Local Electronic Component Stores

Electronics
#1

With Tanner Electronics closing permanently (after 40 yrs! My dad would take me as kid) … where else can one get electronic parts and components locally here? Can we get a list going, then I’ll put it on the wiki (unless there’s already a local supplies page?)

  • BGmicro: order online, can then pickup from warehouse in Garland, surplus items
  • Altex: Carrollton, computer components, networking, common electronics
  • Micro Center: Richardson, mostly computer parts, some electronic kits and basic components
  • Tanner Electronics: closed
  • Fry’s Electronics: closed (are they really?)

Any others?

#2

Mouser & Allied. Pre-pandemic you could will call your order. Allied is not allowing will call currently.

They are not necessarily stores either

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#3

They’re still open for business but last year they transitioned to a model where their suppliers own the stock rather than Fry’s. This has unintended consequences like eliminating competition among product categories. For example you go to get a television. Instead of there being half a dozen brands and a dozen models from each brand there’s only one brand and a handful of models. Whatever the supplier is willing to front. It’s stupid and I hope it fails.

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#4

So far it’s been really successful for helping out the local Microcenter. I just pity the people who don’t have an alternative except Best Buy.

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#5

Both Altex and Micro Center local inventory can be checked online.

Micro Center carries Arduino (Inland version) and RPi parts.

Some long while back I ran across something about a surplus store somewhere southwest of Ft Worth.
Will need to do a archival dig to verify.

#6

Allied is still allowing will call on online orders, I picked an order up from them last month and they still show will call as an option when checking out. When you arrive at will call, there is a phone number on the door that you call and they will bring the order out to you.

Maybe Mouser isn’t allowing will call? I seldomly order from them as it is faster for me to drive to Allied.

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#7

One nice thing about Mouser is that until fairly late in the day (6-7 PM), an order placed will usually arrive the next day.

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#8

Interesting, I was told differently the 28th or 29th of last month.

#9

Hmm, maybe they have changed it? My last two orders were 6/26 and 7/9, and the website still has the will call option listed on checkout. Now I wish I had project to try ordering some stuff for… :grin:

#10

I called in two orders and they noted that no will call was possible.

#11

This post was flagged by the community and is temporarily hidden.

#12

They are definitely NOT in the “I need it now” local category that the OP was asking about, though.

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#13

I don’t see how Fry’s will survive long now, they’ve been dying for a while and I highly suspect something shady is going on in their main office. Most of their components selection is depleted, and I doubt they’ll stock them again.

Microcenter on the other hand is booming. It was a 45min line to the back of the store last time I was there to get SD cards. They’ve expanded their hobby selection.

It might be worth going through the tanners donation stuff as well, there is a log of whats in there done by some volunteers but I don’t know where to find that info.

#14

True dat. “When you absolutely positively have to have it someday, probably.”

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#15

They (Fry’s) absolutely had some corruption years ago. A friend of the brothers managed to insert himself into a position of sole authority in purchasing, and built in kickbacks and possibly other extortion into the supply chain. But he was caught years ago, so there has been plenty of time to right the ship.

The feel I get from everything I have read, and could be totally wrong, is that when the brothers found they had been duped, it broke their spirits and interest in the stores, and they went off to play with their billions and leave the stores on auto pilot. So they have had nobody to develop or approve any shifts in strategy to adapt to the changing market, and no reinvestment in the stores. Apparently all the floor computers are still XP for example.

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#16

Nope… A birdie told me that NTE and Philmore are both owed a significant amount by Fry’s. They are cut off until payment is made.

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#17

This looks interesting
https://www.montagar.com/~patj/nortex.htm
Assuming they’re still open.
Not a convenient location, but might be worth a road trip.

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#18

Have an 88 mph DeLorean?

That page says “updated 04 JAN 2002.”

A web search turned up this:

https://www.ar15.com/forums/hometown/Nortex_surplus_electronics_is_closing__Fort_Worth_/8-284171/

#19

Well…darn. No 88 mph road trip.

#20

Well here is why it closed.
http://www.bunkerofdoom.com/nortex/index.html

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