Would Micro Center consider building a store in northwest Oregon?

CalicoSkies

I've heard good things about Micro Center, and I wish there was a location near me (in northwest Oregon). Fry's Electronics had a location in Wilsonville, OR, and since Fry's closed, I've thought Micro Center might be a perfect candidate to come in and use their old building (at 29400 Town Center Loop West, Wilsonville OR 97070).

Ian

Greetings,

Thank you for posting on the Micro Center Community! Northwest Oregon sounds interesting! I don't really have the pay-grade to make the decision of opening up a location but I can send this to the people that are and see their thoughts and opinions!  

CalicoSkies

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/comment/40871#Comment_40871

Yeah, initially I looked to see if the Micro Center web site had any contact options but I didn't see any. If you know who this could go to, that would be great. :) I think there is some demand out here for a store like Micro Center.

Years ago, we had other stores specializing in computer products, such as CompUSA and Egghead Software, but those stores are long closed (as well as Circuit City, which was a fairly major electronics store). It would be good to see another computer products store such as Micro Center, especially now that Fry's has closed.

Ian

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/comment/40874#Comment_40874

We will see if it can happen one day! Thanks for showing your support!

swimmingracoon

I might mention as a Portland Native, This location is been Primed for the last +30years of customer base, I remember going to then named Incredible Universe, as a kid, later bought out by Fry's. Brick and Mortar stores that have a large selection of computer component's is limited to best buy, basically leaving an untapped market for PC builders. Which is a shame, I met plenty of hardware engineers that needed a breadboard or resistor for a current project, place for nerds to nerd out.

CalicoSkies

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/comment/41265#Comment_41265

I also remember going to Incredible Universe before they were bought out by Fry's. And I agree, this seems like a significant market for PC builders. It seems many of the small independent computer stores have also closed. There aren't many stores that carry PC components here anymore.

DrZaius

I would also like to see a Micro Center in the Pacific Northwest.

MilkTeethLLC

I came here to chime in and second what everyone is saying. The PNW desperately needs a micro center! Especially now post-pandemic with all the now permanent remote workers, plus all the tech jobs in this region. I’d imagine business would boom here. I for one would be a regular customer. 

Cfcgreg

I moved to Portland from Tustin, CA. I would, also, like to see a Micro Center in Portland, Oregon. (It would be the first one in the Pacific NW. I would love to help make it happen!

lawlessstl

+1 to this as well, though I would also imagine the Seattle metro area might be a more appealing location for MC. I live in Portland and would obviously love one closer than Seattle, but tbh I could see myself making a trek up to Seattle every couple years just to bring back a MC haul. Sad that the closest locations are in CA and CO.

construkt

Chiming in here as well.

Myself and a LOT of other people I know would be ecstatic to see a Micro Center in Oregon. As the others have mentioned, the Fry's Electronics location has been vacant for quite some time now and is in the middle of everything, with millions driving past it each week.

With the massive tech sector here (Intel and surrounding businesses), there would be no shortage of customers. We haven't had a good brick and mortar for PC components since Fry's changed their business model and fell apart. Best Buy doesn't have the kind of components most of us need and the smaller shops have a very limited selection and a massive markup. Commercial options are also very limited and extremely expensive.

No one I know wouldn't pay a 10% markup to avoid dealing with Amazon or Newegg.

Ian

Great to see support, no plans at the moment, however, the area of the Pacific Northwest is highly requested. For now, we will pass this along to our real estate team!

ITSA96

Definitely needed in the Pacific NW. Although, I would suggest a different old Fry's location, Renton, Wa. Seattle has a larger population then Portland and is close enough to Portland that people will travel to Seattle to shop, on occasion. Although the lack of sales tax in Oregon is a draw as well. Seattle is one of the tech centers in the country so it almost seems criminal not to have a store here. The old Fry's would be a good location or better yet, closer to Microsoft and the tech center in the Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland area. Tacoma wouldn't be a bad choice either, being centrally located between Seattle and Olympia, and closer to Portland to draw in Oregonians.

Salt lake city is another prime candidate with a quickly growing tech community.

