incredible universe phoenix

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Powered by vBulletin Version 3.8.8 Beta 1, Early Retirement & Financial Independence Community. And they still had a lot junk food and Jolt Cola even after they switched to computer stuff. A typical Incredible Universe was 185,000 square feet (17,200 m2) of sales floor and warehouse, stocking around 85,000 items.

It was shown during an episode of \"Mad About You\" It was broadcast on KPNX Channel 12 in Phoenix. The decision was made to open a chain called Incredible Universe.

I only went there once about 15+ years ago. Unfortunately, no. I doubt Ill ever be able to find a complete list due to the manner in which the project was dropped leaving about 4 stores in limbo. They started by selling pre-assembled microcomputers to home consumers, and became a huge name in the electronics industry. nerdist $3.99 Expedited (1-7 day) Shipping on your first purchase!

First the Pin Oak site had very poor access, at the time the 610 feeder was cut off by 59 and this. That was 10 years ago since I moved away and no longer had access to their stores.

I probably spent hundreds of hours in that store, playing video games, demoing cds (they would allow customers to listen to any disc before buying), browsing posters, reading magazines, and eating at mcdonalds with friends or even alone. Buying some sweet blacklight posters. Another, in Woodbridge, Virginia, became a manufacturing plant for General Dynamics' line of amphibious war fighting vehicles, from 2002 to 2012;[6] it was later adapted to Gander Mtn. In this episode we take an appearance at Frys Electronics and Extraordinary Universe. Retail Archaeology and Siesta Mall merchandise is available at the official Retail Archaeology merch shop:

It's a Fry's Electronic's now. It was about an 1/2 hour drive. I used to go to the original store in Sunnyvale for wire wrap sockets and Mt. This amount is subject to change until you make payment. The event included an entrance fee and charity auction all to benefit local nonprofits. Twitter: @Ret_Archaeology. The Lone Tree, Colorado store became a Great Indoors, until that chain closed in 2012, at which point it converted to a Sears Outlet, though that eventually closed as well, leaving the property vacant. We don't even have a Best Buy's any longer. Email optional, only needed to see replies. During this time Tandy attempted to recruit management from existing Houston retailers to come join them. The store was a little bit crazy, pulling ideas and pieces for multiple retailers and using all them to form a store unlike anything else at the time. Fry's was the last place I could go to get the odd electronic component off the shelf. This amount includes applicable customs duties, taxes, brokerage and other fees.

It took the fast-growing consumer electronics industry and added the flair and flourishes of a Disney style experience. Construction on the store was relatively quick transforming the property from mostly vacant fields to a tilt wall concrete building in less than 10 months. Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free! 22'' length Damn it. It's long since been shut down. This community was started in 2002 as an alternative to a then fee only Motley Fool.

This title belongs to McDuff Electronics, who opened their first stores in Houston by 1986. Oh, and getting some of those giant gumballs from the huge gumball machines.

In the past I have used monetization to cover costs of new content acquisition. #RetailArchaeology #FrysElectronics #IncredibleUniverse.

Looking for people that worked at the Tempe Arizona store in 1996/1997.

I guess I'm the sort of formerly loyal, but recently absent, customer that killed them. Ultimately, the company was forced to close or sell all 17 of its locations between 1996 and 1997. Although the Houston location was shown to Frys and several other electronics chains no buyer was found. The Fishers, Indiana store became a car dealership,[10] but was taken over by Fry's in 2005.

There were plenty of stores where you could buy electronic "stuff", both new and used, back in the day. I love going to computer stores and I bet I would have enjoyed going to one of those Incredible Universe stores had I lived (and had money) close to one of them.

See, I dont remember stuff like the Incredible Universe having a McDonalds location. Tandy had boasted that they expected double the turnout of an Astros or Oilers game with around 45,000 showing up.

Incredible Universe was a chain of stores operated by the Tandy Corporation.

The stores were huge in comparison to other super stores averaging around 185,000 square feet. (Picasso). Prior to closing the property would be sold to real estate company Lazarus which planned to purchase the remaining Incredible Universe stores and redevelop them as mixed-use retail, dining, and entertainment centers. The Pin Oak site had been cleared out some years prior leaving behind only undeveloped land and the mighty oak trees that were all over the property.

Instagram: @Retailarchaeology In the mid-1990s, Incredible Universe was a sponsor of the Dallas Mavericks, Dallas Sidekicks, Dallas Stars, Sacramento Kings, and Texas Rangers professional sports franchises. It inspired me to add more content. Here is Kathy M.s complete Incredible Universe store tour from 1994: -=Social Media=- Eventually opening a total of 17 total locations.

Next, the competition in the area was intense, with Best Buy, Micro Center, and Circuit City, and Comp USA all having locations with street access to the Galleria. This event truly was a party, with local celebrities, mascots, and entertainers all being invited to look around the store with the public. Tandy officials say "the stores were profitable but not 'viable.

