Micro Center Indianapolis: The New Store Experience

Written by @Rye_Bread

Our brand-new store in Indianapolis opened a few weeks ago and I was invited to fly out to be part of the celebration! This was my very first time getting to visit a new store, and it was a breathtaking experience.

I could feel everyone’s excitement from the second I walked up. A DJ was stationed outside the door providing a backing track to the celebration, and a food truck was parked nearby for some great eats. Words can’t possibly capture how amazing the mood was. Customers were laughing, smiling, and excitedly checking out displays and looking at products. One of the benefits of a brand-new store is the plethora of stunning product showcases. From Astro to Raspberry Pi, even I had to take a few moments to test out all the cool items. I talked to several guests who were eyeing a Logitech headset and they expressed how happy they were to have a Micro Center local to them; to have somewhere where they could freely geek out about tech and simply enjoy their time shopping. Everyone I spoke to shared a similar sentiment.

DJ Aaron keeping everyone pumped!

For many, this was their first time ever setting foot into a Micro Center. One person said it was like walking into another dimension. I fondly remember the first time I walked into a Micro Center. Being there to witness so many others having the same experience was magical.

Customer poses with a Lenovo laptop he got for a killer deal. Shoulda grabbed one while I was there!

Walking into a new store was like walking into another world, as corny as it may sound. Newer locations such as Tustin and Indianapolis have redesigned layouts with a modern aesthetic and a more—dare I say—"open concept” layout. I’d never been in one of the new stores until now, and holy moly I was in awe. This design is very fitting for Micro Center and brings a lot to the experience from both an associate and a customer standpoint. With all that said, I still love the classic look, but these new stores are stunning.

From the entrance, you’re free to roam the entire store and look at as much cool tech as your heart desires. The most natural direction to go, in my opinion, would be to the right.

Our technicians are already hard at work putting together builds and repairing computers.

Ready to help!

You’re immediately greeted by the Knowledge Bar, which hosts our expert technicians who are always willing to help you with your tech troubles. From keeping older machines running efficiently to building a brand new one, they’re the ones to do it.

Only a small part of the huge selection of PCs to try out.

Associates Cody and Christian were the last photo I took before departing back home. My camera battery gave up mere seconds after.

Walking a little further in you’ll run into the PC & Systems section which houses countless displays of monitors, laptops, and desktops, including a dedicated Apple section. If you’re looking for a new computer for your home, office, or school needs these are the folks to talk to. I was impressed with the sheer number of displays available to test. This is one of the biggest advantages of visiting a Micro Center location: being able to take a device you’re interested in for a test drive. I’m personally super picky about the feel of laptop keyboards, and I would be unable to purchase one without feeling it first (perhaps a conversation about my favorites is in order). Huge thumbs up!

Three sales associates pose in front of a new Raspberry Pi display.

The direct center of the store is where you’ll find a wide range of items including—but certainly not limited to— just about every cable you can imagine, peripherals galore, and so many other odds and ends you could spend hours here alone (and I did). This section is also home to my favorite aisle (I’ll come back to this later). This middle section is where you’ll also find some of the coolest product demos by brands such as Raspberry Pi, Razer, Corsair, and Logitech put their best products on display for us to try. I say “us” because you bet I took some time to try them all out!

Sales associate Will supervises while a sound bar is connected to a TV display.

The very back of the store features a wide selection and an impressive display of televisions and sound bars. Every manufacturer has something different to offer with their screens, and it’s nice to compare them all just by looking at them. Situated not too far away from the TVs is an expansive selection of 3D printers, accessories, and filament.

Guests can plan out their next great build with our knowledgeable associates.

The left-hand side of the store is where you’ll find the Build Your Own PC department. Here, you’ll find every single PC component you can imagine. There is quite literally a wall of cases, allowing you to pick the exact one you want to house your next dream build. You could also do what I did and simply admire the latest components.

She's a beaut for sure!

We have one of these at the Chicago location, this person is a way better SIM racer than I will ever be.

Continue back toward the front of the store, and you’ll run into the racing simulator rig and a wall of racing wheels before you hit the checkout line. I honestly didn’t know there were so many options to customize a racing setup but I’m glad we offer them! This is also where you’ll find the Online Order pickup, in case you want to reserve an item for yourself before you get to the store.

The peripheral displays attracted a lot of attention from both me and customers.

After a great speech, the ribbon to Micro Center Indianapolis is cut!

The following morning, before my flight back to Chicago, I had some spare time to watch the official ribbon cutting ceremony featuring Indy car racer Tony Kanaan, the new Indianapolis store manager Ryan M., our VP of Sales Scott D., and our Chief Merchandising Officer, Warren B. After that, I took the time I had left to explore the parts of the store I missed and get to know a few of the associates a little better. I can wholeheartedly say that they’ve got a stellar team who are passionate about technology and will make any trip to their store an enjoyable experience.  I made sure to take advantage of some of the exclusive sales as well, buying a couple Wyze Cam OGs, a few M.2 SSDs, a USB-C hub, and a USB-C charger. As much as I wanted to bring home a new computer, my better judgement prevailed as I don’t have a need for one yet. I got pretty close though, the deals were just too good to pass up!

Inflatable friend on the roof waving at everyone arriving and leaving.

It was an awesome opportunity to be able to watch a budding Micro Center store begin to thrive. As a seasoned associate, I was privileged to be able to spend time teaching the new employees about my own experiences and providing them with some tips on how they can be successful. Hopefully I get the chance to stop back in and see how everyone is doing, whether on official business or otherwise. Thank you for taking the time to read about my little adventure in Indianapolis, and hopefully I get to have another one soon!

~Ryen

P.S. Almost forgot to mention, one of my favorite aisles in the entire store: The aisle with the LEGOs!!!

This aisle not only features LEGOs, but also other toys and knick-knacks that I find neat.