Circuit City stores to close, liquidation planned
by Dustin Burg 
{ Jan 16th 2009 at 2:00PM }
We've just learned of some sad and all out depressing news coming from Circuit City. It was just revealed that all of the remaining 567 U.S. stores will be closing and all of the company's 30,000+ employees are expected to be jobless after Circuit City was unable to find a buyer after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last November. Major bummer ...The silver lining to this corporate travesty is that all Circuit City stores will be liquidating merchandise including (of course) Xbox 360 hardware and software. The liquidation could start as soon as this Saturday, January 17th, pending court approval. They may not have been the best electronics retailer, but we still loved our Circuit City and their free gift cards. What a craptacular economy.
[Via Game Stooge]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
joeybeast @ Jan 16th 2009 2:02PM
I'm a little concerned that my first thought was "yeah sales".
...
yeah sales!
Rick @ Jan 16th 2009 2:09PM
It's a shame they have to go. I enjoyed their gift cards with each new release game i picked up.
With gamestop being d-bags every visit and best buy rarely offering good deals, i'll be going online more.
joeybeast @ Jan 16th 2009 3:47PM
better use those gift cards quickly
Tony @ Jan 16th 2009 2:12PM
I'm not surprised Circuit City is closing in general. I don't know how it is in other cities, but in and around Chicago they have the absolute worst locations. They're often part of a mall here, but they're always off the side in some unnoticeable corner. It never even crosses my mind to drive to the other side of the gigantic, multi-acre parking lot just to go to the Circuit City that stands by itself.
I think they at least made a good decision with the redesign though. Remember when the inside was all gray and burgundy and was lit like an Italian restaurant?
Anyway, I do feel bad for the people losing their jobs. It really sucks and I hope I stay as lucky as I have.
gregoryscottsharp @ Jan 16th 2009 3:14PM
Just like your Circuit City, in Sacramento California, ours too is tucked away, off to the side of a mall. "A drive down the street" kind of thing.
BananaBoat @ Jan 17th 2009 4:04PM
Ours used to be in an even more pitiable location. It was off to the side of a mall that sat on an incline, overlooking a major highway. The problem? It was a good hundred to two hundred feet lower in elevation than the mall, so the mall effectively blocked anyone on the highway from seeing that it even existed. To top that, there is a much nicer (new) Best Buy store right across from the mall on the same hill, so it's easily visible from the highway. In every way they located themselves out of contention, atleast in my area (that isn't to say that they didn't manage their way into oblivion as well)
Dadidito @ Jan 16th 2009 2:13PM
This is how i see it. Thats 30k more people now gunning for your job (someones). Its a hard time for everyone economically. Shame.
Doug @ Jan 19th 2009 9:12PM
Yeah, a lot of local businesses here are closing. It's sad to see any business fall under the ruffle. Let's hope the economy gets better
coonkine @ Jan 16th 2009 2:16PM
Actually, liquidators bump up everything to MSRP and then slowly start to lower prices. This is the same liquidation company that handled CompUSA's liquidation.
So the point is, there most likely won't be any great deals. And by the time the prices are low, there won't be anything decent (like CompUSA). Maybe you'll get lucky but don't get your hopes up.
Thrombo19 @ Jan 16th 2009 2:26PM
I thought it was interesting that if you go to the site, on the front page is a link to "Why you should buy an extended warranty from CC". So people buying stuff today (or those who picked it up in the last few weeks/year) are probably sitting on a warranty with no store to take it to right?
Vcize @ Jan 16th 2009 3:23PM
Apparently the warranties are handled by a 3rd party company, so they'll still be ok.
AxFactor @ Jan 16th 2009 3:24PM
Actually CC warranties are through a 3rd party, so they will be honored. They are giving out phone numbers so if you have problems they can be taken care of. BTW I don't work at CC, but I did,(past tense), work for Geek Squad and this was a similar thing.
ihatereading @ Jan 16th 2009 2:32PM
This economy really needs to get better before any more of this damage occurs...
