Fry's Electronics permanently closing all stores due to COVID-19 pandemic

Fry's Electronics, the go-to chain for tech tinkerers looking for an obscure part, is permanently closing its doors nationwide.

The company, perhaps even more well known for outlandish themes at some of its stores, from Aztec to "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," said Wednesday in an online posting that the COVID-19 pandemic had made it impossible to continue.

The popular software and electronics retailer has 31 stores operating in nine states, but most are in California and Texas.

Three of those are in the Houston area, and one is in the Chicago area.

Fry's opened its first store in Sunnyvale, California in 1985.

The pandemic has done heavy damage to retailers, but Fry's was already getting hammered by online competition and a battle between heavy-hitters Best Buy and Amazon.com.

Fry's Electronics Inc. says it has ceased regular operations and will immediately begin the wind-down of locations. Customers with electronics being repaired in-store are being asked to pick them up.

If you have questions, you can contact the following email addresses:

• For customers who have equipment currently being repaired, please email customerservice@frys.com, to arrange for return of your equipment.

• For customers with items needing repair under a Performance Service Contract, please call (800) 811-1745.

• For consignment vendors needing to pick up their consignment inventory at Fry's locations, please email omnichannel@frys.com.

The stores' online presence appears largely to have been shut down.

When trying to search the store locator, it takes users to 404 error page not found.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.