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Manhattan Beach Tiki Theme: Fry's Fans Mourn Computer Disneyland
Memories of experiences at Fry's filled Twitter as news of its closure spread. The "Computer Disneyland" with odd visual themes was mourned.
MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — Fry's. The name conjures up countless memories of the electronics retail giant's oddball themed stores full of electrical knick knacks you knew nothing about unless you were a computer or electrical nerd. Aisles upon aisles of merchandise, ranging from TVs to small electronic appliances to printer paper to computers to speakers to candy to gadgets.
As one tweet called it, Fry's was a "Computer Disneyland."
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Here's a look at some of the tweets about the Manhattan Beach store with its Polynesian theme and other unusual Fry's themes.
The Manhattan Beach Fry's used to be a place of wonder. As a kid I only ever went to window shop, dreaming of being able to afford an alienware or a decked out gaming desktop. I went a few months ago and it was desolate and made me sad. end of an era, rip.
— cesar (@cesarischafa) February 24, 2021
Fry's was Computer Disneyland in the 1990s. Back then, each store had it's own interior design theme. The one in Fountain Valley was a Roman square, with a broken aqueduct creating a waterfall. Manhattan Beach was a Tiki Village. You could get anything you needed.
— The Beach Reader (@BrianMcGovney) February 24, 2021
So sad to hear about Fry's Electronics shutting down. I bought my first computer at the Manhattan Beach location. :( https://t.co/mgcLGlt4Jp
— Josh Keaton (@joshkeaton) February 24, 2021
Here's the Tiki Room at Fry's in Manhattan Beach. My colleague's office was in that building before it was a Fry's. After it became a Fry's, we'd shop there for satellite parts and afternoon snacks. pic.twitter.com/gk0FRg8uMe
— Lady A (@ladyaiam) February 24, 2021
I don’t know if you guys saw it when you were in town, but the Burbank Fry’s had a cool alien ant invasion theme pic.twitter.com/fDDRr9zD5x
— Erin (@RinnySega) February 24, 2021
I will truly miss Fry's Electronics, despite the fact that 1) the service was truly horrible 2) returns were even worse and 3) I was once banned from Frys Manhattan Beach location. (Long story.)
— Jeff Lawson (@jeffiel) February" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/jeffiel/st... 24, 2021
I went to Fry's in Manhattan Beach (theme: The South Seas) on the day the Mac LC II was released in 1992. They didn't have the configuration I wanted, but the salesman told me they might have it at the Woodland Hills store (theme: Alice in Wonderland).
— Bill Barol (@billbarol) February 24, 2021
I was a teenager in 1988 when I started my first corporation. It was the fall and I remember my first Fry's buying trip--I drove in the rain and nearly had an accident but I eventually made it to the Fry's in Manhattan Beach. I waited in a really long lin…https://t.co/zx3oaTkUdr
— Christopher Spencer (@borntodeal) February 24, 2021
That’s sad. In the before times when I was staying overnight in LA on a long haul trip, I would usually go visit Fry’s at Manhattan Beach and geek out browsing the shelves and buying computer parts or photo printer paper. https://t.co/ptE2Kp1agd
— Dr Neil Gordon (@tehoro) February 24, 2021
When I was a kid I used to love to roam the aisles of the Polynesian-themed Fry's in Manhattan Beach, dreaming of what to put in my machine next. Last time I went, the roof was leaking and the shelves were basically empty. It was inevitable, but I'm still sad to see it go.
— Mike Fernandez (@MikeFernandezCA) February 24, 2021
Damn man. There was a time in my life I was at Fry's every weekend buying parts for computer builds. Packed lines, crazy parking in Manhattan Beach. Now it looks like a ghost town. Life is crazy. https://t.co/d5hvRlNSLO
— Slevin Kelevra (@DrunkUncTony) February 24, 2021
RIP, electronics hub with oh so many different themes. (BTW the Fry's in Manhattan Beach that we used to go to was tiki-themed, i.e. the BEST one...) https://t.co/rOHNxnPMlE pic.twitter.com/oJaLDNOeYy
— Nicole Michelle (@camposova) February 24, 2021
Still no mention on my tl of the tiki themed Fry’s in Manhattan Beach pic.twitter.com/RJm9JJUTWZ
— Christian Gecosala (@gecosala) February 24, 2021
Fry's Electronics Manhattan Beach looks like it's still on life support. I am surprised these stores are making enough money to pay the electricity bill each month (or may they aren't). In that last pic the entire right side used to be filled with more videogame merchandise. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/nkz8vquG6z
— Cesar R. (@BigC927) February 17, 2020
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