Ashfey

Im currently tying to build a new pc and ive had more than a hard time trying to find a store that sells parts in person. As someone who is impatient and loves building PCs I would love to go around a computer store to explore and buy the parts I want for my system in person so I don't have to wait a week for parts to arrive. I think a Miocrocenter would be great in Oregon as there have been countless stores that have sold components, monitors, game consoles, laptops, and ect over the years. Our local Fry's Electronics is permanently closed and I could see Microcenter taking their place.

StDope

Made this account as I am looking to build a PC, as someone living in Portland metro. Will have to agree that the old Fry’s spot is an iconic spot. (RIP Circuit City)

Seattle and Portland would be the best location, no in-between as betting on customers meeting halfway isn’t business sensical to bring in the most customers per day. Seattle would be most ideal as much as it pains me as a Portland native. I will say tho, one thing I do know that is common knowledge from both states is whenever people from Washington (or any outside state w sales tax) is they enjoy shopping splurges in Oregon due to no sales tax on their end receipt. It’s rare for people who are from out the state to not go for shopping sprees to take advantage. All my family and friends who visit always ask to take them to Nike stores.


Having a Washington based store would be very little to no incentive for Oregonians to make the trip, even when already visiting for other matters. When I leave Oregon, I almost rarely spend and never go on sprees outside the state. I bet the Oregon online sales are high since we never pay sales tax, I’d like to see the data on that ( in general items, not PC parts). 

We hope to see Micro Center one day! Just wanted to put my two cents in. Hope you all have a blessed day

Travatar

A Micro Center in the old Fry's location would do great business, the area already punches above with no sales tax so we get people from Cali and Washington to make big purchases. The Wilsonville Fry's didn't fail at that location, it was Fry's as a whole that couldn't cover cashflow.

G33k3ry

Just chiming in on this thread as another prospective customer if Micro Center had a location in the Portland Metro area.

LadySynthe

Chiming in on this as well to ask for there to PLEASE be a Portland, Oregon location! We have a lot of tech companies here plus it would also draw in others from the area, i.e. Seattle and possibly even parts of BC.

PaulL

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/comment/57897#Comment_57897

We have gotten quite a few inquiries for Portland recently! I will poke our real estate team to make sure they are aware of this support :)

CalicoSkies

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/comment/57913#Comment_57913

Thanks for your communication on this. It would be great to have a Micro Center location in the area.

PaulL

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/comment/57918#Comment_57918

Of course! We are always looking for oppurtunities to expand! We have opened 3 more stores over this past year and have 1 coming to Santa Clara, CA this year. Definitely need more along the west coast.

DesperateOregonian

Dear God, please come to Portland, Oregon! We are so starved for a good tech center that isn't entirely greed-driven like Best Buy. It sickens me that every time a new graphics card is released or I'm looking for something as simple as decent RAM, I have no choice for in-person shopping besides Best Buy, which is always out of stock, doesn't carry the items I want, and is horribly overpriced. They are constantly trying to pressure me into buying a credit card through them and arguing that paying for their overpriced goods at a lower monthly cost is somehow cheaper. When Fry's closed down, I was heartbroken, as I was pretty new to the whole computer thing at the time and barely got to see it in its former glory. Now that I have fallen in love with building computers and playing games, I am absolutely starved for something like Fry's to return. The location of Fry's in Wilsonville was fantastic and only about a 30-minute drive for me, but I would drive an hour to get to a Micro Center if we had one. I know many others who feel equally starved and fed up with the sheer lack of competition in the area. Micro Center could make a killing here since it would have little to no competition. Additionally, it should be noted that Portland is a massive tech area, so I'm shocked that efforts to establish a presence here haven't started yet. We also have zero sales tax, making it much easier to break into tech without breaking the bank, and customers would flock to Micro Center over the absolute slog that is Best Buy. If anyone here has the ability to pass this on, please do.

-sincerely, a fed up Oregonian

LiquidCooled

Adding this to the thread as well, Portland is a huge metropolitan area (Including parts of WA) with a booming tech industry. The clientele is there, and in absence of any other large PC hardware store in the area since the closing of Fry's, I believe there's lots of potential waiting to be seized.