It seems that everything has moved to online. Good luck! Better hurry though! It was a massive store and in retrospect it was a very unsustainable business model, though Im sure I didnt help things as a broke teenager eternally browsing, rarely buying (though I did whenever possible). To help restore some faith in the company Tandy made the decision to close multiple Computer City locations, including the Greenspoint location and remaining McDuff locations which had already exited Houston. Incredible Universes going out of business sale started February 17th and the store would end up vacant by March. The Bible begins with God created the heavens and the earth.

Many internal corporate philosophies of Disney theme parks were borrowed; in an Incredible Universe store, retail departments were "scenes", employees were "castmembers", customers were "guests", uniforms were "costumes", and so forth.

The focus of the discussions is on topics related to early retirement and financial independence. Tandy was having great success through their Radio Shack stores but wanted to expand into the superstore market. Exploring the eclectic past and present of our fair Bayou City. Phoenix's online guide to everything for kids, teens, & families! Houstonians were beyond happy with the new store. The problems stemmed from some poor decisions the company had made early on. A huge new parking garage restricts view and access, and various colorful updates have begun to cover the original pressed concrete walls. An Incredible Flop So thank you and enjoyMarch 24th, 25th, and 26th 1995Staring The Blue AngelsDuck SoupThis commercial was originally aired on March 9th, 1995.

the other half increasing the warehouse. As of 2021 the Incredible Universe building still stands. When these proved profitable, parent company Tandy, an electronics company, decided to expand quickly, opening an additional 15 stores. However, these good times would not last. This often resulted in many spontaneous purchases of stuff I never thought I would need. | Retail Archaeology, https://teespring.com/stores/retail-archaeology, https://www.patreon.com/RetailArchaeology.

I was very active in ham radio in the 70s and I would hit the electronic junk shops almost every Saturday to get things I needed for whatever I was building. [9] The Pineville, NC store closed abruptly in 1997 after being open for only six months.

All rights reserved. {"modules":["unloadOptimization","bandwidthDetection"],"unloadOptimization":{"browsers":{"Firefox":true,"Chrome":true}},"bandwidthDetection":{"url":"https://ir.ebaystatic.com/cr/v/c1/thirtysevens.jpg","maxViews":4,"imgSize":37,"expiry":300000,"timeout":250}}. A site at 610 and Westpark, formerly home to Pin Oak Stables, had been selected after Tandy considered multiple properties including the vacant Price Club on I-10. After sitting vacant for a little over a year BankUnited quietly began to plan converting the building into a call center. It still is but the last time I was in there, the retail side was half the size it used to be. On February 24, 1995, Incredible Universe made an official announcement regarding their new Houston store.

Copyright 1995-2022 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. 24'' pit to pit Only six were ever consistently profitable; these six stores (Arlington, Dallas, Phoenix, Wilsonville, Sacramento, and San Diego) were sold to California company Fry's Electronics in 1996,[3] which itself ceased operations in 2021. At least before there was one in Texas. To celebrate and share information on the many splendid artistic, cultural and recreational activities available to residents of cities across the US and Canada. A store would also generally contain from four to eight sound rooms where particular combinations of audio/video equipment could be demonstrated, and some stores contained McDonald's restaurants (the Wilsonville, Oregon store contained a Pizza Hut) and temporary day care facilities where parents could leave their small children while they shopped. Great article. Full location list is a bit misleading. FJM ECOM is a ecommerce website providing information on products and sales offers on select products.

An Incredible Idea I'll miss the Burbank store with the alien invasion theme. I was a student there myself, although I went in knowing the history. It was converted to a Sam's Club location, but the front entrance area retained the original two-level overhang. Right Here is Kathy M.s full Incredible Universe store excursion from 1994: -= Social Media=-. Worked there from the very beginning when we did new hire training at a different location on Westheimer, all the way to the days the doors were locked for the last time before the keys were handed to HCC.

In 1996, the Incredible Universe stores lost $90 million, and in 1997, Tandy announced the store closures. Best of all it's totally FREE!

I was fortunate to grow up in a small house just two streets down from the Houston location, and Id frequently walk there as a teen and browse their wares. I really miss IU. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. In this episode we take a look at Frys Electronics and Incredible Universe. I have to wonder if BestBuy won't be the next to fall.

I remember it being a fun place to check out, but it was just too far away to do business regularly.

I worked at the Houston location.

For additional information, see the Global Shipping Program, vintage incredible universe phoenix 500 hat. I don't do a lot of electronics hobby stuff anymore. San Diego, CA 92117, 11425 Carolina Pl Parkway Pineville, NC 28134, 3599 Park Mill Run Road Hilliard, OH 43026, 29400 SW Town Center Loop Wilsonville, Oregon 97070, 12710 Executive Drive Dallas, Texas 75238, 11100 S. AutoMall Drive Sandy City, UT 84070, 1101 SuperMall Way,Suite 1275 Auburn, WA 98001.

