Estes rockets at Fry's Electronics

[Bill]

I noticed an Alpha III set in their ad in the paper and while in the store today, saw a large number of boxed RTF rockets, starter sets including the ones needing assembly and motor packs ($9.99 each).

It is too soon to tell whether this is just for Christmas or a permanent addition to their educational section. Several years ago, they used to carry a wide assortment of Quest products.


Bill

[evo666]

Going to check out if the Fry's near me have any rocket stuff.

[Royatl]

I noticed an Alpha III set in their ad in the paper and while in the store today, saw a large number of boxed RTF rockets, starter sets including the ones needing assembly and motor packs ($9.99 each).

It is too soon to tell whether this is just for Christmas or a permanent addition to their educational section. Several years ago, they used to carry a wide assortment of Quest products.


Bill


Ditto for the Alpharetta/Milton, GA store. Though I saw no motor packs anywhere. Two island displays, one with RTFs such as Code Red, the other with the starter/launch kits.

[Jerry Irvine]

the other with the starter/launch kits.Were they motorless?

Motor free?

[BEC]

Interesting.....! My office is within walking distance of a Fry's. I will have to look and see what there is to see. Though $10 for a motor pack is a bit much.

On a semi-related note I saw about a dozen Moon Mutt starter sets at a Toys R Us Express over the weekend. They were marked $9.97, which is about what WalMart was selling 'em for. That was the only rocketry item they had. Several of the full TRU stores around here have closed in the last year or so.

[Royatl]

Were they motorless?

Motor free?

a mixture. I think the Alpha III is always a starter kit (i.e. with motors).

[o1d_dude]

Sacramento had the same Fry's ad.

I even commented on it to Mrs. OD.

Fry's carries some random things.

[jeffyjeep]

I'll have to check out the Fry's in Downer's Grove, except I usually can't be trusted in there. It's like Disneyland for Techies.

My favorite Fry's is the one in Fremont, CA. They have a giant Tesla coil inside that they light off every hour.

[Bill]

My favorite Fry's is the one in Fremont, CA. They have a giant Tesla coil inside that they light off every hour.


Hmm...never been to that one. I love how they decorate some of their stores. The one in Las Vegas looks like a giant slot machine (and sucks up my money just as quickly.) The one in North Hollywood has a huge flying saucer embedded in it and features an alien decor inside.


Bill

[gpoehlein]

Hmm...never been to that one. I love how they decorate some of their stores. The one in Las Vegas looks like a giant slot machine (and sucks up my money just as quickly.) The one in North Hollywood has a huge flying saucer embedded in it and features an alien decor inside.


Bill

I've been to the North Hollywood store - the Mars Invasion props are really cool! I was very disapointed, though, when I visited the store outside Indianapolis - they did it with an Indy 500 theme, but all they did was put up enlarged magazine and newspaper photographs (complete with the halftone patterns) around the walls. The didn't even (at the time, I haven't been back for a couple of years) have an Indycar sitting anywhere in the store, which would have been both easy to do and a natural.

That said, Frys is still a really cool store to shop in for anyone with a techie bent!

Greg

[Shreadvector]

Hmm...never been to that one. I love how they decorate some of their stores. The one in Las Vegas looks like a giant slot machine (and sucks up my money just as quickly.) The one in North Hollywood has a huge flying saucer embedded in it and features an alien decor inside.


Bill

Not just an alien decor, but an alien invasion sci-fi movie decor. Actual props from some movies (Mars Attacks! aliens) and 1950's diner styling (many movies had people or survivors hiding in diners, like The Blob). A giant portion of the edge of a huge suacer is visable along the entire inside wall . The saucer embedded outside near the entrance is "small".

Themes are listed here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fry's_Electronics

[BEC]

I was just in the Fry's in Renton, WA. No spaceship theme (or any other I could name)....but there was some Estes stuff.

Some notable things: all the sets have no motors - even the Alpha III. They did have motors - but only the C6-3/C6-5/C6-7 assortment that we once saw at WalMart and though there was no price sign I had them check a pack of C6-5s - $9.99 (ouch!).

The RTF Athena - one of my favorites for flying and giving to interested kids - has had the box art redone so that it now matches what's actually inside. I bought one to see if there were any other changes and there is one - it now comes with one of the new orange/white patterned 'chutes instead of the solid white (first ones) or solid red (more recent ones) version. It otherwise looks the same. It's selling for $8.99, which is two dollars more than WalMart sold it for and one dollar more than Fred Meyer sells it for now.

The Alpha III launch set is $21.99 - not bad. The other launch sets included one with two rockets that I'm not familiar with. One was listed as "skill level 1". The other is listed as E2X. That set is $27.99.

Attached are some surreptitious (and therefore not as steady as they could be) iPhone pics of what I saw, reduced to 640 pixels the long way for posting. Some were taken in one of the toy aisles and the others on an end cap nearby.

[Shreadvector]

Terminology:

"Starter Set" includes rocket, pad, controller, wadding and motors/igniters.

"Launch Set" includes rocket, pad and controller. No motors/igniters/wadding.

