Fry’s Electronics was a megastore that specialized in electronics and computer parts.
As a long time geek, Fry’s has been an integral part of the culture of Silicon Valley which gave us the mainstream Internet and smartphones. When I was working in Silicon Valley for an Internet company, it was an after-work bonding ritual for us to go to Fry’s after work and see what they had on sale.
One time, I was talking to a buddy about romantic troubles. It being Silicon Valley, he looked at me and said “Ouch! That’s harsh. Let’s go to Fry’s!” So we shopped at Fry’s so I could forget my problems.
It was the place that everyone loved to hate in Silicon Valley; complaining about the service there was a given, but that didn’t stop anyone from going there and waiting a long time in line to buy their goods.
Even after I moved out of Silicon Valley, going to Fry’s was something I would do when I lived in Georgia, and, yes, in San Diego. In the picture attached to this blog entry, my buddy Victor and I celebrating finding Fry’s in Georgia and being able to continue a ritual we shared in Silicon Valley and San Diego. Even Marina, when she was with us and my wife, loved going to Fry’s with me.
The last time I went to Fry’s was about three months ago. I was hoping they would be able to install an alarm in my car. Entering the store, I found myself in a poorly lit half-empty warehouse with few items on the shelves; the store was nearly deserted and they no longer performed any car installations at all.
Considering how Fry’s had been in this downward spiral for a long time, it was disappointing but not surprising to hear that they had finally gone out of business and closed all of their stores.
So, with a whimper, a piece of the culture which created today’s tech-obsessed world is has become just a memory.
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