Great memories. Incredible Universe was not Tandys first superstore in the Houston area. A shame as was a nice place to buy computer parts, bring home and build.

Nothing from Incredible Universe remains inside other than a large concrete wall that used to separate the showroom from the warehouse. TigerDirect was also near me for computer parts. Condition: Faint brown spots front chest; light yellowing one sleeve; light scraping inside collar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8gTWzcPYlc, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to-osQMHxpE, NYT article: Investment advice for small fry, 80% off EVERYTHING but electronics/giftcards @ borders.com gotta order NOW though, Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1.

The Auburn, Washington location, situated on the north side of the Supermall of the Great Northwest, was converted to a Sam's Club in 1999,[7] retaining the original Incredible Universe faade. Incredible Universe was the name of a chain of American consumer electronics stores in the early to mid-1990s. By the mid 90s many were speculating that Houston was a possible location for a new Incredible Universe store. If you like this commercial *PLEASE SUBSCRIBE*. [12] The Atlanta, Georgia location became a Dave & Buster's location in 1998.

This wall has been repurposed to provide space for a magnet high school in the front portion of the former warehouse. Your full location list didnt include my show on Ring Road in Pineville (Southwest Charlotte, NC). The hype for Incredible Universe was so big, that 15 days before the grand opening a public party was thrown inside the store. Incredible Universe had no trouble pulling in customers but what they couldnt generate were consistent profits.

For additional information, see the Global Shipping Program, This amount includes applicable customs duties, taxes, brokerage and other fees. Outside the normal departments youd expect to find in an electronics superstore Incredible Universe also needed to hire entertainers, childcare, a McDonalds crew, and even a full time DJ.

Great place to work, so much fun and there were all kinds of shenanigans going on all the time. Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. A typical Incredible Universe was 185,000 square feet (17,200 m2) of sales floor and warehouse, stocking around 85,000 items. https://teespring.com/stores/retail-archaeology. Demoing several failed consoles including the Nintendo Virtual Boy, Panasonic 3DO, and Atari Jaguar. '"[5] One of the former Incredible Universe sites located in Houston was acquired and redeveloped by Houston Community College which became the HCC West Loop campus.

These stores were much smaller than even the competition of the time only average about 10,00 square feet. By the time I was in my "real" job in SoCal Fry's was down here too and over the years I've bought TVs, car stereos, cameras and endless smaller components from them - but nothing in the last year for obvious reasons.

The Columbus, Ohio location was converted into a Garden Ridge (now At Home) while the northern half of the parking lot was used to build a Dave & Buster's. I'm kinda surprised too that Fry's lasted this long. Hoping we're not eulogizing Best Buy soon. Let's explore the universe and see the parallels that clearly exist.

To provide parents with all of the information they need to help them and their kids get "out and about" to fantastic opportunities for fun, education, and cultural enrichment in our area.

Fry's started as a grocery store, I think. [4], The closed buildings were so large that they could not be readily adapted to other business purposes, and buyers were so scarce that Tandy sold the empty buildings for mere pennies on the dollar. The community is moderated to ensure a pleasant experience for our members. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/RetailArchaeology. These two stores were very profitable and helped Tandy make the decision to expand the chain. Sacramento, CA 95834, 9825 Stonecrest Blvd. Massive numbers of items were already on sale and the future looked incredibly bright for Incredible Universe.

https://teespring.com/stores/retail-archaeology. At 197,000 Sq ft. this location was to be the largest to date, and they had a $100,000 plan to relocate existing old growth trees and replace those that couldnt be moved. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/RetailArchaeology, #RetailArchaeology #FrysElectronics #IncredibleUniverse, This is an example of a sitewide notice - you can change or remove this text in the Customizer under "Store Notice" Dismiss, Copyright All Rights Reserved 2018-2022 FJM ECOM, Frys Electronics & Incredible Universe: What Happened? Sorry about that Fry's. Please read the sidebar below for our rules. The operation was conceived by former Tandy CEO John Roach. I could usually find the same things in multiple locations in the warehouse for some reason, but often couldn't find what I needed in the logical place to look first.

022522-QQ1-400-RG-CD, Shop All Electronics Cameras, Photo & Video, Shop All Electronics Cell Phones & Accessories, Shop All Electronics Computers, Laptops & Parts, Shop All Electronics Tablets & Accessories, Shop All Electronics Video Games & Consoles, Shop All Electronics VR, AR & Accessories. It featured appearances by local celebrities and offered potential customers a first look inside the lavish new facilities.

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