Here we at another Houston area Fry's location. This was the first Fry's to open up in Houston Texas. I have been unable to find the opening date for this store, but it had opened sometime in late 2000 or early 2001. If anyone has the opening date, please let me know in the comments below.
The store has an oil field theme. Pipes, oil worker mannequins, and oil derricks are all over the store. There are also painted murals all over the walls, make sure to pay attention and you will see those in the background.
Now we enter the store.
In comparison to the previous store we visited, this one has a lot to see.
The stock here was better than the Southwest Freeway location.
But there were still a lot of empty spots.
Oil drums under the service counter.
Some views of the random products that are in former computer parts aisles.
The layout of the store is similar to the Southwest Freeway location. The biggest difference is that the video games are on the main center aisle of the store instead of tucked away towards the back of the store.
Generators and gas cans.
Looking towards the checkout area. A mannequin is visible above the register area.
I wonder how many people these mannequins freaked out over the years. Some of them stare down at you from above.
Turning back around to the computer parts again.
I have seen a lot of online complaints about batteries being out of stock. The selection was very limited on this visit.
Open space where random items such as gym equipment and pallets of Gatorade were dropped off.
The back corner off of the store is looking very sad these days.
It was difficult to see into the backroom here. From what I could tell, it was mostly empty.
The demo screen on the computers. This is much more modern than the ancient employee computers that are on the sales floor.
Computer keyboards, controllers, mice, and more.
Another look at the empty area of the store. Shelving units filled this area as you can see from the stained carpet.
There was not much VR equipment to be found here.
This area used to be filled with computer displays. Now it is a mix of computers and printers, and empty spaces.
The colognes and perfumes are fully stocked. You know the essential items Fry's Electronics is known for.
Now we are venturing towards the toys and video games.
Café 23, since this is Fry's #23.
Back to the video games.
As seen on TV, just as well stocked as the cologne and perfume aisles.
A line of shelves was removed in the former audio section with TV's lined up.
Another look at the computer department with the furniture in view.
The presentation room is unlocked. I believe the box office in the front had popcorn available when the store was new.
There is nothing showing today though. The seats are not in the best shape either. This room reminds me of an abandoned movie cinema exploration video. I have more photos of this room in October when the lights were on.
There is a ramp going up to the presentation room.
The entrance to the cinema has the oil derrick with the Beaumont name. The green lights on the sign move.
Here is the next door open theater room. Not much going on here anymore.
The downsized audio department is in front of the cinema and theater rooms.
Another barren open theater room.
Not much of a selection in the home stereo department.
This display is very faded. I am not sure if it is an original display, but it looks like it.
The car stereo speaker room. It did not appear to be working.
Some of these display models were working.
It looks like they attempted to modernize this speaker room with LED lighting.
Now for the television room.
The selection is not bad, but there are a lot of empty spaces.
The closer you get to the back corner of the store, the emptier the shelves get.
The back aisle of the store seems to be mostly a place to drop random items.
The remaining movies and music has been moved to the back aisle of the store. These used to be just to the left of when you walked into the store.
The appliance department is very empty.
An up-close look at the bluray selection. A lot of classics on the shelves including the Legend of Billy Jean.
A mattress department with a few more display models than at the previous location.
More movies on the other side of the back wall.
Air conditioning units.
Small appliances.
These wakeboards are just randomly thrown into the shelves near the TV's.
The outdoors section of the store.
There is a surprisingly amount of good kitchen cookware and appliances.
More empty space that shelves had been taken down. More car stereo and camera equipment was previously in this space.
Charcoal and grilling supplies.
Kitchen appliances on this side.
Roomba's on this side.
Even though the shelving units were gone, the product signs were still up.
More views from around the center of the store and the small appliances.
More of the empty appliance department.
The front area of the store to the right, café to the left.
The café keeps weird hours, but here is the inside when it was closed for the evening.
Video game displays on the main center aisle of the store.
A look at some of the mannequins above the checkouts.
Wall of sodas, mostly Pepsi. Pepsi man would be proud.
The advertisements. The sales are not as good as they used to be at Fry's.
I got a better view of the other stockroom, some products are lying around, but most upper shelves are empty.
A view of the store from one side to the other. This store has to be at least 100,000 square feet of retail space.
For nearly 20 years, these mannequins have been suspended above the checkouts.
This is an interesting walkway from the bathrooms to the appliance department.
The magazines have been downsized with office supplies taking up some of the shelves now.
Cell phones and cell phone supplies in the former music and movie area of the store.
One of the cool things at this store is this vintage truck. The sale items used to be displayed in the bed of the truck.
This mostly empty shelf shows how things all across the store are. Very few departments have well stocked shelves these days.
More views across the store starting with the furniture.
They can't give these systems away.
Most of the popular printer ink was sold out.
A better look at the computer display area.
From the computer area to the front of the store. That computer software sign is actually where the cologne and perfume are located.
Café 23
A look with the front aisles and checkouts in the distance.
These board games on the way up front caught my eye.
More of Café 23.
The front entrance, the store had closed the front entrance for the night. This was taken at 9pm.
The customer service/return desk.
The impulse buy aisle on the way to the checkouts.
Fry's gift bags with their new logo.
Strange seeing these Amazon gift cards for sale here.
The checkout counter waiting screen. There used to be a person on a ladder that would tell you which checkout to go to when it opened. When a checkout would open, the cashier would hold up a number sign until you arrived. Now all of this is electric.
The exit where security used to check receipts on the way out of the door. Item by item would be checked so it would hold you up for a little while.
October 2019 visit.
We start with the mannequins above the checkouts.
The years have been hard on this guy.
Fry's had a good stock of these systems right after they came out. From March to August, these were nearly impossible to find at any store. Only the scalpers had consoles available for a huge upcharge.
A better look at the presentation room. There was a movie on the startup screen and the lights were on this time.
It really looks tired in here.
A closer look at the movie screen.
More views of the appliance department.
Another random item that caught my eye on the shelf near the kitchen items. If I really paid attention to each and every item, there would be a lot more like this one that do not make sense.
A healthy look at the video game displays and spare consoles for sale.
Up next Fry's Nasa Rd. 1
This next store in my opinion is the coolest out of the 3 stores in the area. It has a space theme and there are so many cool things to see. If you are in the Houston area, you must check that store out.
