone... Every time...

I had to wait 10 minutes at the exit once because the new employee did not understand my receipt and was checking each and every item...

When teh Store manager arrived.. I handed him my bag and asked him is everything in order or what... he said yes.. I said good now you can have it all BACK I am returning it and I am not waiting over 5 minutes for my refund... #he looked shocked..

I suggested they try another approch as this one sucks...And just cost them $590.00 I am sure they could care less..


73 jerry n9lya
I don't know if they do this "everyplace" or not, but around here, Home Depot does exactly the same thing...as does Costco. You show your receipt to a checker on the way out, and at random they can search for every item you have if they wish -- or sometimes, they don't. So, Fry's surely isn't alone.

Their margins are very small, so your $590 purchase did not represent $590 in revenue to them...probably more like $59, or actually in terms of net profit, maybe more like $20 if you wisely purchased stuff that was on special sale, had special discounts or had instant rebates.

They know all about losing some customers this way, I've discussed it with store managers and area directors at least twice. Their feeling is, "too bad, this is the way we must do it, and the customers we lose aren't really the ones we wanted."

WB2WIK/6

[WA9SVD]

Quote[/b] (KD6NIG @ Dec. 31 2007,11:24)]They used to be a lot better. The need to compete with the standard "Electronics" stores like Best Buy today is showing. They still sell stuff you can use to build stuff yourself, but that part of it is rapidly shrinking. At the one in Sacramento, Computer stuff, DVDs, and appliances dominate. The component section is wedged in the middle of the computer department now.

I'm glad they sell hard disks now boxed in stuff instead of bare like they do memory still. It used to be you'd have to wait till one of the 2 people in the entire department could put it into the computer for you.

But if you're looking for builder type stuff and you've been in there before, you'll be dissapointed in what they have now.

Not that they still aren't good if you want stuff for your computer, or DVDs and stuff, but the component selection is way down. They don't have as many gadgets as they used to.

But you can still grab a soda and a snack on the way out http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
I don't think they ever intended to be an "electronics components" store. At least here in So. Cal, they have ALWAYS concentrated on the computer parts (meaning peripheral cards, processors, drives, and such) and consumer electronics, later adding large appliances in some of their stores. But the "components" section, for capacitors, resistors, IC's, and the like always seemed to be an after thought.
However, they are STILL vastly better than Rat Shack. At least the components and parts they DO sell are usually good quality; better than anything out of R-S.

[KD6NIG]

Quote[/b] (wa9svd @ Dec. 31 2007,14:02)]Quote[/b] (KD6NIG @ Dec. 31 2007,11:24)]They used to be a lot better. The need to compete with the standard "Electronics" stores like Best Buy today is showing. They still sell stuff you can use to build stuff yourself, but that part of it is rapidly shrinking. At the one in Sacramento, Computer stuff, DVDs, and appliances dominate. The component section is wedged in the middle of the computer department now.

I'm glad they sell hard disks now boxed in stuff instead of bare like they do memory still. It used to be you'd have to wait till one of the 2 people in the entire department could put it into the computer for you.

But if you're looking for builder type stuff and you've been in there before, you'll be dissapointed in what they have now.

Not that they still aren't good if you want stuff for your computer, or DVDs and stuff, but the component selection is way down. They don't have as many gadgets as they used to.

But you can still grab a soda and a snack on the way out http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
I don't think they ever intended to be an "electronics components" store. At least here in So. Cal, they have ALWAYS concentrated on the computer parts (meaning peripheral cards, processors, drives, and such) and consumer electronics, later adding large appliances in some of their stores. But the "components" section, for capacitors, resistors, IC's, and the like always seemed to be an after thought.
However, they are STILL vastly better than Rat Shack. At least the components and parts they DO sell are usually good quality; better than anything out of R-S.
True. But they used to have a much better selection.

I actually have to, for once, give kudos to R/S. Well, not really. But when I went into Frys this past weekend, they had no Ferrite Beads or cores that I needed. I went into R/S for something totally different (A power adapter for my scanner) and in the drawers that they are phasing out, lo and behold, they had them in every shape and size imaginable.

So, rarely, sometimes the 'shack does win.

Frys is pretty good for computer parts, yes. Just stay away from those names you never heard of http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif Except for the el-cheapo computer keyboards. Those things last forever if you can stand how generic they look. The rest of the off brand stuff is junk though-stay with name brands.

And if you need help its probably sparse at best. I remember a guy telling a customer something so off the wall I had to interject. They are good if you know what you're looking for, I wouldn't go in there seeking anything beyond basic advice.

Course, I wouldn't go into Best Buy and ask one of their "Geek Squad" dudes for advice either http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[wa9cwx]

Triode Electronics...Wasn't that the old 'Greeks' place, no way can I remember his name now...But I used to see him at hamfests for years...And WHERE was the parts store in Berwyn....

Anyone remeber Joseph's on Harlem?

Or Spectronics on Harrison ?

( I think Harrison was the name WEST of Harlem, Garfield... east of Harlem ?)

