Fry's Electronics Closes Permanently Due To Covid-19 And Industry Changes

Fry's Electronics has permanently closed all of its stores today as a result of industry changes and the battering the retail industry has taken due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. This means all 28 Fry's stores across the US will close effective immediately.

In a brief blog post on the company's website, Fry's wrote that it has "ceased regular operations and began the wind-down process on February 24," noting that it believes this process will be "in the best interests of the company, its creditors, and other stakeholders."

Fry's is currently reaching out to customers with outstanding repairs and other vendors to help them make sense of this sudden decision, as well as go over next steps in their orders. All other individuals with questions are instructed to contact various departments, such as a customer service email address for currently-in-repair equipment, a customer service phone number for items needing repairs under a Performance Service Contract, and a separate email address for consignment vendors looking to pick up their products from any Fry's stores.

While brick-and-mortar stores like Best Buy and GameStop are alive, it's no secret that digital goods and streaming are biting chunks out of the physical retail industry. Even before the pandemic hit, digital PlayStation 4 video game sales accounted for 53% of all Sony's game sales in 2019. This is a trend reflected across multiple industries, including film and music.

Fry's Electronics has been in business for 36 years. First opening in Sunnyvale, California in May 1985, Fry's would go on to become a household name in consumer electronics, right alongside stores like Best Buy and Radio Shack, both of which are still in business.