I've been to three of them in California, and they were just bizarrely awful. Ripped-open packages, outright rude staff members, nothing on the right shelf, dirty stores. Conversely, the one in Renton is actually pretty decent. Things are pretty organized and well maintained, and one time I saw a pair of Buddhist monks shopping for motherboards, so that was pretty neat.
I'm not going to lie, though; the main reason I love the Renton Fry's is because of this book.
They talk about this in Microserfs
Sad no one has mentioned JPod or Microserfs yet.
https://www.amazon.com/Microserfs-Douglas-Coupland/dp/0061624268
I've been to three of them in California, and they were just bizarrely awful. Ripped-open packages, outright rude staff members, nothing on the right shelf, dirty stores. Conversely, the one in Renton is actually pretty decent. Things are pretty organized and well maintained, and one time I saw a pair of Buddhist monks shopping for motherboards, so that was pretty neat.
I'm not going to lie, though; the main reason I love the Renton Fry's is because of this book.
Microserfs by Douglas Coupland. If you haven't read it already, something tells me you should give this a read.
My only advice is don't move with friends - look back after a year or two and realize you should have bought a condo of your own.
edit: also read Microserfs
http://www.amazon.com/Microserfs-Novel-P-S-Douglas-Coupland/dp/0061624268