Frank

[KG6YTZ]

Quote[/b] (N8CPA @ Dec. 31 2007,02:02)]Quote[/b] (KG6YTZ @ Dec. 31 2007,05:53)]Another shot of the City of Industry store:
That looks like clockworks to me.
The theme carries on inside with [simulated] large motors, conveyor belts, and other [simulated] heavy machinery. #Basically, it says "factory" or perhaps even "The Industrial Revolution." #Apropos for a place named City of Industry... #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif [It didn't get that name by accident, and BTW, that really is the actual name of the city, not a nickname.]

[KG6YTZ]

Quote[/b] (ka5piu @ Dec. 31 2007,10:02)]Hello.What is a fort worth?
About two or three months worth of Alamo-ny. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[WA9SVD]

Quote[/b] (KG6YTZ @ Dec. 31 2007,21:15)]Quote[/b] (ka5piu @ Dec. 31 2007,10:02)]Hello.What is a fort worth?
About two or three months worth of Alamo-ny. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
GROAN!

[kf6rdn]

You definitley want to have an idea of what you are buying to shop there, knowledgeable salespeople is a crapshoot.

I DO have to correct the Burbank store, it is NOT "Star Trek" themed, it is old B Sci fi movie themed, the front has a flying saucer crashed in it (as seen in 'YTZ's photo), inside has scenes from typical sci fi, and what's kinda cool is they have a cafeteria with a big screen playing some of the B classics.

[ab9lz]

Quote[/b] (wa9cwx @ Dec. 31 2007,19:42)]Triode Electronics...Wasn't that the old 'Greeks' place, no way can I remember his name now...But I used to see him at hamfests for years...And WHERE was the parts store in Berwyn....

Anyone remeber Joseph's on Harlem?

Or Spectronics on Harrison ?

( I think Harrison was the name WEST of Harlem, Garfield... east of Harlem ?)

Frank
The Triode guy was audio from the start, he had a little place near Darkroom Aids (that place was great) in the city. I think he eventually bought the "greeks" place and moved out to the northwest side. Looks like he has been unloading all of the RF related stuff through his ebay store.

I met the old guy shortly before he sold everything off, handed him a schematic out of the handbook, 15 minutes later had a bag of tubes, air variables etc, chokes, all of the (now) hard to find parts to build a early 60's rig. He probably was the last of his kind in Chicago.

The electronics place in Berwyn was (I think) on Cuyler just north of Cermak.

73 m/4

[KC9JIQ]

Quote[/b] (kf6rdn @ Jan. 01 2008,01:54)]You definitley want to have an idea of what you are buying to shop there, knowledgeable salespeople is a crapshoot.

I DO have to correct the Burbank store, it is NOT "Star Trek" themed, it is old B Sci fi movie themed, the front has a flying saucer crashed in it (as seen in 'YTZ's photo), inside has scenes from typical sci fi, and what's kinda cool is they have a cafeteria with a big screen playing some of the B classics.
Fry's is a great referesher, makes Wal-Marts all look the same. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[N9LCD]

I don't venture out to the Downers Grove area unless it's absolutely mandatory; the traffic is absolutely brutal.

But, I think Fry's website and their online service is above average. I bought online from them once and I'd buy from them again. They really beat all the local bricks & Mortar computer retailers!!!

JERRY

N9LCD

[WA9SVD]

Quote[/b] (N9LCD @ Jan. 01 2008,14:50)]I don't venture out to the Downers Grove area unless it's absolutely mandatory; the traffic is absolutely brutal.

But, I think Fry's website and their online service is above average. I bought online from them once and I'd buy from them again. They really beat all the local bricks & Mortar computer retailers!!!

JERRY

N9LCD
Ogden Ave. from Downer's Grove to Lisle used to go through semi-farmland. I hate to ask what it's like now?

[KG6YTZ]

Quote[/b] (kf6rdn @ Jan. 01 2008,00:54)]I DO have to correct the Burbank store, it is NOT "Star Trek" themed, it is old B Sci fi movie themed, the front has a flying saucer crashed in it (as seen in 'YTZ's photo),
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Somebody had to say it. #Dunno why I didn't... #Anyway, that's certainly not the USS Enterprise "crashed through the front of the building" at the Burbank store.

More about the store, though... #Once inside, one can see the "front of the UFO" above the door to complete the illusion, and an assortment of alien creatures lurk in the rafters. #Near the front, the aliens have "melted a Jeep in half" - there's actually a Jeep cut in two, surrounded by "Army men firing back at the aliens." #Fun stuff. #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif #In the back of the store, above the TV/stereo section, a huge white "flying saucer" reminiscent of the ships from the "V" series hovers over everything.

BTW, that store is just a little bit south of where this happened (http://www.airdisaster.com/eyewitness/wn1455.shtml).

