Regional electronics chain Fry’s suddenly closed on February 24. The long-running chain announced that all 31 of its outlets across nine states were shuttering, effective immediately, in a statement on its website.
"After nearly 36 years in business as the one-stop-shop and online resource for high-tech professionals across nine states and 31 stores, Fry’s Electronics, Inc. ... has made the difficult decision to shut down its operations and close its business permanently as a result of changes in the retail industry and the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic,” the statement read.
The chain that operates stores across the West Coast and in the Southwest said it had started a process that will take care of Fry’s obligations and accounts with a minimum of fuss.
"The Company ceased regular operations and began the wind-down process on February 24, 2021. It is hoped that undertaking the wind-down through this orderly process will reduce costs, avoid additional liabilities, minimize the impact on our customers, vendors, landlords and associates, and maximize the value of the Company’s assets for its creditors and other stakeholders,” it wrote. "The Company is in the process of reaching out to its customers with repairs and consignment vendors to help them understand what this will mean for them and the proposed next steps."
Fry’s had been in business for nearly four decades, but failed to adjust as well to the collapse of in-person retail shopping due to the pandemic. Several fans of the store lamented its loss on Twitter while noting that its online shopping experience was severely lacking.
Fry’s was notable both for the type of store it was and the aesthetics of its outposts. The store was a sort of blend between box electronics stores where big-ticket items could be found and a hobbyist store that carried components. The stores themselves were often outlandishly themed to look like an alien invasion or an Aztec temple.