Antonio @ Jan 16th 2009 2:44PM
Remember when CC had that promotion where you buy one $20 or more Xbox Live card and get another $20 Xbox Live card free? That was sweet.
Swampfox23 @ Jan 16th 2009 5:59PM
Ha, good times, I was thinking about that a couple days ago. Its a bummer they are over with now...
Jose @ Jan 16th 2009 2:48PM
I'm not shocked at all that the company has gone under. They had some of the worst customer service. I would have to track down someone to get help, while across the street at Best Buy I can't walk ten feet without someone comming up to me to see if they could help me find what I'm looking for.
One time a friend and I went in to pick up an item we both ordered ordered online when they had the $20 gift card if your order was not ready in 20 min. We both ordered the same satellite radio, but placed two separate orders under two different names. When we got to the store, my friend's order was ready within the time limit, but mine was not ready at all. So when I got my order I asked for the gift card, the manager tried to say they did not owe me one because the orders were identical. I pointed out that the product was identical, but there were two different order numbers and two different names. Needless to say, I won after some shouting and making a sceen.
Another time when I brought in a add from the news paper, the girl could not believe how cheep the game was being sold for at another store and asked me if I had made the paper myself. I won this one as well.
This is one store I will not miss due to 99% of the people that work there.
monkeymonkeymonkey @ Jan 16th 2009 3:06PM
Sad indeed. CC has been my retailer of choice when shopping B&M. Most of my purchases are online, but CC has always been good to me. BB on the other hand is the worst retailer to deal with, imo.
R.I.P. Circuit City.
ssb @ Jan 16th 2009 3:46PM
wait, you're proud of yelling and making a scene? i see, you're one of "those" people. customer service is hit and miss at any retail location. there's never any consistency, it's really just luck of the draw w/the person you're dealing with.
monkeymonkeymonkey @ Jan 16th 2009 4:14PM
What do you mean "proud of making a scene". Did you reply to the wrong comment?
gregoryscottsharp @ Jan 16th 2009 3:14PM
Oh man, I love CC. Hey, wait! What about all those extended service warranties?!
AoE @ Jan 16th 2009 3:39PM
If you check any of the warranties you have, you'll see they're handled by a 3rd party, so they're still valid.
BlackFreefall @ Jan 16th 2009 3:15PM
Damn I actually like Circuit City. Better than greedy money snuggling Best Buy.
jsa3mm @ Jan 16th 2009 3:53PM
I agree 100%.
sambob117 @ Jan 16th 2009 3:15PM
eh, good riddance, CC was always my last option for electronics/movies anyway, never liked their service, or the lack thereof.
JeffyWeffyBeffy @ Jan 16th 2009 3:16PM
It is REALLY sad that this economy is in the dumps, I really feel for the employees, as a couple others have expressed as well.
But I'm actually kind of glad that they are going out, it seemed like they were just holding on for dear life in the business. Whenever i would go in it just seemed like a depressing atmosphere, some shelves weren't stocked, floors weren't that clean, their layout was rather mish-mashed together. It seems many companies just over reached their boundaries in what they were capable of doing, now they are paying the price, same with everything, people were just throwing money around like it was nothing in the past, now... the backlash. It is rather ridiculous in the last 5-10 years or so to see a Starbucks on every corner (almost literally, i live in downtown SF) Just companies outreaching themselves only because they can, and the sheer greed of it all. (I hope Starbucks croaks by the way, a miserable death, unfortunately that won't happen)
ANYway... I like shopping online anyway, i hardly ever go into the big box stores unless I'm desperate. With the economy the way it is I'm going to stick to deal hunting online, and utilizing sites like craigslist for used goods.
(but I'll see what CC has to offer in the coming weeks)
Stay healthy !
jsa3mm @ Jan 16th 2009 5:13PM
I am so sick and tired of hearing about how bad the economy is. What does everyone think happens when you reward worthless pieces of crap for staying at home to collect and unemployment check? YOU SHOULD NOT GET PAID FOR NOT HAVING A JOB! Americans did this to themselves by putting the same sh**ty government officials in over and over again. Obama is only going to make this worse by increasing unemployment benefits. Turn to your right...thank the idiot next to you...turn to the left and thank that idiot too.