[WB2WIK]

Quote[/b] (KG6YTZ @ Jan. 02 2008,00:30)]Quote[/b] (kf6rdn @ Jan. 01 2008,00:54)]I DO have to correct the Burbank store, it is NOT "Star Trek" themed, it is old B Sci fi movie themed, the front has a flying saucer crashed in it (as seen in 'YTZ's photo),
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Somebody had to say it. #Dunno why I didn't... #Anyway, that's certainly not the USS Enterprise "crashed through the front of the building" at the Burbank store.

More about the store, though... #Once inside, one can see the "front of the UFO" above the door to complete the illusion, and an assortment of alien creatures lurk in the rafters. #Near the front, the aliens have "melted a Jeep in half" - there's actually a Jeep cut in two, surrounded by "Army men firing back at the aliens." #Fun stuff. #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif #In the back of the store, above the TV/stereo section, a huge white "flying saucer" reminiscent of the ships from the "V" series hovers over everything.

BTW, that store is just a little bit south of where this happened (http://www.airdisaster.com/eyewitness/wn1455.shtml).
Yeah, you're right, I stand corrected. Although I'm really sitting. It is more like a "B" sci-fi/space alien movie.

I don't go there much, although I drive right past it very often as I use the airport a lot. From Hollywood Way you don't get a good shot at the spacecraft, it's a tad too far away.

I use the CP store quite a bit, and that's definitely Alice in Wonderland. I hang out by the Cheshire Cat and see if I can make myself disappear except for the smile. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[WA9SVD]

Quote[/b] (KG6YTZ @ Jan. 02 2008,00:30)]Quote[/b] (kf6rdn @ Jan. 01 2008,00:54)]I DO have to correct the Burbank store, it is NOT "Star Trek" themed, it is old B Sci fi movie themed, the front has a flying saucer crashed in it (as seen in 'YTZ's photo),
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Somebody had to say it. Dunno why I didn't... Anyway, that's certainly not the USS Enterprise "crashed through the front of the building" at the Burbank store.

More about the store, though... Once inside, one can see the "front of the UFO" above the door to complete the illusion, and an assortment of alien creatures lurk in the rafters. Near the front, the aliens have "melted a Jeep in half" - there's actually a Jeep cut in two, surrounded by "Army men firing back at the aliens." Fun stuff. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif In the back of the store, above the TV/stereo section, a huge white "flying saucer" reminiscent of the ships from the "V" series hovers over everything.

BTW, that store is just a little bit south of where this happened (http://www.airdisaster.com/eyewitness/wn1455.shtml).
Gee, you'd think that motif would be more appropriate for a Fry's in Roswell, N.M. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

And I believe the theme of the Fountain Valley, CA store could best be described as "Geeko-Roman?"

[KI6NNO]

Just don't ever try to return anything. It's like entering the 7th circle of hell. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

[WA9SVD]

Quote[/b] (ki6nno @ Jan. 02 2008,16:16)]Just don't ever try to return anything. It's like entering the 7th circle of hell. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif
The best time to go there is on a Monday morning, about 9:30 AM. The stores are EMPTY, even the return counter. Going there for a return during the Christmas rush, I can only imagine the horror.
While they DO have a liberal return policy, sometimes it's to their disadvantage. Some people REALLY take unfair advantage, and use an item until the 30 day return period is up, and then they expect a full refund.

[KI6NNO]

Yep, people that take advantage of a policy just hurt everyone. It's just the wait to return things and the 'splainin' that kills me.

[KG6YTZ]

Quote[/b] (wa9svd @ Jan. 02 2008,15:09)]Gee, you'd think that motif would be more appropriate for a Fry's in #Roswell, N.M. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
Yeah, I can't figure it out either, unless it has something to do with the cinematic history of Burbank and the surrounding areas.

Quote[/b] ]And I believe the theme of the Fountain Valley, CA store could best be described as "Geeko-Roman?"
HAW!!! #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

Been there once, probably a decade ago by now. #I barely remember it. #I wasn't aware at the time that every store has a certain theme to it. #Pretty clever on their part, though! #It wouldn't be anywhere near as much fun if every store had a boring cookie-cutter chain-store sameness.

[K6JF]

Quote[/b] (wa6mhz @ Dec. 30 2007,12:57)]Frys must be doing very well. #They now sponsor a group of planes that do aerobatics at Air Shows such as the Miramar Air show they have every October here in San Diego. #Soon we can expect to see the FRYS BOWL game on New Years. #Who will play? #San Diego State vs Notre Dame?
Fry's also owns the San Jose Sabercats areana football team.

[WA7KKP]

To paraphrase the Wizard of Oz here . . .

"I don't think we're in [Radio Shack] anymore, Toto . . . "

Check out Gateway Electronics in St. Louis as well. With them around the corner, you don't need a well-stocked junkbox. Look in the phonebooks for surplus electronics, and go find them . . .

Years ago they had the same thing on Radio Row in New York City, but it was multiple dealers, just like fast-food outlets today. They tore it all down and built . . .

The World Trade Center.

Gary WA7KKP

[K8ERV]

Reading all this I finally learned the meaning of "do you want frys with that?"

And: I thot all clockworks were orange.

TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo