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Circuit City - The rise and fall of an electronics empire

Anyone else miss Circuit City like crazy?? Back in the day, this was THE spot for picking up the latest tech and gadgets. Founded in 1949, it grew into a massive chain by the '90s. But I guess nothing good lasts forever, right? Competition from Best Buy and online retailers like Amazon was fierce. They tried to switch things up with a 'boutique' concept in the later years, ditching appliances, but it was a flop. Seems they couldn't keep up with the tech wave they rode in on. The 2008 recession was the final nail in the coffin and by 2009, all the stores were shut down. RIP Circuit City, you're missed!

Submitted 10 months, 3 weeks ago by rememberCircuitCity


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Never got to shop at Circuit City, heard about it from my folks tho. They paint it as some legendary place. Guess I missed out, online shopping just doesn't cut it sometimes.

10 months, 3 weeks ago by RandomRetro

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Their liquidation sales were epic, picked up so many cheap gadgets. Too bad those deals came at the cost of the store itself, huh? Where can you even find electronics deals like that now?

10 months, 3 weeks ago by CheapSK8

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Worked there in the early 2000s. The writing was on the wall when they launched Firedog for tech support - too late, Geek Squad was already in customers' minds. And the commission-based pay alienated a lot of shoppers. Sad end for a once-great chain.

10 months, 3 weeks ago by FiredogFiasco

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Circuit City’s fall is a textbook example of not pivoting fast enough to suit advancing technology and changing consumer behavior. They dominated VHS sales and rentals—look where that tech is now. Their Divx DVD format gamble? Flop. The 'boutique' move too little, too late. Fascinating case study, really.

10 months, 3 weeks ago by EchoOfRetail

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Circuit City is where I got my first gaming console. Felt like I was walking into a treasure cave every time as a kid. It's a shame they couldn't keep up. I wonder what they'd have been like today if they'd made it through the recession.

10 months, 3 weeks ago by 90sTechKid

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Seriously, Circuit City? Those guys had the worst customer service. Like, if you weren't there to drop a grand, good luck getting help finding a printer cable. And those mail-in rebates were a scam. Good riddance, I say.

10 months, 3 weeks ago by DivadDestroyer

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Circuit City did have its moments but let's not look at the past with rose-tinted glasses. They failed to adapt. I'm all for nostalgia but today’s retail and tech landscape is just lightyears ahead. Can you imagine buying a smartphone off a shelf? Me neither.

10 months, 3 weeks ago by GadgetGuru88

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Man, Circuit City was a staple for me, especially in high school. There was something about walking those aisles, checking out the CDs and the latest PCs. Just not the same clicking through a website, you know?

10 months, 3 weeks ago by TechNostalgia