They do this for several reasons. One good one is that they don;t need to be opened in the USA to have motors stuffed into the package. They can be shipped as-is directly from China to the retailer or distributor. An added benefit is the Grandma can mail them without getting a Big Fine.


I was just in the Fry's in Renton, WA. No spaceship theme (or any other I could name)....but there was some Estes stuff.

Some notable things: all the starter sets have no motors - even the Alpha III. They did motors - but only the C6-3/C6-5/C6-7 that we once saw at WalMart and though there was no price sign I had them check a pack of C6-5s - $9.99 (ouch!).

The RTF Athena - one of my favorites for flying and giving to interested kids - has had the box art redone so that it now matches what's actually inside. I bought one to see if there were any other changes and there is one - it now comes with one of the new orange/white patterned 'chutes instead of the solid white (first ones) or solid red (more recent ones) version. It otherwise looks the same. It's selling for 8.99, which is two dollars more than WalMart sold it for and one dollar more than Fred Meyer sells it for now.

The Alpha III starter set is $21.99 - not bad. The other starter sets included one with two rockets that I'm not familiar with. One was listed as "skill level 1". The other as E2X. That set is $27.99.

Attached are some surreptitious (and therefore not as steady as they could be) iPhone pics of what I saw, reduced to 640 pixels the long way for posting. Some were taken in one of the toy aisles and the others on an end cap nearby.

[o1d_dude]

The Fry's in Roseville, CA has an old narrow guage locomotive crashing out of the store front over the entrance and parking lot. Inside the store, the tracks and rest of the train are above the sales floor.

I, too, am not allowed to shop at Fry's unaccompanied.

[BEC]

Terminology:

"Starter Set" includes rocket, pad, controller, wadding and motors/igniters.

"Launch Set" includes rocket, pad and controller. No motors/igniters/wadding.

They do this for several reasons. One good one is that they don;t need to be opened in the USA to have motors stuffed into the package. They can be shipped as-is directly from China to the retailer or distributor. An added benefit is the Grandma can mail them without getting a Big Fine.

Prior post is edited to conform with this......

[dlazarus6660]

I guess Fry's is a west of the Mississippi store?
Never heard of it.
I heard of Fry Boots
French Fries
Fry(ing) Pan

Not Fry's.

[jeffyjeep]

They used to be out west only. Now there's one hear me in Downer's Grove, IL, and I heard there's one in Indianapolis. Both are east of the MS river--but not by a lot.

I think Fry's began as a grocery.

[Doug Sams]

I think Fry's began as a grocery.That's the story I heard. The family ran a grocery store (or several), and the son set up a table selling surplus electronics. The first store was in Silicon Valley - in Palo Alto, I believe.

I think their emergence is a factor in the demise of CompUSA and Circuit City.

Where else can you buy a rocket kit, discrete electronic components, a mother board, a refrigerator and a latte, all under one roof? :)

Doug

.

[jeffyjeep]

That's the story I heard. The family ran a grocery store (or several), and the son set up a table selling surplus electronics. The first store was in Silicon Valley - in Palo Alto, I believe.

I think their emergence is a factor in the demise of CompUSA and Circuit City.

Where else can you buy a rocket kit, discrete electronic components, a mother board, a refrigerator and a latte, all under one roof? :)

Doug

.
.......AND dirty movies!

[o1d_dude]

Well that would explain the Fry's Grocery store in South Phoenix. Same logo and everything but a grocery store.

Spotted it the last time I visited my pop.

[BEC]

See the Wikipedia link in Fred's post at the top of page 2.....

[o1d_dude]

I'm one of those who doesn't follow links.

Never know exactly where they will ~really~ take you. It's an internet meme from the Dark Ages of the web. Google goatse.cx for more information.

[evo666]

ahhh thanks BEC, I was about to go to that store to check it out.

[BEC]

I'm one of those who doesn't follow links.

Never know exactly where they will ~really~ take you. It's an internet meme from the Dark Ages of the web. Google goatse.cx for more information.

Yikes!! :eek: :eek:

[Royatl]

I guess Fry's is a west of the Mississippi store?
Never heard of it.
I heard of Fry Boots
French Fries
Fry(ing) Pan

Not Fry's.

Duluth, GA

Milton (Alpharetta), GA.

The GA stores both have polished granite and/or marble floors, and many large (maybe 80-90 sq. feet?) historical photographs of local sites and people (i.e. 50-100 years ago). Both cities were totally rural and agricultural some 30 years ago.

[jbuscaglia]

They used to be out west only. Now there's one hear me in Downer's Grove, IL, and I heard there's one in Indianapolis. Both are east of the MS river--but not by a lot.

I think Fry's began as a grocery.

I've been to the one in Indy while I was out there for work last year. It was most impressive. None that I know of in New England yet.

[Mikus]

I'll have to check out the Fry's in Downer's Grove, except I usually can't be trusted in there. It's like Disneyland for Techies.

Oy, I heard that. My wife wants me to surrender the credit card BEFORE I walk in there. :D