On another point about all this economy crap. Yes, it is bad. It is not as bad as the mainstream media make it out to be. Mark my words...things will go from doom and gloom to flowers and meadows in the media once Obama is sworn in.
Tricause @ Jan 16th 2009 10:38PM
jsa3mm, I agree. It is good to find someone who feels the same as me.
I cannot stand that so much money is wasted at a waste of life. Hardly any on welfare or any variation of it deserve it.
Spyder @ Jan 16th 2009 3:28PM
odd how gamestop's sales were higher than a year ago an cc fell so far that it has to close the rest of its stores. they had some great deals recently, i guess the terrible customer service really hurt them.
hopefully this won't be a trend
erock @ Jan 16th 2009 3:22PM
Oh No I just Bought My New TV From Them Last Month!!! I Hope my TV Dosen't Break Down!!!
Araskaz @ Jan 16th 2009 3:24PM
I feel really weird saying this on 360 fanboy... but this makes me sad... Circuit City was the only place I could go to buy a game for the PS3 without them telling me I should buy it for the 360 or if it's a PS3 exclusive say it sucks. I have no problem buying 360 games in like gamestop, but when I go to buy PS3 games they tell me they suck and stuff. Who cares? Lemme buy what I want to buy.
I'm not saying the PS3 is better than the 360.. so don't flame me. I'm just pointing out CC was the only place that didn't care if I bought it for 360 or PS3... except for maybe Walmart.
:(
Tricause @ Jan 16th 2009 10:41PM
I work at Wal-Mart, and I say I could care less which system you buy a game for, because it is your choice.
Ian Murray @ Jan 16th 2009 3:24PM
Did the post image remind anyone of the "Killjoy" badge from Halo 3?
I'm sure there's a reason for that...
tim @ Jan 16th 2009 3:28PM
i'm hoping for some deals...here in NJ i remember back in the late 80s/early 90s when kiddie city went under. $5 for all gameboy games?! i loaded up! and they were good games too, not crap that's left over.
AoE @ Jan 16th 2009 3:41PM
Yeah! I got a sweet $200 pair of headphones for $100 when the good guys went under. I was sad to see them go... but also happy to pick over the corpse. Circuit City I will not miss, but I will certainly be happy to cash in on thier bad fortune.
That said, it is unfortunate that all those people are losing their jobs; I wish that didn't have to happen.
RB2FREAK @ Jan 19th 2009 3:02PM
Aww man, I sorta liked them altough the last time I went there was like 6 moths ago but whatever.
Jesse James @ Jan 16th 2009 3:42PM
Remember competition is good for us. It helps drive prices down and makes businesses use sale tactics and freebies to get people in the door. The less competition the worse things can get. Businesses can start to charge more and people have no other place to go.
I’ll miss CC, they never gave me a problem doing price match and I was never bothered in a store until I was ready for help and then I could ask for it. Plus come to think of it, the one by my house is never crowded so I never have a problem getting in and getting what I want. :( sad day indeed.
JCP @ Jan 16th 2009 4:02PM
sad sad times, its just depressing, the one in my area is covered in huge yellow signs saying "everything must go" I thought it was just that store that was closing, till I heard about the filing for chapter 11 a couple weeks ago.
This stimulus package better be mighty stimulating
pekosROB @ Jan 16th 2009 4:33PM
Does anyone realize that without CC there is just one less competitor on the market? If I ever got a price lowered it's because I found it cheaper somewhere else.
I sense fewer deals, at least in stuff like flash drives and blank media.
Mabooza @ Jan 16th 2009 4:37PM
I'm going to miss their deals on 360 games. Most recently I got Gears 2 for $42 plus a 1,600 MS point card for free. Then there was the time I got a free Call of Duty 3 with the purchase of CoD4. I also got Lego Star Wars II for free when I bought Shadowrun. Nobody else has come close to matching those deals...maybe that's why they're still in business?
RIP CC
Deck @ Jan 16th 2009 4:49PM
Indeed sad. Not many left around the Seattle area here, and I rarely go, but so many people losing their jobs is not good. So I feel really bad for them.
