Adios & Thanks for the memories, Fry’s!

Today I was saddened to hear that Fry’s Electronics is closing all their stores all across the US! In this post, Fry’s was not just an electronics store! Each outlet was a destination by itself with a unique theme. I am capturing some fond memories of all the Fry’s outlets I have visited.

Fry’s was founded as a Silicon Valley retail electronics store in 1985 to provide a one-stop-shopping environment for the hi-tech professional.
– Description on frys.com

San Jose, CA (550 E. Brokaw Rd.) – Mayan Theme

This location is the closest to our home, and the one I frequent a lot. It is on Brokaw, the road leading to SJC airport. It features a Mayan theme with a grand facade in the shape of a Mayan pyramid. You could even hear the sounds of birds chirping (artificial) when you stand near the entrance.

Carts are moved inside via this tunnel. Pretty cool!

This was my go to place to pick up PLA filaments for 3D printing (they had some great deals), DIY kits, and general browsing.

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/6EzCaM-N3sA

Campbell, CA (600 E Hamilton Ave) – King Tut Theme

This store is close to our church, so sometimes we swing by after the service on Sundays. The entrance has a funky elevator ramp. The theme is based on ancient Egypt.

*Photo credits from top, L-R:* frys.com, next 2 twitter @swiftonsecurity

Sunnyvale, CA (1077 E Arques) – History of Silicon Valley Theme

This store was closer to the apartment in Sunnyvale when we lived there, also close to the Yahoo campus where I worked. The theme was “History of Silicon Valley”. It had several interesting posters and displays that celebrated the Valley’s culture of innovation.

I particularly love the waveform behind the Fry’s sign in the entrance. It is a sinc function, given by $sinc(x) = \frac {\sin x} {x}$

YouTube video: https://youtu.be/CXUxirn_1kc

Palo Alto, CA (340, Portage Ave) – Wild West Theme

This store was one of the oldest, and it featured Wild West theme. I’ve only visited a couple of times. The chandeliers were pretty cool.

Fremont, CA (43800 Osgood Rd) – 1893 World’s Fair Theme

I have only visited this store in Fremont a couple of times. This one is themed after 1893, World’s Fair which featured the electrification of cities. There was a cool Tesla coil in this store. I think we got our first Lego Robotics kit from this store.

San Marcos, CA (150, S. Bent Ave) – Atlantis Theme

This was the first Fry’s store I ever visited, and I was completely blown away! It was on the same road Kinzan office was located, where I was working during that time (2000-2005). This is just a glorious outlet with an underwater theme. There were many aquatic displays, including beautiful fishes swimming in between huge glass panels.

San Diego, CA (9825 Stonecrest Blvd)

I used to visit this outlet when I was living in the San Diego area. Apparently it had the aircraft carrier theme. I don’t recollect much.

I also visited the Portland outlet once in 2019 where I picked up my Bose headset. I did not pay attention to the theme.

What are your memories visiting Fry’s? Please add them in the comments section.