Circuit City

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crainbebo
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Re: Circuit City

Post by crainbebo »

The Lynnwood, WA Circuit City still has signage on the front. It's the "plug" style exterior, with the 1990s Circuit City logo. Surprisingly it's still abandoned after over a year.
trainman
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Re: Circuit City

Post by trainman »

crainbebo wrote:Surprisingly it's still abandoned after over a year.
Not too surprising, given the state of the economy.

The Circuit City on Victory Boulevard in Van Nuys, CA, also the "plug" exterior, appeared to be set to be occupied by a thrift store -- there were even exterior signs put up circa November-December of last year, reusing the round frames on the "plug." But it never opened; first the signs were covered up a couple of months later, and they recently were removed entirely. I have no idea what happened.
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BK31
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Re: Circuit City

Post by BK31 »

Not surprising in the least. Besides the economy, the older plug style circuit city stores can be difficult remodels, especially on the facade if someone wants to get rid of the plug, which of course, usually means it costs more to change. Plus the plug does something on many of the older stores, it hides the fact that the roof on the warehouse / customer pickup side of the store was usually a good 5-10 feet taller than the sales floor side. Their newer 'horizon' style stores had a blander, reusable facade if you don't count the yellow EIFS signfield background they usually had, and the warehouse was usually across the back of the store rather than running front to back. Most of those seem to have been gobbled back up or don't go as noticed as an old circuit city like the plug stores do.
Dean
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Re: Circuit City to Liquidate remaining 500 stores.

Post by Dean »

Dean wrote:The Palm Desert CA store was built...and never opened.

It is on Monterey Avenue. The sign is on the street...and the brand new store is simply sitting there vacant.
This must've been the original site in Palm Desert:

http://www.thealley.info/palmdesert.html

A replacement for this site was built across the street.

This third site, on Monterey, was either planned to be a replacement of the other, or an additional site, as it is in on the other end of the city.

The site that never opened still has paperwork on the door. Construction licenses, etc tied to Circuit City.
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Re: Circuit City

Post by luckysaver »

West Covina area update:

Former CC plug store on Azusa has changed hands again - was AJ Wright

Eastland: Westfield Group is renovating the building (along with the former Mervyns and Levitz) to house at least 4 new retailers/eateries. This building first opened as one of two Club Disney playgrounds.

The renovation former regional office/DC in City of Industry (Valley/Lemon) for another firm is almost complete. This was also a plug building.

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Brian Lutz
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Re: Circuit City

Post by Brian Lutz »

It's only been within the past couple of months that the Bellevue (Crossroads) store has been reoccupied. Apparently it's being turned into a big rock climbing gym.
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Re: Circuit City

Post by luckysaver »

Main/Chapman in Orange CA (adjacent to a Ralphs Fresh Fare) was recently gutted in the inside and the building under renovation. No signs saying what the space will be. This was a smaller sized store without a plug facade.

The South Pomona (60/71 freeways) plug store still vacant. After the departure of Circuit City and Toys R Us, this shopping center is left with just Home Depot, Office Max, Shell gas station, and a CalTrans Maintenance Yard.

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Brian Lutz
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Re: Circuit City

Post by Brian Lutz »

Work is continuing on the rock climbing gym that is being built inside the former Bellevue (Crossroads) Circuit City. It looks like the plug facade is going to stay, but is going to be modified for the new tenant. Perhaps the most interesting feature of this is the addition of a new structure to the roof of the old building to allow for higher climbing walls. Aside from those changes, it appears the building exterior will be mostly left untouched. You can see a concept drawing here:

http://www.stonegardens.com/

As far as I know, the former Tukwila/Southcenter store is still vacant, with signage still intact.
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nysw3636
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Re: Circuit City

Post by nysw3636 »

Former Circuit City on Route 9 in Poughkeepsie,NY will soon be occupied by Orthopedic Associates of Dutchess County. Planned opening is early 2012. Work is progressing...
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Re: Circuit City

Post by bobsjers »

A lot of stores in the Philadelphia area were taken over by electronic chains from outside the area. PC Richard from New York took Mt. Laurel NJ and Cottman Ave in Philadelphia. HH Gregg from Indiana took over stores in Wilmington DE, Christiana DE, Deptford NJ and other locations. The Sicklerville NJ store is becoming an Odd Lot store.

As may have been discussed in the shopping center thread, Linens and Things, Filene's Basement and Circuit City in Springfield PA closed. The remaining stores were pushed to one end, and WalMart is taking over the rest of the shopping center. This was an old S Klein's center.

I had a bad experience at one Circuit City years ago. I was sold the extended warrenty by being told by the salesman it included unlimited phone support. When I called, they informed me that the salesperson lied, but refused to take any action. Later, the mother board burned out, so at least I got my money's worth on the warrenty. Normally I don't buy the extended warrenty.
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Re: Circuit City

Post by Ephrata1966 »

A couple of the very last Circuit City stores built were in Marlton and Sicklerville in NJ. I am not sure if the Marlton one was built as something else. But it was next to an old Two Guys. This space became a liquor store called Wineworks about a year ago. Sicklerville was a replacement for a store at Shore Mall in Egg Harbor. Funny how the Springfield PA one just became a K&G clothing store just like the Shore Mall store when it moved.

Circuit City seemed to be one of many different types of store chains that all really filled one niche. Other chains in this category that are gone now include Linens 'N Things, Levitz, Filene's Basement, Kids R Us, and Service Merchandise. All these companies built most of their stores to complement old and new malls starting in the 80's. I like how they still seemed to capture the elegance of old department stores. Sometimes they even filled in old department stores. The Klein conversion in Springfield is a great example. Linens 'N Things even moved into part of the very JCPenney at Puente Hills Mall in LA featured in "Back To The Future". Hard to believe that JCPenney closed way back in 1996. What would have been nice is if the infamous Dixie Square Mall in Chicago could have gotten some of these stores. Target, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Ross, Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Toys R Us, Babies R Us, Bed Bath & Beyond, Modell's Sporting Goods, Dick's Sporting Goods, Gap, Pier 1, Office Depot, OfficeMax, and the cinema chains continue to fill this urban void. Many other mall stores and restaurant chains are in the same category.
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Re: Circuit City to Liquidate remaining 500 stores.

Post by Dean »

Dean wrote:
Dean wrote:The Palm Desert CA store was built...and never opened.

It is on Monterey Avenue. The sign is on the street...and the brand new store is simply sitting there vacant.
This must've been the original site in Palm Desert:

http://www.thealley.info/palmdesert.html

A replacement for this site was built across the street.

This third site, on Monterey, was either planned to be a replacement of the other, or an additional site, as it is in on the other end of the city.

The site that never opened still has paperwork on the door. Construction licenses, etc tied to Circuit City.
Site is becoming a 99 Cents Only Store.
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Brian Lutz
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Re: Circuit City

Post by Brian Lutz »

Here's a news article today showing the conversion of the old Bellevue Circuit City into a rock climbing gym. Of particular note here is the "boulder" that's been grafted onto the old plug facade (which will eventually be repainted in black, but hasn't been completed yet.)

http://bellevue.komonews.com/news/busin ... completion
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crainbebo
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Re: Circuit City

Post by crainbebo »

Circuit City in Lynnwood WA is now a Whole Foods Market, and doesn't look like a Circuit City anymore. The "plug" on the exterior was taken off.

-crainbebo
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