The sales however, may be worthwhile once we figure out what they are.
chris @ Jan 16th 2009 5:06PM
thats what they get for backing the DIVX format, my revenge is now complete!
somguy @ Jan 16th 2009 5:10PM
DANG. There are actually two fairly close to me. (Las Vegas, NV) I already had a tough enough time looking for a job here, NOT EVEN WAL-MART IS HIRING... To many people from casinos losing their jobs.
Guess I will not get a job until I somehow finish college...... Time for more student loans... if possible!
horngreen @ Jan 16th 2009 5:11PM
Jose said...
I'm not shocked at all that the company has gone under. They had some of the worst customer service. I would have to track down someone to get help, while across the street at Best Buy I can't walk ten feet without someone comming up to me to see if they could help me find what I'm looking for.
One time a friend and I went in to pick up an item we both ordered ordered online when they had the $20 gift card if your order was not ready in 20 min. We both ordered the same satellite radio, but placed two separate orders under two different names. When we got to the store, my friend's order was ready within the time limit, but mine was not ready at all. So when I got my order I asked for the gift card, the manager tried to say they did not owe me one because the orders were identical. I pointed out that the product was identical, but there were two different order numbers and two different names. Needless to say, I won after some shouting and making a sceen.
Another time when I brought in a add from the news paper, the girl could not believe how cheep the game was being sold for at another store and asked me if I had made the paper myself. I won this one as well.
This is one store I will not miss due to 99% of the people that work there.
PLEASES TELL ME MORE ABOUT BAND CAMP!
russ @ Jan 16th 2009 5:27PM
CC had the worst computer systems at the registers. Should I say old and obsolete? I don't know about other CC outside of CA but they also had funky receipts. They were huge! I sure will miss those and their great deals. ;p
Jose @ Jan 16th 2009 5:31PM
I never stated that I was proud that I made a scene. I was fed up with the manager trying to get out of giving me what I was owed per their policy. I was not going to back down. I also did not add to the story that the shouting match started after the manager felt he needed to insult me because I would not acept his excuse and that I was going to contact headquarters. I did contact headquarters and found out that I was not the first person to have this type of issue with this manager and that this same manager was becoming known for talking down to all his customers in this particular store. You also need to note that I never stated that I shouted at the girl who acused me of making a fake paper. I asked her if she felt the paper was fake, then maby she should call the store. She did and the look on her face when she found out she was out of line was worth all the hassle. I did not report her, I felt the embarrassment she felt that day was lesson enough.
Tobby @ Jan 16th 2009 7:17PM
Just a thought buyer beware.
I was just ready this on Yahoo on dealing on warranty and final sales
http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/patterson/33343
Peace :)
CH3BURASHKA @ Jan 16th 2009 9:13PM
CC did seem like the 2nd rate Best Buy.
Blue is new Red (just like politics, huh?)
ChomskyKnows @ Jan 16th 2009 10:28PM
I don't wish ill will on them but they were terrible around here. They NEVER EVER had new releases on the floor. The barely existing freebies announced in circulars never existed...They started to redeem themselves by bundling gift cards with new games but that was far too late...
My local Best Buy used to be terrible but cleaned up it's act. They always have new releases and promotional items, preorders, etc...
Ryan @ Jan 17th 2009 12:42AM
bye bye cc, we'll miss you
http://thenewhustle.wordpress.com/2009/01/17/circuit-city-going-out-of-business/
2 slick @ Jan 17th 2009 1:11AM
It's not unemployment that kills the economy, it's ignorant banks giving mortgages to anyone w/ a credit score about 500. It's saudi's and other middle eastern countries jacking up the price of oil because they can. It actually has very little to do w/ government, hence the phrase "free market". U.S. did not have an absolute free market, but a very near version of it.
If anything unemployment helps the economy, because those who receive it don't simply stash it away, they spend it. Please, act like you have some form of common sense. This crappy economy is affecting all of us, some a lot more than the fact that your least/most favorite "b&m" store is going out of business.